Introduction

[thepianist09]

Hello everyone, it is good to meet you.

I am a pianist, I started at 4 and was taught by my mother, who is a very special pianist. I enjoy playing solo piano and playing with orchestras, and partake in many concerts and competitions (although I disagree with competition in music as principle).

I also play the french horn, although certainly not as much the piano, and I play in a few orchestras. I would like to play in the LSO one day. I am also a professional conductor, which I dreamed of being as a child, and work with a few orchestras.

When I am not playing or conducting I do some light teaching with some very good young  pianists.

I have also composed from a very young age, something I adore doing. I only do it for fun, I don't sell them or publish them, although I do perform them with the best orchestra I conduct. To date I have written two symphonys, an opera, two piano concertos, a trombone concerto, a set of Variations on a theme of Paganini for solo piano, 11 piano sonatas, 16 preludes, 12 etudes, 5 nocturnes and 3 Impromptus. I am currently working on my third symphony in Eb Major and lots of more piano pieces.

thepianist09

[birba]

How old are you?!  110?   . Very impressive.  Any of your music on youtube?

[thepianist09]

How old are you?!  110?   . Very impressive.  Any of your music on youtube?

Not 110, no, just someone who works very hard and has done it from a very young age. 

I also haven't put any music on youtube, as I am very conscientious of people listening to it. I actually really dislike other people hearing my work, mainly because I worry they won't like it.

One of my Nocturnes, in the key of F Minor, might be on Spotify in some shape or form, as a friend told me they had uploaded a recording of me playing it. Whether it is true or not I don't know because I don't know how they would get the recording.

[oxy60]

Not 110, no, just someone who works very hard and has done it from a very young age. 

I also haven't put any music on youtube, as I am very conscientious of people listening to it. I actually really dislike other people hearing my work, mainly because I worry they won't like it.

One of my Nocturnes, in the key of F Minor, might be on Spotify in some shape or form, as a friend told me they had uploaded a recording of me playing it. Whether it is true or not I don't know because I don't know how they would get the recording.

You shouldn't keep it to yourself. I think Birba will agree with me that one of the joys of music is knowing we have enhanced the lives of people we will never meet.

[ajspiano]

I enjoy playing with orchestras, and partake in many concerts and competitions

I actually really dislike other people hearing my work, mainly because I worry they won't like it.

So are you forced to perform, or are you just making up nonsense?

[outin]

So are you forced to perform, or are you just making up nonsense?

I guess he's only worried about people liking recordings, since he has no problem with people hearing them live:
"I don't sell them or publish them, although I do perform them with the best orchestra I conduct."

[j_menz]

a set of Variations on a theme of Paganini for solo piano

I collect sets of these. I'd be most interested in seeing yours. Is it the Am Caprice or have you ventured further afield.

It's surprising how many of these have cropped up in the last 20 years. I guess the Rach has finally stopped scaring people.

[thepianist09]

In answer to the above questions, I enjoy performing compositions that aren't mine.

I am very nervous of performing my own compositions.

I have only played my piano compositions to my parents.

I have tried my orchestral compositions in rehearsals with my orchestra, although it was actually quite painful for me to do so. Most of the people in that orchestra I am very good friends with, and I knew they wouldn't annoy me about it.

[thepianist09]

Is it the Am Caprice or have you ventured further afield.

It is the Am Caprice, however I do waver into other keys in some instances.

I also have a set (which I have merged with the other) of Paganini Variations in a style of famous composers. For example, for Beethoven, I have two, the first the Moonlight Sonata 1stMvt, and the Pathetique Sonata 1stMvt. For Chopin, I have one - Fantasie Impromptu. For Rachmaninov Prelude in C Sharp Minor, etc. I prefer to use famous pieces for them, although I don't know why.

[j_menz]

It is the Am Caprice, however I do waver into other keys in some instances.

Hopefully you modulate rather than waver. 

Never been pressured for a cello sonata/concerto?

[thepianist09]

Never been pressured for a cello sonata/concerto?

