Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Composing for my son... and an update

As the years are going by, my sons are growing older and circumstances change.

4 or 5 years ago I posted about leaving Greece to live in the UK, while the rest of my family was moving in Kuwait. Unfortunately things turned out rather sour, as a few months after the move, my wife requested a divorce, so she's now my ex wife. I see my kids 3-4 times a year, for a total of about a month. Not fair, but it is what it is and I believe that we have to find happiness where it can be found.

Fast forward to now. I'm relocating in Amsterdam as my fiancé has moved there because of Brexit. I've also bought a very nice upright Yamaha U1, which will be delivered in a couple of weeks in our new flat in Amsterdam. Editions Musica Ferrum is growing rapidly, so everything seems to be going well.

Why am I mentioning all of this? Well, because through all these years I've been teaching my older son piano, who, turns out, is pretty talented and loves music. He doesn't want to become a musician, but this is not stopping him from practicing Chopin's 1st Ballad in his own right at the age of 15.

And he requested that I compose something so that the two of us can play (a duet, which I'm pretty comfortable doing, if you remember my "piano stories", back in 2013).

I couldn't be more happy, nor more busy, but the plan is set: His birthday is on the 14th of January, which leaves me another 2 and 1/2 months to compose, engrave, print and bind a super nice copy of him, as well as to publish the score. Then we will both practice in hopes of recording and videoing the work in the summer of 2020.

And as I have two sons, my other son happens to be quite adapt with technology, phones, tablets, etc, and he's shown a particular interest in photography and video, so who best than him to shoot us playing the piece?

My ideas are already set about the composition (and if I can manage it I'll turn it into an one movement sonata of sorts).

Thanks for reading.

Nikolas:

It is good to see you posting on PW again. All the more so since, after the turbulence, upheaval and disappointments that you have gone through, there is a warm, positive and happy "vibe" coming from this post, which I read with great interest.

I hope that you will keep us up to date on the progress of the duet; what a wonderful, personal gift that will be for your talented son.

Best regards,

Best wishes for the duet and I look forward to hearing it. It’s great to read about your doings, and the progress of your boys. You’ve been missed here.

Oh the duet idea is wonderful!! And good on you for "finding happiness where it can be found."

Do keep is posted!

So happy for you on your current outlook at "life".

Nikolas, many thanks for the update - don't be a stranger here! Please continue to keep us posted. All good wishes on your impending relocation to Holland, a very hip, progressive, and arts-friendly land.

I echo this. My wife and I have a flat in a grachtenpand in De Wallen in Amsterdam and it's as artsy a city as I have encountered.

Hip, progressive, and arts-friendly, yes, in the big cities, but if you prefer conservative, there is some countryside that is famous for its old-fashioned way of living.