Introduction

[smallville]

Hi

My name is Dean.
I am 30 years old. I am currently working on my Grade 3 ABRSM piano. Hopefully will take it soon. Really love playing the piano and wish I had started a lot earlier. I have been playing for about 20 months.

[littletune]

Hello!

I'm 22 y.o. and comes from Sweden. When people ask, I tend to say that I'm 21,

I've been playing piano since I was 14-ish, but started playing classical piano when I was 16. Before that I was playing Ballade pour Adeline-like (But not Ballade pour Adeline!) pieces, which, imo, can't be called classical.

Uhm, I'm atm most into the classical and baroque era. Maybe because I tell myself that I'm bad at romantic music, or maybe because I'm tired of all over compensating 12 y.o, playing nothing but Liszt.

Oh well, glad to be here!

Hi, you kinda seem like someone else... that was (or is) from Pianostreet     I mean I'm not saying that you are, just that you remind me of him    

And hello to everyone else new!!! Pianostreet is great!   Welcome!  

[semplice]

Hi all...

I'm not a professional pianist but piano playing (and Organ) is my obsession.
I started playing piano at the age of 15 and studied Church music and Piano playing at Frankfurt University 
before finishing (I didn't want to be a teacher) I switched because of lack of genius to physics.
Now I am a developement engineer In a big company since 11 years (I'm 40 years old)

for the case, my family give ma time to practice, I play mainly Bach, Beethoven Chopin and schumann

I finished and played in regional small recitals:

Bach (the greatest composer so far):
English Suites 3 & 5
Partitas 4 & 5
Italian concerto
WTC some preludes and Fugues
Ricercare a 3

Beethoven:
Op 13, op 26, op 53, op 57

Chopin:
Scherzi 1 & 3
Ballade 1
Etudes op.10/12, 10/5, 25/2
few Waltzes: a minor, e minor op. posth

Schuman:
op.15, op.16

Rachmaninoff
op23/5, Bumble bee, lilacs

Schubert:
Impromptus op. 90

Organ music (I play every sunday morning in church):

only Bach:
Sonata V BWV 530

Preludes (Fantasias, Toccatas, Pasacaglia) and Fugues:
BWV 532, 538, 540, 541, 542, 544, 552, 564, 565 (of course), 582

Choral preludes:
730, 731, 622, 645-650, 653,654, 662 and 768.

best regards,
 

[krystellle]

Wow! That's impressive.  The Kreisleriana is really difficult.  For anyone!  I guess I should introduce myself as well - even I been here some months already.  My name is Krystelle - it's not krystellle, i don't know how that happened!
I graduated from conservatory a few years ago.  I'm sort of depressed right now because i don't know what I want to do.  I play sometimes and go to masterclasses and try competitions.
I want to download some music but I'm having hard time!   
For my master concert I played  Scarlatti sonatas, Kabalevsky no. 3, Ginastera, and Chopin no. 3.  Here, I like Wolfi(?).  I admire him.  He composes, too.  And he's so nice!  Like Littletune! 

[pianowolfi]

You're nice Krystelle
I love Chopin's 3d Sonata!

[littletune]

Thanks Krystelle!  
Yes Wolfi is really nice and cool!  But don't forget about m1469 too! m1469 and Wolfi have soooo many admireres here  They're like celebrities of Pianostreet!     

[krystellle]

You're right!  m1469 was such a big help to me when I couldn't get through to Compound time!

[semplice]

Hi Krystellle

Danke für die Blumen (That's in English: Thank you for the flowers)

Chopins op. 58 is by far harder as schumanns Kreisleriana!!!
In my opinion op 58 is even harder than Beethovens op53 and 57 (Which are also harder than Kreisleriana)
Kreisleriana is technically overrated.
op7 (of course),op8, op9, op11,des Abends und Traumes Wirren from op12, op13, op14, op17 op22, and the Paganini studies are more difficult
Playing op.58 is reaching the summit of chopins art to play the piano

Kreisleriana is hard to bring in a good sound (especially the 2nd piece)
The fast pieces (especially the 7th one) demand a Bach based technique.
If you want to play it, try the ending of the 3rd piece. If you are able to play this, you are able to play the whole cycle.
in the last piece, it's hard to keep the wrists relaxed

(I mean technically of course because talking about difficulty in aspects of sounding, phrasing and so on will never be objective)

Did you ever play the Bachs Gigue of the Partita 4 in a fast speed?
One of the hardest piano pieces I ever played
I don't know if playing the coda of Chopins 4th Ballade is to prepare Partita 4 or playing the Gigue is to prepare Chopin
 

best regards

[krystellle]

I don't play Kreisleriana, but I always imagined no. 7 to be the most difficult.  You're right, the gigue from partita no. 4 is good preparation!  But the gigue is much easier, I think.  It's really not the most difficult of the partitas.  chopin is very hard musically first movement.  Last movement isn't so hard, but you have to have endurance!  I hope to hear you in the audition room!   

