Do you musically connect with your pianistic/musical friends ?

[m1469]

Just curious how many people who actually have "musical" friends truly connect with those people musically.  I mean in a way where their music truly speaks to you and them making music, makes a difference in your life. 


m1469

[thalbergmad]

I do not really connect with my musical friends, which is my fault entirely.

Nowadays, I refuse to play anything from the "popular" repetoire and will not even discuss anything with a name attached to it such as "Raindrop" or "Pathetique".

I try to introduce the lesser known composers, but to no avail.

I prefer my internet friends on here to be honest.

[g_s_223]

Hmmm, I'm coming to the view that musical life is just like "real" life. As well as playing the piano, I've played in a couple of amateur string quartets as well. In all these situations, the number of people whose musical values are really the same as mine is very small. There are just so many different ways to approach the purpose of performance, the repertoire, style, and details of interpretation. So, if you can find a partnership that really works, grasp it and develop it as such a meeting of minds/souls is all-too-rare in my experience.

[m1469]

Thank you both for your responses.


This :

Hmmm, I'm coming to the view that musical life is just like "real" life. As well as playing the piano, I've played in a couple of amateur string quartets as well. In all these situations, the number of people whose musical values are really the same as mine is very small. There are just so many different ways to approach the purpose of performance, the repertoire, style, and details of interpretation. So, if you can find a partnership that really works, grasp it and develop it as such a meeting of minds/souls as all-too-rare in my experience.

Is quite helpful, and I believe that I very much agree.  Thanks

m1469

[pianistimo]

some of my very favorite pianists to connect with have retired or died.  this sounds funny, but they are the ones that make piano fun and not some kind of 'proof' of your authenticity as a performer.  one guy was a pianist back in lancaster and always wore a carnation in his coat pocket.  his performing skills were good, but he was always looking to talk to someone afterwards about music.  (strangely, he died at a four way stop when someone else sided him)  also, back in calif. there was an awesome organist that would play anything and everything with hands/feet going everywhere.  he has retired.  haven't heard from him and never heard him play since the last commencement exercise at west coast university (where my hubby used to sing the national anthem).  he used to let me sit in the back and watch.  ok.  i do have a gal friend in calif. i keep in contact with.  she is more my age  (even though most of my best music friends have been more like mentors and older).  she has had a music store for ages, played and taught piano, and performed.  alas, she does not live nearby since we moved to east coast. 

teachers are notoriously busy - and the idea of getting information back quickly isn't as fast as on this forum (noting e-mails sent to my prof. about various questions and problems i came up against).  basically, what we sometimes want is free information.  teachers might not be as likely as friends to just have time to sit and chat about whatever information you're seeking.  for me, awhile back, it was where to go for some information.  now, i want to get some fingering checked.  lessons are probably the closest i've come to a good friendship because you have someone who challenges you - and doesn't let you stay where you are.  a good friend can tell you that you *.  and it motivates you to play better. whereas semi-good friends say 'oh, you play so well!'  and you just think - hmm... i know there's room to improve.  and - you can get motivated when you hear 18-20 year olds playing much harder pieces.   i made some friends at the local college.

[pianistimo]

would a person be considered desperate if they try to make friends with the piano tuner?  i was really bummed when the last guy tuned it when i was out (my family was here).  i like to discuss things.  my piano needs regulating, so i think i'll carefully schedule it next time.

oh, and if you get really desperate you can go to the local music store and act like you're going to buy a piano. 

*absolute worst way to make musical friends:  go the local music library and go into the listening section.  look for someone who's fallen half asleep listening to their assignment and turn the music up.  or, simply tap them on the shoulder and tell them you don't know how to use the machine.  or, ask the librarian for the most inaccessable book.  (funny, they seem to like this - getting out the key and all).  then, acknowledge that you don't read german and ask them if they wouldn't mind translating the page you're looking at.

[pianistimo]

ok. the absolute worst thing i have done (when i used to go to a lot of piano concerts by myself) - is look for a single good looking guy and ask if i could sit with him.  i got a look of shock and then, 'do i know you,' and then, 'ok, why not.'  this got me into trouble with a 70 year old guy.  he played piano too, and we became great friends.  then, my husband started coming to piano concerts to keep me from sitting with anyone. 

[jas]

None. I have lots of musical friends, being a music student, but none who I feel any kind of musical affinity with. My own musical interests are fairly limited. I love the piano, and I love music history (well, ok, that's quited a broad one). But theory, composition, other instruments, opera, musicals, orchestras ... I find nothing in them that I can relate to. Some of them I find downright boring.

I don't necessarily find that a bad thing. I've learnt a lot from friends of mine who are passionate about things that I know little about, even if I can't quite bring myself to get as excited about it as they do. That counts for more aspects of life than just music. I can come here if I want to talk about the piano; there are probably more people here who share my musical interests than there are in my real life. So while it would be nice if there were people in real life to whom I could chatter on about piano-related things without their eyes glazing over, I don't really mind that there aren't. Yet.

Actually, I think it'd be nice to see more people who are passionate about anything. I enjoy spending time with my friends from university far more than most of my others, becuase they have interest, passions, things to say. I know so many people who, if you were to ask them what they're interested in, they'd have no answer to give. I can't even imagine how boring life would be without them, whether your friends share them or not.

Sorry, I went off on a tangent a bit there...

Jas

[rc]

The only person I can talk music with is my teacher. Of my friends, I'm the only one who's into music enough to study it... Loads of punk buddies, a few metal fans, some casual listeners. 9/10ths of the people I know own a guitar, which is alright, but I'm not so much into rock anymore. I'm thinking about adding a little bit of 'education bits' when I perform for my friends, maybe help spark an interest.

Playing with a band is a lot of fun, and I met a kindred spirit who had very similar tastes to my own,which was great. But putting up with flakes got to me and I began to drift into classical music . The rest of the band continued with the rock'n roll lifestyle minus the music.

It would be nice to eventually play again with others, probably some jazz. For the time, I'm busy enough on my own path.

Actually, I think it'd be nice to see more people who are passionate about anything. I enjoy spending time with my friends from university far more than most of my others, becuase they have interest, passions, things to say. I know so many people who, if you were to ask them what they're interested in, they'd have no answer to give. I can't even imagine how boring life would be without them, whether your friends share them or not.

I know just what you mean, was talking about just this thing to a fella from work the other day. There are a lot of people who just don't seem to have any motivation, at all. I can't understand. My last roommates had no passion, their lives were basically work + TV, sometimes drinking. The only way I could figure to have a conversation with these people was to complain about work. It was toxic.