Funnily enough, my sister, who plays cello, has asked me to write one. I am planning to start it after I finish my 3rd Symphony Mvt2. Once I complete it, if she and I think it is good enough, I will post it on the forum. 

[scriabinish]

New to the forums here and thought I'd introduce myself - Been playing/studying/teaching piano for the better part of my life.  Though my *work* isn't music, I still manage to get a few hours of practise in a day.  I have been very lucky and have managed to have some of the great pedagogue/performers as teachers -
Beyond that, I work as a wine consultant and a sommelier.  I am of course always pleased to answer any questions about that, if anyone has any questions about that type of thing!
Cheers!

[j_menz]

Beyond that, I work as a wine consultant and a sommelier.  I am of course always pleased to answer any questions about that, if anyone has any questions about that type of thing!
Cheers!

Free samples, perhaps? 

Welcome aboard.

BTW, are you doing the full Alkan Concerto, just the first movement or the Morceau de Salon cutdown version?

[michaelpianist]

 

[db05]

Good day. I just dropped by again to download some of the free sheet music, but now I'm wondering if I should come back to the forums. I'd returned to the piano more than a year ago, but school has been so busy that I hadn't a chance to check the forums, reflect on my progress, and just communicate with people who love music. That is one of my regrets.
I wonder if any of my old friends are still here?

And since this is the thread for Introductions...
I'm Faye, from the Philippines. I'm 24 years old.

Late starter. Started learning guitar at 16, piano at 18, and fell in love with classical music.
Right now I'm taking piano and voice lessons. I want to be proficient in all three instruments and teach music in the future.

[ted]

Good to see you back, I was wondering where you had gone. My wife is a Filipina from Dagupan, so I usually remember Filipinos on forums. Most of the old mob are still here, and pretty active. Could do with a few more improvisers but I think it remains by a long way the best general piano forum.

[lifelies]

Hi!
I've to introduce myself, I guess
I LOVE piano. And I LOVE Chopin.
But let me introduce my... huh... story.
I started learning piano when I was 6. I also started learning "general music" (sol-fa?) the same year. The problem were teachers. I learn piano alone, and "general music" with 3 classmates (gradually they quit and I was also alone, until I was 8-9 or so and quit).
We had 3 "general music" teachers, all of them lovely and we learnt a lot. God, I learnt how sharps work when I was 6, and we (at school) learnt that when we were 14!
My piano teacher was horrible. He plays the violin, but has all the piano techniques that you can have. But he's not a pianist. He doesn't know how to teach "that special thing that pianists have."
So I quit piano, after fighting a lot with my parents. I hated it. But I still played occasionally, and tried to learn some EASY PEASY things like "La valse d'Amelie".
Then, when I was 12 (7th grade), we had a new Music teacher at school. She was AMAZING. She played the piano so well. She taught us to play La Valse D'Amelie with flute, therefore I started trying to play it with the piano. We also signed a very unknown song named "Shalom to you my friend". She played it with the piano. I. Loved. It. I asked her for the sheets, but never got them. I now have the sheets, I asked a youtuber who played it:

Well, in 8th grade, I felt like I needed to play the piano. I mean it, I NEEDED it. I started having... psychiatric problems due to my nice alcoholic narcissistic father (I have BPD, Bipolar 2 and PTSD, ugh).
So I asked her. I asked my idol. My Music teacher. The best pianist I ever heared. "Do you teach piano?" "Yes." So, in a few months, I was going one time per week to her appartment. I learnt... lots of things. I think we started continuing to learn La Valse D'Amelie, but I got tired of that. I don't remember what happened meanwhile, but I think that at the starting of 2011 we started playing Chopin, thus I started loving it.
I started with... heck, I don't remember it. I think a prelude. I forgot it. Then, while doing some random preludes/études and some "finger exercise" things, I started learning... Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor! Yay!
One year later, and that's THIS YEAR, I finished it. Now I know how to play it perfectly.
My main learning thing now is the Ballade nº 1. I don't know how did I go from a total newbie level to this in... two years? That's because of her. I LOVE HER. I. DO. LOVE. HER.
Seriously, I could be dead if she didn't teach me.
I'm also playing a Pachelbel's Canon transcription, the Raindrop Prelude and perhaps something else. Oh, soon I'll have piano class again, and I will start playing "In a Persian market" and something of Bach, while doing the looong and difficult -yet lovely- Ballade.
I think that's pretty good, isn't it?
Of course, like a good 15 year old, I also like some "New 'n Evil" music. Especially Lana Del Rey ♥
That was it!
Cheers,
Lifelies