[oxy60]

Hello, I am English (female).
I am 67 and a recent 'returner' to the piano, after giving up lessons at the age of 12.I dabbled with a small keybaord in my 40's, but now I am learning again after another 20-year break.
Actually, i'm doing fine, but after a month of practising for an hour daily I have pains in my right elbow. Being left-handed, I imagine this is due to overuse of my non-dominant hand. I hope the pain clears up soon because i LOVE playing!

Welcome from another member born before 1950. There doesn't seem to be many of us. The ones who do mention their age are quite young. For them after an hour they are just getting warmed up.

For us an hour a day practice seems like a lot at one sitting. I like to split it up into half hour segments so I don't get those pains. Also during the break of a few hours I think about what I would like to fix from the previous session. When I sit down again it is more like day has passed and I can attack the challenge with a fresh mind and body.

[littletune]

Oh but we were all born in the previous century! And in the previous millenium  Even me 

[ronprice]

After reading the introductions since my own was posted here nearly 6 months ago, it would appear that there are many ways of "saying hello." To each their own, I say.  Some say little about themselves and some say alot. I'm in the latter category, obviously.....It's spring in Australasia.-Ron price, Tasmania

[fraser0911]

Hello All,

I am Fraser Burn new in this forum. I am from Gold Coast, Queensland. I am not a musician. I give piano removal service with my team. So I thought that may be I can help you all. Hope I will have some good time here.

Thanks
Fraser

[collectivecolors]

Hey, I'm Lydia I've played piano on the piano ever since I was 3 but never took lessons till I was I was 11 and so now I've been studying a year and hope it takes me somewhere.

[pianowolfi]

Hey, I'm Lydia I've played piano on the piano ever since I was 3 but never took lessons till I was I was 11 and so now I've been studying a year and hope it takes me somewhere.

Hi and welcome That's cute, you played piano on the piano Did you sometimes play forte too?

[pianoplayjl]

Hi everyone, i'm Jason, I'm 15 and I've been playing for 5 years and I'm in grade 7. I practice daily for 1 hour. nice to meet you all.

[dafnis]

hi all, very glad to join this forum s well! I'm originally from Spain but many years outside, now living in Scotland actually.
I am an amateur pianist, beginner to intermediate level. Hope to keep on improving also with/from this forum!

[fartheraway]

Hi!
I'm Christian, 20 years old and I'm from the Netherlands.
I started playing keyboard at the age of 8. Since 3 years I started to discover the piano-side of it.
Then I bought a digital piano and I'm still enjoying it! Teaching myself now.
I really want to play in a band. So at the moment I'm working on that: putting a band together.

[mosis]

hi there, i'm back from the dead. haven't touched a piano for 5 years, but i am now studying Scarlatti with a real master. returning to piano has been the single most life-affirming thing i've done since i quit. i almost didn't make it to this point, but i'm glad i waited out the storm.

to me, Scarlatti's music transcends keyboard music. of all composers, he comes closest to expressing Silence (the kind of Silence you can find in the noisiest of environments.) i am not so interested, at the moment, in learning music by any other composer.

my music tastes are ecelectic, in general, though my knowledge of the "classical" repertoire is rather limited. i have a strong aversion to classical music culture and the elitism found therein, and am happiest sitting in the sun with a cold beer, a lit joint, and some psychedelic rock playing at unhealthy volumes 

can anyone guess with whom i am taking lessons? 

[pianoplayjl]

Who?

[mosis]

your mom

just kidding, you're supposed to guess

[pianowolfi]

can anyone guess with whom i am taking lessons? 

Bernhard? 

[pianoplayjl]

your mom

just kidding, you're supposed to guess

Your dad??

Just kidding. I don't know. someone in PS?

[krystellle]

sounds like m1469 to me.   

[irismanu]

hey
it´s me Iris from Austria. I am playing the piano for 9 years. its my hobby.  at the moment a work spezial on rythmus and techniques. my current pieces are "moonlight" which i repractise after one year break and beethoven op 2 nr3. 

hope will have a nice time here. pianostreet is really great. thank you

[williampiano]

Hello forum! I've already been here for a few months and I already have 46 posts total now, but I never did introduce myself. My name is William, I am a teenager and I live in California. I have been playing the piano for six years and I've been composing my own original compositions for about four years. I also like to improvise on the piano and I have been playing the cello in my school orchestra for two years. In cello I am working on Suzuki Book 6. That pretty much sums it up. 

