learn piano

i’ve been terrible about making time for music in the past month, but did sit down at the piano a couple of times this week. i always forget what good exercise it is for my fingers. i can feel them get stronger and less likely to be injured by typing at the computer.

i put in some good piano and score reading time during my two weeks off (the christmas oratorio is terrific!). i need to keep it going as i slip back into my usual routine and todo lists.

diminishing returns… need to get back on the bench!

i only managed to be at the piano about every third day this week instead of every other day. the time i spent there was wonderful, though it was starting to overload my arm muscles. i need to keep spreading it out to a little each day instead of a lot two or three times a week.

i only got in my piano time about every other day this week. need to keep trimming the fat from my todo list and making music a higher priority.

i’ve been pretty good about putting in an hour each day this week. i’ve started a routine of a 1/2 hour at the keyboard, a 1/2 hour of listening to music while reading the score (this and this make a great combination), a 1/2 hour of reading about music (music history, theory, etc.), and a 1/2 hour back at the piano. it’s fun! i need to keep reducing other unnecessary commitments to make time for it.

i reinstated a modest daily practice schedule, and have been maintaining it for the last few days. keep going!

i sat down for an hour of concentrated practicing yesterday, for the first time in ages. baby steps onto the bus. i need to keep working at creating free time for music. i gave myself permission to let it slide when the house debacle erupted in the summer, and now that the house has sold, i should pick it up again. i should pursue finding a teacher once the plans about winter relocation are decided.

i got my degree in classical guitar performance back in 1996, but have drifted away from music since then. i finally started piano lessons a year ago, and had great plans for increased practice time once the summer came. then my summer went wonky , i got sucked into months of cleanup of that mess, and the end of the year is looming with the keyboard untouched. i want to recapture my momentum, find a new teacher (my previous one is busy finishing two piano degrees), and free time for lessons and practice.

unfortunately, finding a teacher and establishing a relationship with
him or her conflicts with my goal of spending part of the winter
somewhere warm, so i may have to content myself with practicing until
i’m home again for an extended period.