Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Do you remember your goals for 2017.......

You're a man of your word!
I didn't post on the earlier thread, but I have at least started on one of my long-term indefinite goals… To learn to play jazz piano!

PS. I'm definitely thinking about 2018 goals for classical, as I'm in a bit of a funk with my classical lessons/teacher and I need to do something to get out of the holding pattern...

I got 3 out of 4! I completely failed on #2, since I didn't put anything new on youtube, but I'm ok with that. The most important thing is #4, and I can claim success on that!

my goals of 2017 were a series of steps towards my theory and practical exams. Hard to describe but practice had to become less about what I wanted to do and more methodical to reach my goals. I am very pleased to say I passed both exams and for the briefest of moments actually felt like a real pianist

Thanks Johan! I enjoy these “year in review “ threads.

So last year’s goals:

1. Stay with MOYD-this will be my eighth year! DONE ( well, I have a few days to go but I think it’s reasonable to expect I will stay on track!)

2. Participate in all the e-citals and at least one themed recital. - Almost. I didn’t manage a themed recital )
3. Participate in at least 2 public performances ( I actually did 4!)
4. Play for others - at least 6 times (husband doesn't count for this, he's my most faithful supporter, but I have to play for people who don't hear me regularly) —-(Managed more on this too , especially in the last quarter of the year!)
5. Continue to work on technique - focused practice, more use of metronome during study for getting fluidity from the start.(Great success on this front. Possibly my best year ever)
6. Follow a system of refreshing pieces so that I have some sort of repertoire
Now I have about 6-7 pieces I can pick up and play. I'm aiming for a total of 20 ( Fell short on this one. I will work on it this coming year)

My goals for 2017 were met only by about a half, I think. I'm still happy about my progress this year!

1. Practice about 500 hours.
Nope… as of yesterday I clocked 437 hours. I seem unable to do more than 75 minutes per day on average. Still, not too far away.

2. Complete the 40-pieces-a-year challenge for 2017 and record as many pieces I can.
I completed the challenge with 55 pieces, mainly beginner/intermediate and intermediate. But I recorded only old repertoire and just a handful of new keepers.

3. Learn at least: 1 Bach Invention (Done! no. 4), 1 Scene from Childhood by Schumann (Done x2! no. 4 and no. 7), 1 Prelude by Chopin (Done x2! no. 6 and no. 7).

4. Practice scales/technique once a week (30 minutes).
Done, 28 hours total during the year. But I definitely need to do more.

5. Practice ear training once a week (30 minutes).
Nope, ear training was almost completely neglected.

6. Maintain a small performance-ready repertoire (about 30 minutes) and find chances to play in front of other people.
Half and half - I did the first part and I have a nice line-up of 12 pieces ready, but I never played “for an audience” this year. I took part in all 4 quarterly recitals, though.

7. Start looking for my grand piano!
Nope! Change of plans! The house is far from ready to host a grand piano. But I played a few at Cremona music exhibition and I think I'm in love with Grotrian Steinweg's studio 192

Goals equals target hit, aim achieved successfully. Maybe "Aims" would be a better word. . . . .A short list, not in any order of importance.

My first aim is to be less pedantic about the correct use of words, many of which I only pretend to know what they mean . . mind you,there's enough foreigners here to put me right about the vagaries of the English language.

Second, is to spend more time at the gym, a mile down the cycle track. I've lost over a stone in weight which in truth, I didn't have to lose . . but what fun! Virtual Cycling. Place full o' women, with a smattering of ole Neanderthals like myself . . .all pedalling furiously and going . . . nowhere!

Third is to develop a reasonable classical repertoire and also be able to play my own tunes . . . time kinda wipes your memory banks very clean indeed lol

Have fun.

Oh no! Another language "pet peeve" that I was blissfully unaware of before... and the worst thing is that it makes sense and now it cannot be UN-understood :-(

I reached some of my 2017 goals

1. Stuck with MOYD, and to 30 of the 40 pieces a year.

2. Definitely got more friendly with the metronome. Biggest accomplishment of the year???!!!

3. Left hand can reach a comfortable octave, and right hand is almost there.

4. Much progress on being able to play-perform through errors and keeping the rhythm. Yay!!!

5. Practice has gotten more efficient. Been good about doing lesson assignments. Phrasing, expression got better.

Need to work on

6. Pieces for my husband :-)

7. Sight-reading practice

8. Playing for the ABF recitals and even more for friends and family.

Thank you, Johan B!

Pet Peeves (or any other peeves for that matter) are what you use whenever you can't think of anything sensible to say . . . .or you can, but you'd rather not say it. . . . .

I think a great goal would be for PW to have a "real" Beginner's forum.