-Will

[orselli]

  Greetings.  My name is Antonio Orselli, from Santos, Brazil.  Just bought my long sought Yamaha CVP-503. Like many of you, I am coming back to music after many many years away.  I did not like to study piano very much when I was a kid, which now I regret.  Anyway, I hope to stay around for a long time and hopefully make some friends in this forum.

[commissiona]

-

[birba]

Interesting interesting interesting!!  I love to read about other people's lives and experiences in music.  And yours is quite unique.  Now that I'm retired, I've been thinking about buying a harpsichord.  It's a beautiful instrument.  I played it when I was working in the theatre.  The basso continuo in the mozart operas - with and without a cello - but it never seemed just right to hear a full modern orchestra blasting in after a recitativo!  I also did the brandenburg once and that was an experience I'll never forget.  There again, though, there were modern instruments in the orchestra, albeit trained in a baroque style.  It was like chamber music.  It was thrilling!!!!
Anyway, welcome!

[commissiona]

Interesting interesting interesting!!  I love to read about other people's lives and experiences in music.  And yours is quite unique.  Now that I'm retired, I've been thinking about buying a harpsichord.  It's a beautiful instrument.  I played it when I was working in the theatre.  The basso continuo in the mozart operas - with and without a cello - but it never seemed just right to hear a full modern orchestra blasting in after a recitativo!  I also did the brandenburg once and that was an experience I'll never forget.  There again, though, there were modern instruments in the orchestra, albeit trained in a baroque style.  It was like chamber music.  It was thrilling!!!!
Anyway, welcome!

Thanks, birba!

That's exciting that your looking to own a harpsichord!  I don't own a harpsichord myself nor have acess to one, why is probably another reason why I stopped playing alltogether for a long while.  But I do miss the feel of the instrument, the plucking sensation of pressind down on the keys I became all to used to.  I'll have to invest at some point for a double manual intrument as it is certainly my main interest. 

Since your in Italy I wonder if that makes it any easier for you.  Me being in Texas makes it a bit of a challenge for me, but there are kits (still expensive) that you can assemble yourself.  Every now and then I see one on auction sites like ebay, but are usually too far away to consider.

Intersting note, my old intructor had his intrument contructed to his specifications, in which he had them make it to where both manuals included a low F and high G (it's always one or the other, never both!) so that he can play all the repertoire correctly.  I believe even Scarlatti used both!

Good Morning
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Playing/Learning:
Haydn: Sonata in C No. 35
Mozart: Fantasia in d, K. 397
Scarlatti: K. 1, 380, 443
Blasco de Nebra: Sonata V
Handel: Fantasia in C G.60
Couperin: La Reville Matin
Rameau: La Dauphine
Bach, Vanhal, more Scarlatti, and thinking about Beethoven.

[penny_18]

Hello there. I'm Penny from brazil. I just turned 18 and I've been having piano lessons for about two years now. I've always been obsessed about learning to play but my parents didn't take it too seriously when I was a child and we couldn't afford a piano. So finally I got into lessons at sixteen, although I had to wait for a little longer than one year to get a piano, practicing only in with my keyboard.

I was a little unsure about joining the forum because most people here seem to be at a much more advanced level, but then I started reading a lot of topics here and I thought maybe you could help me improve.

**Penny 

[chopin1993]

Welcome to Pianostreet, Penny!

You don´t have to be unsure about that.
The people here are friendly and not everyone is at an advanced level.
Most people are learning, just like you (and me  )!

Have fun here!

Valerie

[unholeee]

hello, my name is Jess. I've been playing piano for 50 years, which is a pretty impressive feat considering I'm only 25. Something like an old soul, you know, or past life regression. Unfortunately I must have played pretty badly for all those years if I'm still at where I am now.
I've only recently got in touch with my granpa whom is the only one I know with a piano.  He recently wrote to me that he was nothing more than third rate and now he has osteoporosis he's 4th rate - so I have that to look forward to atleast. His favourite composer is Chopin, followed by Schumann. 

To be honest, I've been playing for a year, and only last month purchased a kawai k3 which I've been stoked with. I did have a 1 and a half octave toy keyboard when 6 and I use to try imitate the in built music - I remember getting a few notes correct notes  but I don't recall that lasting to long. As I'm able to afford lessons now it makes the experience so much better.

