 |
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums
Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments.
Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
|
|
68 members (20/20 Vision, bcalvanese, booms, Cominut, 36251, Bruce Sato, Carey, crab89, AlkansBookcase, 11 invisible),
2,009
guests, and
294
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995
1000 Post Club Member
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995 |
I haven't been able to spend much time here due to number of hours I have had to put in at work and in practicing. But I wanted to share that I won the gold medal in a concerto competition yesterday with the first movement of the Brahms Bb. I know this is nowhere near as cool as winning the Van Cliburn would be, but I was still pretty darn excited. In case anyone is interested, I put in a ton of hours on it over the past two weeks, mostly doing hands-separate practice with a practicing hands-separate with metronome on all the time. I tried to turn each and every passage into an exercise with the goal of improving coordination and reducing tension as much as possible. It really paid off - my hands felt terrific. Now, it might have helped had my accompanist and I had rehearsed before the competition, but I guess a person can't have everything  Ryan
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 527
500 Post Club Member
|
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 527 |
Congrats! I knowit feels really good if you work your *** off and it pays off!
Just one question: Where does the accompanist come in? Sorry I don't really know Brahms pieces, if it has something to do with that...
Anyway, you mustnow go and celebrate, and then catch up on some sleep...
Congrats again!
Musical greetings
lallie
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 871
500 Post Club Member
|
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 871 |
Wow! Awesome Ryan, that must fell like terrific vindication for your decision to go back to music. Huge congrats.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,250
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,250 |
Congrats on winning the GOLD!!! Where did the competition take place? And how did you know about it? Ryan... I see you've been involved in a few competitions! Good for you!! 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,862
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,862 |
I hope to hear you play some day.. you're not that far away..Nothing like winning
accompanist/organist.. a non-MTNA teacher to a few
love and peace, Õun (apple in Estonian)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,972
6000 Post Club Member
|
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,972 |
Congratulations!! You are walking, living proof that grueling practice *does* pay off. And, I take back all my snide remarks in the past about metronomes. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,483
8000 Post Club Member
|
|
8000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,483 |
how great, congratulations! we have got another pro pianist here!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,276
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,276 |
Hey, Ryan, are you Orchestra Pit from Classical Insites? Anyhow, way to go fella!!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 827
500 Post Club Member
|
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 827 |
Congrats.
What's your prize? I know that some competitions let you perform with an orchestra.
- Zack -
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,207
6000 Post Club Member
|
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,207 |
Congratulations on the Gold Medal!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,931
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,931 |
Congratulations, Ryan!! That's wonderful and the Brahms Bb is a favorite of mine. I think it's about the greatest concerto written!! Of course others have different opinions. I know it's extremely difficult. I'm sorry the accompanist wasn't available to work with you before the performance and on a regular basis. Then it goes together so much better. I'm sure your teacher accompanied you some at lessons??? NO?? Anyway, that's quite a coup!!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 866
500 Post Club Member
|
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 866 |
Raspberry liqueur, apparently. :p
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 340
Full Member
|
|
Full Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 340 |
Originally posted by ryan:
I know this is nowhere near as cool as winning the Van Cliburn would be, but I was still pretty darn excited. Cool enough ! Congratulations !
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 830
500 Post Club Member
|
|
500 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 830 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,501
2000 Post Club Member
|
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,501 |
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery." - James Joyce
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 171
Full Member
|
|
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 171 |
Ryan, that is wonderful. Now maybe everyone will pay lots of attention to the wonderful practice tips you helpfully post here often. You proved they work! What did the others play?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,857
3000 Post Club Member
|
|
3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,857 |
CONGRATULATIONS, Ryan!!!
"Hunger for growth will come to you in the form of a problem." -- unknown
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995 |
Thanks, everybody! A bunch of replies to follow... If I overlooked a question, please repost it or send me a PM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995 |
Thanks, Diarmuid! I must confess that there have been times when I wondered what the heck I was doing trying to get back into music. This felt really good though. Actually, I was much more excited about the way I played than the award. My fingers felt great! They much more nimble, accurate, quick, and snappy than they were at my junior recital, where they just felt tight and sluggish. Also, I maintained a much more steady tempo this time, sticking to Brahms marking of 92mm throughout the movement. I have to admit getting those huge sections at the close of the expo and recap at tempo are a real blast to play at tempo Originally posted by Diarmuid2:
Wow! Awesome Ryan, that must fell like terrific vindication for your decision to go back to music. Huge congrats.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995
1000 Post Club Member
|
|
OP
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,995 |
Heh! Actually, the long hours with a metronome don't have to be "grueling," and probably shouldn't be. That used to be my approach, but I decided that it was counter productive to end a practice section with a stiff neck and back, headache, sore arms, shoulders, etc. Not that I don't get tired, but there is a difference between being tired from work and being tired from tension. I have found that if I take things in small chunks (small enough that I can play them without tension), pay attention to what works and what doesn't work, use a metronome to keep from speeding up, and don't force myself to do things that hurt, I can feel relaxed and even energized, even after hours of practice. I prefer this to my old approach of beating my hands into a bloody pulp until I finally changed my major to engineering Originally posted by kathyk: Congratulations!! You are walking, living proof that grueling practice *does* pay off. And, I take back all my snide remarks in the past about metronomes.
|
|
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,391
Posts3,349,282
Members111,634
| |
Most Online15,252
Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