I don't think I posted goals in the original thread, but I'm pretty happy with where I'm at compared to this time last year

It's been a bad year for me, and piano practice has been heavily affected.
I maintained my MOYD (not even in the list), but I miserably failed on almost everything except 3. and 5.
I abandoned the 40 pieces challenge after a few months, did not take exams and completely neglected aural skills. Not to mention goals 6. and 7.

And the journey has not always been enjoyable, rather a burden for me.

Now things are better and I feel I'm again on the right track.

I'm sorry to hear that you had a difficult year, and I'm glad that things are getting better. I wish you a wonderful 2018!

I did not set my goals in 2017. It was a tough year for me. My father was diagnosed as late stage terminal cancer in February and passed away in May. I went back to Japan 4 times to see him last and take care of his affairs after his death. I then parted with my former teacher who I thought was my friend. I just hope for the next year to bring in peace of heart for my grieving mother.

For piano, I do have a goal this year. My new piano teacher recommend me to take RCM grade 10. Since I have busy and demanding job, we decided to split it over 2 years. This year I will do techniques and 2 étude only and will take piano pieces from 5 periods next year. I haven't done scales, arp etc for years. So it is a serious challenge. But it's much cheaper than going back to college ($25k a year + lesson fees). It will take me 2 years to finish. I also don't think I'm a college material anymore (it's hard for me to be completely obedient to any teacher all the time).

So my goals is to pass the technique part of the exam. Also I have an audition come up to be a volunteer pianist at a cancer center here. I have to prepare 10 min of easy listening pieces. It has been my dream to use piano to do something good. Please send me your positive energy. I need that.

Hi pianofriends,

Nice to read your reviews. And in all those stories we can read that this forum is more than pianostories. That's good! We're among (music)friends. Members tell also about their good and bad things in 2017.

Farmgirl, I feel sorry for your lost, wish you can handle this event,
Torquenale, I'm glad your life is going better now,
Jazzy Mac, understand your statement, but believe me, whatever everybodys level is, we're among pianolovers and there is mostly respect for every member,
Gingko2, what do you mean with ' Pieces for my husband :-) ' ,
peterws, mmm...nice,you will be less critical about language for my Enghlish is also not perfect..... and be happy there are more Neanderthals... ,
sinophelia and casinitaly great results in 2017.....I think it's the result of your sunny climate in Italy, or the tastefull food or wine...,
earlofmar, great....exams passed,
ajames, Moyd 2017.......me too,
cefinow, of course, when I promised something, I will do......
bSharpCyclist, you succeed in making progress

What about me? I did my summer-organ-perfomances in Juli-September. Met a nice soprano and gave some small performances together. We played aria's of Handel and Bach and some smaller songs. Made some appointments for organplaying in some churches, weekly april-oktober. So, my musicyear was great.
I decided in September for a partly retirement; only working two days a week. In September I will stop working at my college and will be 'an old man' Think about more playing somewhere and some private piano/organlessons for beginners.

I think I will start a new thread for music-goals at december 31th

Wish you all the best for 2018 much music and pianofun......

Best regards,
Johan B

Johan B, don't think of yourself as an "old man." You are a budding retiree in your infancy!

JazzyMac, I hope you can find some benefit from this site. Your use of quotation marks around the word "real" had me concerned. My own experience is that frequenting this site has been the greatest aid to my development at piano. I joined this forum immediately upon taking up piano, and have actively participated through the 2.5 years since. I am self taught, have made good progress, and use this site as my main source of information, instruction, and guidance. So, from my personal experience, I know that this site CAN be beneficial.

If your experience differs, please consider participating more. The group here has always been very helpful addressing the needs and questions of us early beginners. I have felt free to ask questions, offer my opinions and ideas, and question the ideas of others, and never with any fear that I might suffer condescension or other mistreatment as a result. I have always been treated with respect and consideration.

If you can identify things about the forum that bother you, please raise the issues in a thread. I think most members here would rather consider and address a deficiency than to ignore it and neglect those who are troubled by the same. Please let us know.

I did pretty well on my goals this year. Hopefully next year will go as well!


1. Find a new teacher here in Spain. I found a fantastic teacher, and have really benefited for her help
2. Continue with Spanish lessons and speak at least at B2 level. Not quite. I am A2 level.
3. Take the ABRSM grade 7 exam. Done and passed with merit!
4. Improve my aural skills so I am not terrified of the grade 7 aural exam. I passed the aural, but I still have more work to do.
5. Do the 40 piece challenge primarily with pieces at ABRSM grade 6 and above. Done, but I was unable to record them all
6. Do MOYD again. Done
7. Have fun with my new piano! Oh yeah!!!

Ralphiano,

Well said

Swiss MS

Congrats to your new piano, what brand or type?

Best regards,
Johan B

It is a Bosendorfer 214VC. I truly love it!