I'm use to things coming easily (school / sports) but the piano not so much. Sometimes I get angry at it =)) My auntie said she failed grade 1 - and her brother quit french horn because the person next to them had webbed feet. The only musicality I had before this was in the choir in year 6 where I got kicked out after yelling at a girl kicking my chair. In year 7, my singing voice was akin to legal euthanasia (think of that homer choir episode in the simpsons), but I joined again anyway out of spite.

I am working through the Alfred adult, and AMEB grade 2 book. And I prefer classical, but don't mind some jazz.
Alas Chopin is my favourite composer -
a favourite piece of his I want to play is probably the scherzo in b minor
but there's also op 32 no 10 by Rach.

a couple other favourites -

 - This was the first sheet music I bought, any guesses how far I got with that? =))

I joined because I don't have anyone to talk music with. I thought about taking some basic theory classes but I'm far too lazy to look for one. There is a cute girl in the lessons before me, but because she plays better than me I view her as a rival. So instead of being nice, i just spur vitriol. So I don't expect much different here..jokes - she is also a lawyer and may sue me for slander, lock me up and throw away the key. And then I'll have to learn the scales of justice.. I already have a disdain of practicing the other scales.

So hello.

[musicgims]

 Hello everybody! I like this piano forum! I am from China. I like to listen piano music. My husband can play some songs/melodies. Best luck to you, friends!

[faeryfey]

Hello!

My name is Faye, I'm 32, and I live in Canada. I started taking piano lessons when I was 9, after blowing my family's minds by sitting down at a friend's piano for the first time and immediately playing various Christmas songs. They thought I was a virtuoso or a savant (I have a form of autism), and I was quite willing to believe it myself at first. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that I simply have an ear for music and can pick out a simple tune on the keyboard once I've heard the melody a few times - I could never figure out complicated classical pieces I'd never heard before!

After 5 or 6 years of lessons and passing my first music theory class with honours, I had to give them up due to health reasons. I promised myself (and my parents) that I would stick with playing and keep learning new pieces on my own, but I found it too difficult once I was left without a teacher to play the pieces for me to hear. Also, my hands are very small, so I found it hard to play any pieces that required me to stretch my hands a full octave, especially if there were notes in between to be hitting at the same time. That sort of ruled out anything beyond level 6 for me, which was incredibly discouraging. So, for the past 18 years I've gone through phases where I wouldn't touch the piano at all, then phases where I'd play some of the level 3-5 pieces I learned as a kid, but never phases where I tried to learn something new.

I've determined to change all of that this year. I figure I can listen to any of the pieces I want to learn on YouTube before attempting to play them, so I can't use my problems with sight-reading as an excuse anymore. As for my problems with playing full octaves... I'll just have to figure that out as I go. I've printed off some of the pieces from this website, and I'm going to try my best to learn them. I'm sure I'll find the advice and support of this forum invaluable along the way!

[oxy60]

Don't sweat the short reach. Just modify the piece at that point. Obviously some pieces, such as "Pictures..." will be out of reach. However there is still tons of material to challenge you.

[mathandmusic]

Hi everyone,

My name is Minh. I'm currently a freshman in college, enrolled in an engineering curriculum. Between  logic gates and equations, I have a passion for playing the piano (although "talent" is playing catch-up). I started playing 3 years ago when I realized that I love both the sound and the technical construction of the piano.

Every time I play something on the piano, I discover something personal about myself. The more complicated the pieces that I try to learn, the more specific the self-discovery and the more clearly the discovery presents itself to me. It's a very foreign experience given the nature of my academic passions but a pleasant experience to say the least. I hope to learn more about myself, developing my skills as I go along and I hope to inspire the same self-revelations, contributing to this community!

[jpahmad]

Greetings Everybody,

    I just realized recently that there was a thread soley for introductions.  I have been reading piano forum for a few years but only now have started to interact with the members.

My name is JP, I'm 34, live in and teach in Texas and am currenty making the transition from teaching in the public school system to running my own music academy.  I currently have around 20 students learning multiple instruments  , 7 of which are learning piano (my favorite).  My kids have been with me for almost two years now and I hope to completely make the transfer from working for the government to working for myself.  I think I need one more year to save up though...hopefully.

I love this forum.  Many of the senior members have helped me develop as a teacher with their gracious donations of wisdom and technical advice, i.e. (Bernhard, m1469, and many others).  I'm very interested in hearing from others who have been in my position or are currently doing the same thing.  Actually, I'd love to hear from anybody.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions concerning how I may accomplish my goals and/or pitfalls that I should avoid.  In return, of course, I will gladly share my experiences in this venture with you.


