Play the piano more

Ok…...while browsing my Debussy music I also came across a book of Rachmaninoff preludes (op. 23) that I’ve only played one out of…....and that was over 20 years ago:)
Wow! They are beautiful, even when you’re reading at half tempo with an abundance of boo-boos.
So Rachmaninoff is it for now. I’m going to start with Prelude no. 2 in B-flat. At first read, it is my favorite in the collection.

I find so much R&R at the piano. Yet, I don’t do it often enough. My goal is to play for me. I actually play as part of my vocation, but that is “work-related” playing. I’m talking about playing just for me. My first goal is to complete a nice set of of Debussy Preludes. Still choosing which ones.

so fun! Why did I ever stop?

I have two songs that I had mastered in high school that I’m working on…one that I worked on a few years ago that I’m trying to get better at, and a new one I’m working towards being comfortable with (all instrumental, no lounge stuff)

I pulled out some old music, and I really had fun working on it. Classical stuff, not lounge stuff…stuff that takes some work and actual reading music.

Then today I was telling a coworker about playing piano, and how I usd to have aspirations of being a lounge singer. Tonight my husband told our neighbors about my previous lounge singing aspirations and made me pull out of a few….I was absolute shite (in my eyes); it’s been so long since I’ve sang. But they thought I was great and it was fun and I do hope to pull it out on a more regular basis.

but, i am still learning a lot about this since i am in college going for my degree in vocal performance. it’s still really cool that they require us to be profciant in playing the piano. i guess i really just want to find some music that i can sight read, a few easy pieces to learn and may one or two that will take me a while. i find it so hard not being able just to sit down and sight read what ever i want, but, sight reading is hard for me. the other thing is i want to figure out a good mix of classical pieces and popular pieces that i can entertain people with at parties and such. Right now i am working on an easy version of a jazz piece called “misty” and i just learned an easy version of linus and lucy.
The other thing I own tons of music books just getting inspired to learn something with out an instructor or a deadline for piano is slightly more difficult than I’d like it to be.

I really want to play the piano really well, but I don’t think I’m patient enough. I need to practice more!

There is a history of MS in my family. My grandmother, uncle, and father…It is such a painful reminder of the sadness in this world, the horrible reality of sickness and disease. While MS will not kill you, it will cripple you, and it just breaks my heart to see people I know who cannot play the guitar anymore because of the loss of mobility in their fingers…

There is not a known cause for MS. I’m not guaranteed to get it, but I do have a genetic susceptibility to is (just like someone with lots of cancer in their family may be at higher risk for that disease). I have no fear that I’ll get it or anything, but I did think over this holiday weekend that if I ever did, I would be very sad that I did not use these years to really play like I’m currently able to.

Of course, anything could take the ability from me…arthritis or carpal tunnel, too…

I picked out a new song to learn.

The one outlet I have always relied on is play the piano. When I could not express through spoken word, i could sit at my piano and express the pent-up pain and anger, the hurt, the loss and all the negative feelings. yet I could play a melody that share love, peace, acceptance, hope and joy. I don’t play as much as I should. I miss it.

this goal is prolly the one that i’m keeping up with the most out of all of them. I’m starting to teach myself christmas songs and the star spangled banner, along with mozart’s twinkle twinkle variations and a bach prelude

i’m going to try and make a serious effort to play the piano at least 15-20 minutes 6 days a week so i can get better and play more fun songs