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Yes, I do accept PMs Ragdoll - I don't know if I can be of help or not, but ....we can try!

Cathy (and everyone else who might be amused)... my favourite regional word from this area is "ciumbia" The "ci" is pronounced "ch" as in "church"...ch YOOM bee-ah - and it means "wow" - an expression of surprise and even astonishment -for positive or negative situations.

I am glad to see the AOTW tribe expand yet again. Welcome to the best thread across all the Piano World forums.

Week 58: It feels like a one step back, kind of week. The pieces on the working list all sound like carp (River Flows In You, Canon in D, Fire and Rain, Verdi Cries). I may have bitten off more than I can chew and may have to shelve some of the projects. Over reaching is one of the many hazards of being self-directed. The other side is to stagnate and stay in the comfort zone and not reaching far enough. I keep doing the sight reading and ear training apps.

Working on the new piece is the refuge for the week. It needs more definition, but has potential so I will keep working on it (vs. starting fresh, which is common). I'm up in the air about the upcoming recital. Something will come to me. Perhaps it will be carp soup, or carp souffle?

Have a good week everyone.

The Mendelssohn is submitted and that's a big achievement. Watching yourself on video is maybe the most difficult part. Of course the red dot still kept it from being without mistakes BUT I've learned that I can learn a difficult piece more quickly than I've assumed in the past. Don't know that I'd do it again though. LOL. Now I need to prepare for my teacher's piano party in May (the Melody Buber set).

I have read this reference to "the red dot" on a few posts now, what does it mean

Red Dot refers to recording. Many devices light up a red LED (aka the red dot) when they are recording. Most everyone feels added pressure when the red light is on, and many falter under the pressure, making mistakes on pieces they know well. The red dot tends not to be as bad, as live performance pressure, but it definitely feels different from a regular practice, or a regular play through.

Thanks Sand Tiger, I thought it might be something along those lines.

I may have been successful at convincing the husband on letting me keep my digital piano. I originally made a deal with him that I'd sell the digital once I get an acoustic as we live in a small 2 bedroom condo. But I've changed my mind and I really want to keep both. I found a spot for it after all. After 2 weeks of pretending I can't find a seller (so I lied a little?), I think he's given up. Victory is upon me!

That never worked with my wife. With me it was, "Adam will be round at 5pm to pick up the digital. Be nice."

But you will need your DP when you go travelling or want to practice all night.

I have a DP now I just need to convince my wife I need (deserve) an acoustic. I think this is a few years away but started to drop subtle hints already.

It's probably because us wives always win

Yup. Anything the wife clutters the house up with is a necessity. Anything the husband is allowed to bring in is a concession.

Always remember - it doesn't matter what it DOES, just what it LOOKS like :-)

Wow so many achievements and news!
Maple - glad your new teacher is wonderful. I can feel your excitement spilled over through the written words. Indeed piano teachers are very important people to our lives.
On electric piano - yes I'm still on the look out. Haven't had time to shop.

This spring has been incredibly busy for work and music. I have three hours of choir practice every week and two concert in addition to Sunday service. Then my studio class. I never realized taking one half hour credit piano studio class can be so demanding. But it is. In addition to weekly performing in front of the class, I have to perform in front of the guests three times during the semester! Many are performing three pieces. I can only put together only two pieces this time. Last time i perfromed one piece for each performance. This time the Bach P&F and Mendelssohn piece (thanks to ABF, although it needs to be polished & memorized) I used to wish for more opportunity to perform until last year. Now it's overwhelming. I guess when it rains it pours. I guess I cannot complain since I prefer having oppotunity to perform than not. I had my organ lessons. I love it and believe its very good for sight reading. My church is telling me to practice on their organ. So it's another time management issue (sigh).

Farmgirl --- I admire your commitment! that's a lot of time indeed and talk about the pressure of having to perform in front of a class every week. Yikes! but I suppose after a while, you grow to be more comfortable at performing in front of a live audience. That's an achievement on its own.

Gee Farmgirl...You sure are busy. How do you find the time to post on the internet? Hope you're having fun.
Thank you on my teacher. I couldn't be happier with her.

I'm sitting here itching to get out. Another bad snow day. Roads are bad. This is three weeks in a row. Snow, warm, ground is warm. So it makes for slick conditions. Not working, yet. It's my call. I don't want to get jammed again this week. I gotta get out there. Be careful. Get whatever I can done today. I'm too irritated to focus well on my music studies. I need to get things done so I can relax and concentrate on learning.

EDIT: A new saying... April showers bring snow plows.

Farm girl: you have a very musical life!

rnaple: congratulations for the great teacher you found. Soon you'll see improvement in your playing.