[senanserat]

Welcome all of you to a new year at Hogwartz.

Before the feast leaves you all befuddled I have a few choice words.

Twinkly. Dixie. Death. Jellybeans. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Enjoy!

[mjames]

Hi guys, and well I'm new.
Nothing much to say...besides....
Started playing piano last year in September, and not very good at it lol. Of course it was Chopin who introduced me to the world of classical music through the movie the pianist, but fret not, I have grown to love many other composers besides him over the past year (almost). My main guys (besides freddy) would be Liadov, Scriabin, Glazunov, Hummel, John Field, Scarlatti, and of course Mozart. hehehe yes, I love miniatures. Of course, they're the only things I can play so far lol. I'm thinking of trying some moderately longer works, such as a mozart sonata....eh who knows. That's it!

[justanamateur]

I'm 15 and will turn 16 in a month or so. I've been playing for 11 years but still suck at the piano.

[mihail]

Hello to everyone here, I just wanted to introduce myself a little bit. I am Mihail from Macedonia. I registered here as a parent, not student or player or teacher. I'm crawling the internet for a music sheets for my sons and I visit forums from time to time to hear and learn from more experienced than me. I usually stop at pianoworld.com but this site also looks promising. I hope I'll get good advice here too as I do on the previously mentioned site.
As I read a few of the introductory notes here, I must say I feel a lot like outsider here as I'm the only one that doesn't play But nevertheless I really enjoy music, I really enjoy listening to my sons (10 and 14 years old, piano and violin) and I hope I'll learn something alongside them. I always loved to play an instrument but I never had a chance to learn. Now I do have a chance to learn but I guess I'm too old for that now...

[sheearerlyn]

Hello.

I'm a student living in a place at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator.

I play the piano.

Bach is nice.

[mig91]

Hello!

I'm a piano beginner player from Italy. Hope to share this incredible passion with all of you!

[rachmforever]

Hello everybody , I´m a student of piano and composition on conservatory in Czech republic. It´s great able to be here with too great pianists.
I've played the piano since age 8.My most favorite composers Rachmaninoff , Chopin , Mozart and Liszt. Rachmaninoff it´s all what I have , because I have not many friends with whom I understood. Once I will must play all of his concert´s. Now I am learning 1st of concert´s , but my teacher tell me I should slow down on it little bit , because it´s really difficult. Next I playing Rachmaninoff moment musical´s , Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff preludes , Beethoven sonata ( D minor ) ,Chopin Etudes and trying to play Liszt mephisto waltz but it´s little bit difficult  with all other thinks. It´s probably all of this time. Hope It will be fun on this forum so far bye.
PS: Sorry for my english , anyone isn´t perfect 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hello everybody , I´m a student of piano and composition on conservatory in Czech republic. It´s great able to be here with too great pianists.
I've played the piano since age 8.My most favorite composers Rachmaninoff , Chopin , Mozart and Liszt. Rachmaninoff it´s all what I have , because I have not many friends with whom I understood. Once I will must play all of his concert´s. Now I am learning 1st of concert´s , but my teacher tell me I should slow down on it little bit , because it´s really difficult. Next I playing Rachmaninoff moment musical´s , Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff preludes , Beethoven sonata ( D minor ) ,Chopin Etudes and trying to play Liszt mephisto waltz but it´s little bit difficult  with all other thinks. It´s probably all of this time. Hope It will be fun on this forum so far bye.
PS: Sorry for my english , anyone isn´t perfect 

I have a feeling we're gonna get a long reaally well...

