play piano more often

Still not playing much. Lst night I started playing a classical piece that I usually need the music for and played most of it from memory – all I need to do is remember the last bit and play it more smoothly.

Tried a couple of contemporary songs also. Playing and singing is not very easy. I realised also that one of the pieces I had modified the back up of so I wasn’t playing the melody line as per the music in front of me – it took me a while to remember how I wanted it played (working out the chord structures so I could change chords easily). One day my improvisation will be a lot better than it is now.

Working on re learning an old classical piece by Hermann Wenzel. I even went on line to see if I could get hold of a new copy, my copy is an old photo copy that is half hand written and the hand written part is hard to read. Still I made good headway with it and I’ll be playing it from memory if I keep the practice going so the poor copy I have will be only for brushing up on when I let the piece lapse in my memory.
I also started checking out the 6th grade pieces I have a choice to pick from for my next practical exam. I’m really surprised at how my sight reading is going despite the lack of piano practice. It gives me a good feeling that helps me to want to continue with my aims to do further grades.

I also enjoyed listening to Beethoven works – ah… to be able to play like that (I can only hope my skills reach better than adequate by the time my lessons come to an end).

Including some I haven’t attempted before (or gave up on as too tricky). I have found that even with the lack of playing over the last 5 years my sight reading has somehow improved.

Maybe it’s because overall my confidence is much improved, and the work I’ve been doing to improve my memory is spilling over into other areas of my life.

It was refreshing and encouraging to see the ease I can still play new and old piano pieces.

I’ve already started playing some of my favourite Clementi pieces – I’m a bit rusty but it’s amazing what I do remember. I’ll work on some of the pieces I know to play for my sing-along group (music appreciation, I’m sure, would include a bit of classical). I have told them I can play – so I’d like to try and prove it to them. I’ll even learn some of the songs we do at sing-along just for a change of pace from CD backings or my daughter playing the guitar.

I will be having my old and neglected accoustic pianola looked at early next year – it badly needs a good tune and a coat of fresh lacquer. I hope it won’t cost too much to bring it up to scratch again.

I guess when I’ve had bouts of being crook, and then wanting to catch up on all the gardening that needs doing, and then there’s my cousins on the net….. well, most of my creative energy is going into the garden and researching my genealogy of late. But once the garden is done I will be able to relax and take in the sights of flowers and shrubs, listen to the birds and settle in to some serious piano practice again (might take a few years – unfortunately – I’ll see how I make progress)

Spent about an hour at the piano today, relearning my favourite Clementi pieces. I really enjoyed myself.