Ragdoll: I would like to have a better practice method, and sometimes I try some of the good advices here in PW, but I'm not constant.

Saranoya: a few days ago you had no AOTW - now you are organizing a piano party in Europe: this is a very big achievement!

CarlosCC: good luck for your contest, you are really brave!

I had a lesson planned for today, but the teacher could not come so I have no feedback on my progress on the Chopin prelude and Scarlatti sonata; I'm a bit disappointed because I'm at a point where I need feedback - usually when I think I have made big improvements the teacher gives me useful advices and points out problems I had not noticed. So I have to wait until next Monday. I don't want to be misunderstood: we agreed to be flexible (on both sides) so I'm not complaining with her.

Toastie – I bet you feel great getting back into a practice routine! And it’s a pretty neat moment when you realize your current materials feel easier to manage! Have fun at this new level of competency!

EarlofMar – playing all day --- FUN! But tiring! I don’t think my hands could hack it!

RMaple: Gramma and Grampa: Nonna and Nonno (the 2 “n”s are important otherwise you’re saying “nineth” in masculine and feminine forms), Paesan, from “paese” which technically means “country” but is just as often used to refer to one’s home town, hence a “paesan” is a fellow citizen of the same city ---and given that many Italian towns are very small, the threads of connection are very very strong, and meeting a “paesan” when far from home is a big deal!
Sounds like going to your lesson in your work close created quite a stir!

SandTiger: I find it helps to have several pieces on the go so that when my brain can’t take any more of one I slide on to the next. I do hope you’ll make it for the recital-Carp Casserole with greens on the side could be good

Wisebuff, congrats on your participation in the Mendelssohn thread (and now I can spell that surname I think being able to recognize that you’re able to do more in less time is very encouraging!

ElleC, Andy, EarlofMar – I kept my digital too –not that I play it much, but it is portable and every now and then it is nice to bring over to a friend’s place for some musical afternoons. My acoustic has a Silent system installed, so in effect I still regularly play “a” digital, I’ve got the best of both worlds. I think having the option for playing with headphones is wonderful – especially when you’re doing some focus practice which has the potential to drive anyone ‘round the bend!
Earlofmar: I got my acoustic after only 10 months on the dp…. Other folks have done it even sooner. You don’t necessarily have to wait til you’re better - you’ll get better as you work on your acoustic.

FarmGirl, I feel tired just reading your thread! Wow, you are busy--- and this is only your music life! I can hear that despite a little stress, you are very happy with what you are doing these days, and I’m happy for you. I think the organ lessons must be wonderful good fun!

Torquenale – I understand how disappointing it is (even with agreements and understanding on both sides) when you have to miss a lesson. I find sometimes that making a recording of my pieces shows me where my weak spots are, or else listening to a good recording while I read the score (after I’ve been playing the piece a bit) helps me hear what a professional is doing that I’m not.

My ATOW – I find I’m getting better at just relaxing and playing for my teacher, which means less flubbing. This is a major big deal. I’m very pleased. I played my Heller for him and he gave me more detailed feedback on my dynamics. He asked me if I wanted to play in the recital in June, but as there will only be kids (the oldest is 14), I declined. I’d just feel too out of place.

Casinitaly --- congrats in your atow this week. But I encourage you to join the recital! Though I shared the same sentiment when my teacher asked me to participate. Took a few times for her to convince me. I was to perform with 15 kids from 5-11. It was probably the most nervous I had been...not even an important job interview trumped what I felt the moment I was about to play. Also added to the fact that it was my first recital ever. Anyway, I'm glad I did though. It was a proud moment for my mom, husband and myself. It was a different kind of achievement even though I screwed up the first 10 seconds and had to restart. I'm planning to join our fall recital...I'm hoping the anxiety eases down after the first one.

ElleC, I'm happy to read about your experience in a children recital, because I agreed to participate in one in June and I feel really scared. It's a first time for me (just a very informal recital when I was 11), and I hope the next one will be easier... if I survive the first, of course.

Casinitily, think again about it!

If your teacher has enough adults, persuade them to have an adults only recital. Though I could probably hang with the kids now ...

My AOTW(s) is that I have come to an understanding with teacher about the direction of my lessons. I'll give it some time to see how it goes (been there before).

The second is, I thought , I had found a mistake in my lesson book. I was practicing a new lesson that just did not sound right. I tried what I thought sounded correct. I doubted myself initially thinking the harmony note G should really be a G#.

After looking at a tutorial for this piece on YouTube I was correct. I stopped it at the very point and sure enough he was playing a G#. The score was in front of him but he wasn't looking at it

This tells me my ear is improving and to not always second guess it.