Looking forward,


jp

[tombowler]

Hello, this is my first posting on here. I am an English male in my 40s. I started learning piano around 7 yrs ago and in 2009 I did my ABRSM grade 2 and got a Distinction (133/150) But after that I lost confidence and gave up. Now, I've restarted weekly lessons with a different teacher and I'm really coming along, and will be playing at a concert in March organised by my teacher.

I hope to meet many other piano learners in England and the world - sometimes it does strangely feel like I'm the only piano learner on earth Nice to be here on Pianostreet!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hello, I'm a 16 year old kid who played piano for seven years now?  And I wanna go to college for music!

As you can probably tell by my username, I REALLY like Rachmaninoff.  On my bucket list, I wanna learn his entire works. 

Currently listening to Scriabin sonata 9 "black mass"

[unholeee]

I REALLY like Rachmaninoff. 

I approve of this.

[christovr]

Here I am too...
36 year old professional music teacher, amateur pianist and lifelong student of music, hailing from South Africa.  The rest will be revealed in due course, I guess...

[pianoparlour]

Hi 

I live in Denmark and am 27 years old. In my twenty years of piano playing I still haven't progressed beyond beginner stage. I own an old Louis Zwirkis piano which sadly is out of tune. I hope to be able to afford a new digital piano some time in the future. My favorite composer is Frederic Chopin who I often fail in trying to imitate.

I'm looking forward to meeting some nice people on here   

[pianoisthebest23]

Hey, my name is Josie and I am 14 years old. I have been playing piano for 7 years but didn't really practice that much until this year. Currently I am working on mastering and memorizing Beethoven's 3rd Movement of the Moonlight Sonata, Liszt's Liebestraum #3 and Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Minor Opus 23. I hope to start entering piano competitions by next year 

[db05]

Hi, I'm new. 

If I seem to be an old member, that's because I was here before I quit piano for a solid three years.

I still have a little bit of piano phobia. I own a keyboard and I've been playing "pretend piano" for two days now.

*bows* Yoroshiku.

[zezhyrule]

Hello all

I'm zezhyrule, you can just call me zez or zezzy. Been playing the piano for about 9 years I guess... Only 2 years seriously though. My previous teacher, though I really liked her, was not strict at all. I hardly ever practiced, I had bad technique, and since I wasn't interested in classical music she never made me play it 

Now I wish I would've. I'm way too behind with piano technique and theory for my age, and it really feels weird to tell someone that I've played for 9 years when I only have 3 pieces in my repertoire 

Anyway my new teacher is much better, and I've already learned so much that I never knew (about things I didn't think mattered). Oh and I actually like classical piano music now. So much that it's pretty much all I listen to o_o

[jgendron]

Hi everyone !
How are you guys doing ?

I am a 19 years old student in classical piano. I study at Montreal at College Saint-Laurent, but for now, i'm currently in Calgary for a little break to re-energize and have fun in the rockies !
That little trip in Calgary shows me that I REALLY miss playing the piano right now, because I don't have an instrument there. I guess that this forum will help me during the next year to "study" the piano on another level : by reading, writing, discuss about technic, pieces, and teaching.

I really want to become a piano teacher, and teach to my students how intense and beautiful classical music can be, and how they can manage to make it sound so deep and powerful for the soul. My favorite composer is sincerely Chopin. I kind of like it too much sometimes... i'm afraid I could get tired of him by listening to him 24 hours a day haha. I also like Mozart, Scriabin, Beethoven, Debussy, Rach ... there are too much, but mostly, i'm a romantic

Before I came to Calgary, I was working on recording all Chopin Waltz and Ballades for fun, but of course, I had to stop it for a year. After recording all of these, I would really like to record the Scherzi, and maybe the magnificiant Barcarolle !! One of my fantasy would be to participate to the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. The Schubert's Carnaval op.9 is also one of my future project.

Anyways, thanks for reading me. It's so nice to be able to talk about piano with people ! I don't know anyone here who plays...

I'm sure I'll have a great time on PianoStreet !

p.s.: Sorry for my english, I'm French ! But I don't think it's that bad !

[roseamelia]

Hello,

Nice to meet you Jgendron hope you like the forum I'm sure you'll get along and everyone here is pretty friendly if you want to know me better message me!

-Rose

[randompianist97]

Hello there!
I am a young high-school student hoping to go back to my former glory with the piano. I have been playing for 5 years, and have been loving it for 2. I am very glad to meet you.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hello?  

I didn't know there was an introduction thread lol.

I'm a 16 year old high school kid who has been playing for seven years.  I joined this thread because nobody in my school plays classical piano so I don't really have anyone to talk to about music with the exception of my teacher who I don't see every day.  So that's why I joined pianostreet!