[glatour2496]

Hello all!

Just wanted to introduce myself before I start posting and whatnot. I'm 16 (almost 17) and I'm currently studying in Italy under the best teacher in my opinion. I've been playing piano for about 7 years. I've never done any competitions but I've participated in some of my teachers' concerts. I love classical music and usually I like jazz piano unless I'm having to play it. Jazz music is some of the hardest stuff I've ever done rhythmically.  I'm seriously considering applying for NEC and BoCo as well as some other universities but for things other than music.

[pianoisthebest23]

HelloHelloHello!

So yes, I do realize that I am not technically "new" here considering I made my account probably two years ago. Anyways, I have never really been an active user (more of a silent lurker) but I have vowed to change that. My name is Josie, I am a fifteen and I think I've been playing piano for about eight years now. I really hope to have a career in music, whether it's teaching or performing or... Well you get my drift  I am here to hopefully pick up some tips and maybe, when I am older and wiser, give some as well. I guess that's all I have to say for now, if you want to know anything else just ask I'll probably tell you.

[pianisthesia]

Greetings! I am a self-taught amateur piano player from the birthplace of the blues, but don't play much of that, preferring classical and romantic pieces instead. I don't play from sheet music, or "sight-read," and it takes an awful long time to memorize what I'm passionate enough about to learn. I dream of one day owning a big beautiful grand piano and being able to compose my own pieces and arrangements, as well as play, really play, pieces like Chopin's Ballade no. 4 and Liszt's B-minor sonata. (If I'm gonna dream, dream big right?  )

I hope to expand my knowledge by perusing these forums, and will chime in when I feel like it.

[ted]

Welcome to the forum, pianisthesia. Had you considered improvisation at all ? If you are not keen on scores but want to create, then personal improvisation in romantic and classical styles might just be a good way to go. Improvisation is a much bigger field than jazz or blues. Also, these days home recording equipment is much cheaper and very high quality, so essentially everything can be preserved without notation.

[pianisthesia]

Thanks, Ted. I haven't considered improvisation seriously, but more and more when I sit down at the keyboard, that is what I like to do first. It doesn't have much structure or flow, but I'll keep working at it, and hopefully it will grow into something I will want to share.

[valentina65]

Hi there

I'm a dedicated amateur pianist with a day job but I find time to practise every day, usually obscenely early in the morning. I'm currently playing Chopin's Nocturne 72 no. I in E minor, Gershwin's Prelude 17, Beethoven's Op 10 No 1, some Debussy and the Albeniz Spanish Tango. I suppose I am what you would call intermediate/early advanced. Because I like to mix things up I also play some jazz/blues/rag including a bit of Jelly Roll Morton.

I truly love piano and I recently read Alan Rusbridger's very inspirational Play It Again. I have lessons once a week.

After years of learning as a child, leaving the piano and then returning, I would desperately love to find an informal group or an opportunity to "do something" with the small skills I have.

Anyhoo.

More of that later. Nice to meet you all.

[_________]

Hello.
I'm a self-taught pianist/composer. I'll have been doing it for three years this June and I'll be starting classes for the composition aspect this spring. I'm currently working on a piece for strings (violin, two violas, and a cello), piano, and vibes.
Though I'm not trying to bank on being a concert pianist, I do practice with exceptional dedication (I was averaging 8 hours a day before enrolling in courses) and I consider myself to be making admirable progress*. I haven't a great deal of money, so I play on a Yamaha Arius YDP-S31 which doesn't feel exactly like an acoustic, but is pretty close, in my inexpert opinion.
I play my repertoire from memory unless I'm retouching a piece I haven't played in a while or I'm trying to really fine tune things. I realize I have a long way yet to go and appreciate any future advice and/or criticism.


