With such a plenitude of members on this board, composing an introduction here seems a little pointless as I doubt anyone bothers to read them much less reply in greeting. But Hey! It's totally the cool thing to do.I'm a garden variety cynic named Chris; Graduate with a worthless degree in piano performance and a slightly less worthless degree in K-12 music education. I've been Piano-ing for approximately 6 years which basically means my entire career thus far has been a game a catch-up, hah. Dogs, photography, the art of animation, video games (do you believe it?), watches and Nutella on crackers are among my other more pedestrian interests.I was hesitant to join this forum, largely because most classical music related internet forums I tried to tolerate exhibited a rather depressing regression of cordiality and maturity akin to that of a lot of...hm...prepubescent tweens. Frankly, I can find that sort of behavior elsewhere on the internet. I'm optimistic about this place.But there it is, an overly long post just begging to be ignored. See you lot on the forum.
But there it is, an overly long post just begging to be ignored. See you lot on the forum.
LuvMike aged 13
A quick sort on members by registration date tells me that I am probably the longest standing member who still posts, although nowhere near as frequently as I used to. Now I am retired I am working very hard at my music, particularly improvisation, of which I have recorded hundreds of hours. One of the great joys of getting older is the freedom to please myself in music, joyfully accept the fact that I am an outsider artist and totally ignore all orthodoxy and everything musicians say - not that I ever did take much notice of anybody at the best of times.By and large this is a very good forum, much broader minded than another I could mention, and I have made friends with several very talented people here.
Thank you tds. After over forty years daily grind, and playing the piano at nights when I was tired from computer programming, it seems to me a rare privilege to get up in the morning and immediately commence working on my music while mind and body are fresh. I have taken one pupil since I retired, to whom I teach mostly improvisation. The fee is only nominal, just sufficient to preclude informality, but I feel a duty to impart these peculiar ideas which have given me so much musical joy. The thrill of gently guiding a young mind to slowly forge its own creative identity at the instrument is more satisfying in many ways than making creations of my own. I had always assumed I would make a hopeless teacher but it seems I can do it very well, with the right person anyway. At sixty-three this a wonderful discovery to make.
Really sounds interesting! Especially the vocal coaching part which I did for the past 30 years and finally was able to retire a month ago. And also your work in performing in hospitols and schools, which I used to do in New York when I went to school there, and want to do again over here in Rome. teaching, not so much. Anyway, welcome! I'm pretty new, myself, here.
Yesterday, I just returned from Japan where I played and accompanied in Tokyo and Nagasaki. What a country. The concert in Nagasaki was for 2,000 people! The largest audience I ever played for. I accompanied a brilliant korean tenor, and played some solo things as well, berceuse, rigoletto, polonaise and Rialto Ripples! An exhilirating experience and something to spur me on in my studies. Oh, I also played in a hospitol! It was a sort of a dress rehearsal for the big event in Nagasaki. I love performing there. They're so enthusiastic in their love and appreciation of music.
That's really cool Birba! But do you have any recordings of that? You should post something!
They did a dvd but I'll have to listen to it first before I post anything!
OCD. I know I should know that...but I don't.
Hey. I live in Louisiana, and always have! I'm 15 years old, and have been playing piano since December of '08. I loove music, including most subgenres of metal, rock, techno, classical (of course), and some jazz. I also play trumpet, which I have been since 5th grade (As of now, I'm a sophomore in high school), aaand I'm a marching band nerd. I'm also OCD about typing in perfect English. ._.I've been on many other forums, so I know how they work.
You didn't mention Blues or Dixieland. Whenever I'm down that way I visit the night clubs and all I hear are mostly those types of music. Isn't Louisiana the birthplace of the "delta" blues?Marching band player? Join the club. I fondly remember great times both in High School and College, especially marching in the Rose Parade..
It literally stands for "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder." It's an actual condition, but most people use it almost as an expression, or a hyperbole. It's just a way of saying that you will go out of your way to make something perfect, like if you're in a grocery store and there's a can of soup where the label is showing, so you NEED to turn it, so it's exactly like all the other cans. Just stuff like that.