returning to lessons

[ada]

Hi all

Can I just say this is a great forum. I've been reading as a guest for a while and finally joined up.
My question/comment is that I've decided to take lessons after a twenty year  break and I'm wondering what I should be doing to prepare.
My background: I learned up to sixth grade (but didn't do my exam) and stopped playing. Things happened, I didn't have access to a piano and I thought I'd lost my skill.
Then about a year ago a pianist moved next door and she plays every night, the most beautiful piano. I just used to listen and ache inside. So I started practicing on a keyboard. Yup, a dinky little keyboard. A few months ago I upgraded to a digital piano and Ï've been doing about two or three hours practice a day.
I thought I could just pick up where I left off by myself but I read a thread about the pitfalls of not having lessons, so I've taken the advice and booked one.
I'm working through a book of grade five pieces which I can do, albeit rustily, but what should I be doing in terms of scales etc? Also, I know you get these questions a lot, but what are some good pieces. Am up to Moonlight Sonata first movement, some easy Mozart, the perennial Fur Elise (I know, boring), Chopin Prelude Op.28-7 and dumbed-down arrangements of Liebestraum and Beethoven's Emperor concerto. Standard stuff but hey it's been a long time. Also working on Michael Nyman's theme for The Piano.
Any thoughts appreciated.

[Egghead]

Welcome to the forum, ada.

things many people here found very useful:

1) critically read "Fundamentals of Piano Practice" by Chang -
for free at https://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm

2) practice daily

3) get a teacher

4) read the forum-archives

5) play in front of other people as often as possible

These are listed in the order I did them in (in fact I only moved to step 3 after six months). As it happens, I think for me personally it is also the order of importance. (1) was the most significant step.
Have fun,
Egghead

[ako]

Congratulations on making music a part of your life again! I am 33 and having left the piano for over 13 years, I started playing and taking lessons again 2 years ago. So I am always excited to hear people picking it back up.

I think Schumann's Scenes from Childhood might be good. Some easy classical sonatas may also be nice along with some Bach Inventions. I have some "classmates" who are adult beginners (2-3 years) and they choose to play the slow movements of sonatas (Beethoven, Schubert, etc.) and some play the easier Chopin and Debussy preludes. I would not suggest playing "dumbed down" version of things though.

Have fun!

[ada]

This is great stuff. Thanks so much. I'm interested though, ako, why specifically I shouldn't play "dumbed down" versions? They are sort of simplified arrangements. I thought they might help get me ready for the real thing

[ada]

Me again. Just had a look at the Chang book. It's great.

[Daevren]

Because there are easy lovely pieces out there. Doing 'dumbed down' versions of famous hard pieces is not nessecary. You can play real music.

[ada]

Hmmm. Well okay, I will take that on board. ako's already suggested some good ideas, can I pick your brains for suggestions Daevren? Kind of  basic fifth grade standard.

[Daevren]

I am no expert on this. Try to do a search. I just know they exist.

[mound]

Write out a list of your goals from lessons, anything and everything, short term, long term. Hand that list to your teacher on your first meeting (if it hasn't happened already).

That will accomplish a few things.
1. It will help you better understand why you are getting back into it.
2. It will help the teacher understand what you hope to get out of it
3. It will blow the teachers mind (as it did mine when I did this) because nobody thinks to do such a thing. Your teacher will immediately have respect for you.