*: Though I mostly compose, I've learned...
Bach: Three minuets.
Chopin: op.09-2, op.28-18, and op.69-1. I'm working on op.10 nos.1 and 3, without pedaling on the former, and minimal pedaling on the latter. I took a break from scherzo no.1, but I started practicing it again today.
Debussy: preludes, book 1, nos. i, ii, iv, vi, viii, x, and clair de lune.
Scriabin: op.09-2 (nocturne for the left hand), and the first movement of his fourth piano sonata. I'm working on sonata no.1 and will begin working on the fourth's second mvt. perhaps after I finish learning Chopin's scherzo no.1 (one of the two whose endings are good).
I also transcribe (by ear) jazz solos, or sections from them, from time to time.

[chopinfrederic]

Hey'all,

   Just thought I'd introduce myself before I start posting all over the place. I'm a pianist and a music educator.. well, hopefully a much better one soon. :p anyways, back to posting. Anyone wanna be introduce themselves to me?

I started piano since I was 4 till now (I'm currently 13 years old). I love it! Sometimes I taught my friends to play beautiful songs, and enjoyed it very much.

[theholygideons]

Hello,
I might as well add to this introductory thread. I started piano at 4/5, who wasn't motivated and did not practise much, until I discovered Alkan. Who failed his diploma for performance, stopped taking lessons, and is now self-taught, and who enjoys playing Alkan, godowsky, etc. for fun. Nowadays i just practise for 30 mins a day, focusing on one piece at a time.

[joplinfreak]

Didn't realize that's what this thread was all about. Better late than never.

I'm 18, have been playing the piano for 3 years now and no longer taking lessons. I have mastered Rhapsody and Blue and am currently working on Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. My favorite composers include Claude Debussy, Antonin Dvorak, George Gershwin, Fats Waller, and Scott Joplin (as my title implies). Can't believe I missed this thread

[inverted]

I'm 17 years old and live in Glasgow, UK. Played saxophone for 7 years, drumkit and various percussion for 6, and now piano for about 5 months.
Favourite composers are Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Charles Mingus. Favourite band is Radiohead.

In my non-musical life I'm a high schooler getting ready to go study Law at the University of Glasgow in a few months. Would have done something to do with music with my life, but I'm very lazy when it comes to technicality and being a music teacher doesn't appeal to me.

[larrys]

Hi everyone,  new member just signed up. My name's Larry and I live in the north-east of England.
Im strictly amateur,  don't even have a piano yet. Hopefully we will be moving soon as the kids are growing and I will get either an upright or a DP.
Money is uber tight at the moment and I'm currently an unemployed art student at 47!

I'm obsessed with pianos even though I've never had one.  Music is in my blood though. Im passionate about it and even though I cant read music I can play by ear.
Hope to talk to you all soon and learn a bit more about my favourite instrument!

Cheers
Larry

[100mm]

Hi..

Well, not much to say, I'm a General Maths&Science student, about to graduate high school. I like playing piano. (Wow! Really?!) I'm new and I wouldn't consider myself good or anything but I like being able to play things I listen and love, no matter how easy they are.

I also like reading, running... I don't know.. Does drinking coffee count as a past time activity? I'm a type 1 diabetic.

Anyway, just saying hi to everyone.



 

[lackflag]

Hello.

I am a 33 year old musician/teacher from Los Angeles.

I found this site after stumbling across a post from bernhard, and I have become obsessed. His writings have opened a new world for me at the piano. I am now reading all his posts trying to get a full picture of his method.

So yeah. Hi.

[xxhottie88xx]

Hello I'm a recently graduated piano student from piano performance in university And I worked as an assistant at Steinway for a year. I've been playing piano for 21 years I'm 25 now. Recently I went through sickness and debts and breakups so I stopped for a year now. I'm currently working on prokofiev suggestion diabolique, sonata 2, Chopin concerto 1, ravel jeu d'eaux and Liszt jeu d'eaux. I believe these pieces represent well my philosophy in life right now

[Bob]

[ayolove]

Hey! Am Ayodele.... Am a student of music, piano major, but play the organ in my church.. hope to gain more experience from the masters here....

[verqueue]

Hi, I'm Veronica.

I'm playing a piano all my life. It's the love of my life, but I had a break down some time ago after getting degree in piano performance. I'm not professional pianist, I've got different job now. I don't regret my decision, because the carieer of professional pianist is very hard and for an avarange pianist it's imposible to make money for living without teaching.  I don't like teaching,  so I think it this kind of job would kill my passion. I'm looking for what can I do know with my skill now.

[chopincat]

Hello!

I'm a fifteen-year-old high school student, and I've been playing piano since I was little. Although I don't think I have any shot at being a professional, piano is something I really love and I hope it continues to be an important part of my life. I also sing in a chorus and play guitar and some other instruments and have made some attempts at songwriting and composing. I love all music in general, both listening to it and creating it, as well as some of the more academic-y stuff. My favorite composer is Chopin and I think my biggest goal in terms of piano is to play all four of his ballades.

Currently I am sad because school is rough and takes up all of my time, and I feel like I never have enough time to spend on music. But I'm glad I found Pianostreet, because it seems like there are so many people on here who appreciate piano/music as much as I do!

[etherealmusic]

Hey Everyone,
    I"m a long time lurker on the forums, but finally caved in to join the conversations

[lephantome92]

Despite almost done with college (the rate at which time flew is shocking!), I only recently found out about this forum. I'm just a general music major. While I've played since kindergarten, I only really started to apply myself around 8th grade. After I graduate, some of my more immediate plans include seeing if the nearby community music institute is in need of piano teachers, and just looking for places that might be able to provide a small gig. As far as long-term goals, if it's possible, I'd like to eventually be playing on a cruise ship, though that will likely take many years to even start to come to fruition.

[pianogeek_]

Hey all,

I used to haunt these halls a couple of years back (2007? 2008?) under a very similar username. (To which I may yet return, if Nils graciously re-assigns the e-mail address for that original account.) Thought I'd drop back in to say hi & offer up what I may have learned through the last few years.

Jan

[carel71]

Hi all,

I'm new on this site/ forum and I think pianostreet is awesome. All the stuff that's here, the scores, books, et cetera... Great!!!!

I'm a rock musician, but classical piano is my first love and will be my last...

[sarahyinlo]

Hi. Awsome site.


Took lessons at a child for 6 years, then moved countries and had to put schoolwork in front of everything. Played on and off since early teens, was more interested in wind instruments in high school (played the saxophone for a few years), then hardly played anything since graduating from university. Last pieces  under a teacher were Bach F minor concerto BWV 1056 and Debussy's Golliwog's cakewalk.

Now after a 10+ years break,  I am back at the piano thanks to my child's music lessons. Bought a digital piano for her to pratice on, and then started regular practicing myself.
Will be looking to get a teacher once my child switches from group classes to 1-on-1 tutoring.
Right now I' just happy I can still play a bit, and trying to get the fingers back.
Hoping to finish off the Moonlight Sonata soon, started in high school when I got bored with schoolwork, got to the second movement back then. It still feels like unfinished business to me.

[perprocrastinate]

I've been here on and off for the past 3 years or so, but I guess I never posted in this thread (or have I? I forget). I discovered classical music and the piano when I was 15, and it was the most awesome thing ever. I was stubborn and ambitious, and wanted to play the most difficult pieces, all while being self-taught. As you can guess, that didn't work out so well. 1.5 years in my journey, I finally got a teacher, and she helped me fix my bad habits and tell me what I was doing completely wrong.

I took lessons for about a year, but then unfortunately (but also fortunately!) college hit, and I couldn't make much time for piano anymore. That, and I was also frustrated with my rate of progress (but that's a different story). So I quit for a couple months, with several failed attempts to get back into playing.

But finally, I hope I'm back for good this time, because I honestly don't know what I'd do with my spare time without piano (being the no-life I am). Learning the piano is a rewarding experience, no matter how much frustration I run into, and I hope to become decent one day!




one day..