What are your musical goals?

[rc]

I'm sure this has been done a few times, but no harm in doing it again.

Plain curiosity, what are everyone's musical goals?  Feel free to give more than a one-liner.  Indulge.

[ilikepie]

Play everything I've always dreamed of playing. (like Prokofiev PC no.1,2,3,5 )
Be an insane sightreader.
Hear all piano compositions of all major composers.

[arensky]

I want to keep teaching (piano and music history) and performing, in the classical and jazz idioms.. I would like to start a Jazz Society in my area, to promote local musicians and bring outside performers in for concerts.. All I need is the appropriate venue and the backing of a rich jazz fan or two, I already know one.   In classical I'm playing chamber music again after a long time and loving it. The college where I teach now has a grand piano, concerts are happening there and I want to see the college grow as a music performing venue. I'm currently working up a lot of solo literature old and new with the goal of always having two recital programs ready and getting management and taking that literature out on the road.

Most importantly I want to maintain my current happy relationship with the piano; sometimes we have been at odds, I don't want to slip back to that state of affairs.

 I want to continue to grow as a musician. There's so much more to know, play and discover, I don't want to be one of those people who's too comfortable with their lot; stagnation = artistic death, imo.

[ted]

I am temperamentally the direct opposite of our friend Arensky. I wish to maintain my present relationship with music, which is one, not merely of serenity, but of increasing states of delirious happiness. My brain must operate differently from most because I do not find a state of serenity and comfort in any way detrimental, either to learning or to the creative process. On the contrary, I find that the happier I am the more prolific the flow of ideas.

Anyway, that is just personal character and does not answer the question.

My goal is simply to develop improvisational form, in which I have had one or two notions which seem promising, to the fullest extent I am capable in the years left to me. Concomitant with this, I would like to impart this facility, to which in no small measure I owe my aforementioned joy in music, to other people.

There is a lot more to it, but that is the core of the matter.

 

[arbisley]

Well my view of music goes together with my view of life. I want to progress as much as I can, maybe get to the top, but I have so much difficulty choosing!

The piano is my first instrument, but I also play the cello, sing, play the organ, and play in orchestras, quartets, as soloist, evne in a jazz band.
I just basically want to exploit as much musicality as possible!
And to become a performer in the end is really my goal, even though i can do a lot in the meantime other than music
I just enjoy spreading out into other areas, I also love maths and english literature, but music is the thing which really gets me going.

Music forever!

[netzow]

My Goal is to continue to advance as  pianist and to continue to enjoy the music. To enjoy the learning of the music and to advance to my highest potential of playing. In doing this I hope to acheve the level of playing to enable Me to attend a school and get a B.M. and perhaps a M..M ast a top music school such s Eastman or The New England Conservatory. fter this I hope to become a Piano Tech. and Rebuild piano's as well as teach advanced students. So these are my musical goals.

[arensky]

I am temperamentally the direct opposite of our friend Arensky. I wish to maintain my present relationship with music, which is one, not merely of serenity, but of increasing states of delirious happiness. My brain must operate differently from most because I do not find a state of serenity and comfort in any way detrimental, either to learning or to the creative process. On the contrary, I find that the happier I am the more prolific the flow of ideas.

Without periods of serenity I would be nowhere. I put large parts of last summer aside to find  serenity, and although my wallet got a bit thin it was worth it. Hey if your brain works that way, that's how it is! Happiness is not really nessacary for me to accomplish things at the piano or musically but it sure helps...

[arbisley]

Accomplishing things at the piano makes me happy, but I don't have much time to do that unfortunately! I've got to wait for a while to get out of school and have more time for concentrated practice, rather than spreading out into a variety of musical activities, no matter how much I enjoy them. I can also get more serene by discovering a healthy method for practising which allows me to do loads and never get tired, making fast progress at the same time.

[Waldszenen]

To possess a repertoire even bigger than Arrau or Hofmann.

[rc]

Thanks for the answers, I like seeing what others are up to.

I can appreciate Arensky's hands-on projects - helping create music events for the community.  That's crucial, and as I think of it, seems to be an area that could generally use more attention.  My ambitions are a little more modest, but I'm thinking maybe I could be a little more social at the next adult student recital and see if anyone else would like to have more casual recitals amongst ourselves.  What are your thoughts on getting people to come listen?  Especially to music that may be unfamiliar?

Ted, your ideas on improvisation have always intrigued me, and I'm glad to hear you have plans on passing this skill on.  I used to love improvising on the guitar, it became my focus before I got into piano.  Though I haven't delved into improvisation too much at the piano yet, it's a skill I consider essential in being a musician.  So how do you plan on going about imparting your knowledge?

I think I'm similar to Arbisley, wanting to do so many things that it becomes hard to decide.  It haunts me a bit really, because without a firm decision it can be easy to dissipate my energy in every direction and not getting anywhere substantial.  As a result of trying to find time to do everything, I've developed a 'type A' side to me that can really whip up a fury and get a lot done.

To Waldszenen:  then what will you do with your gigantic repertoire?

[Waldszenen]

To Waldszenen:  then what will you do with your gigantic repertoire?

LOL, I'll never be able to realistically, but if I did, I'd become a hermit with a Steinway and do nothing but play music every day

And maybe teach a few younglings for free.

[zheer]

   My musical goal is to play all 32 Beethoven Sonatas, perfectly achievable with hard work. However to play them on stage is a dream come true.

[pianistimo]

to shoot musical bullets through the heads of anyone past or present who has teased me about my goals to be a concert pianist.  i am always very serious about this goal.

the only thing is that usually criticism hurts when it is well placed.  i mean - i'd have to suddenly quit being so perfectionistic about home life and let it all go to 'hell in a handbasket.'  practice 6-8 hours a day.  chuck the husband.  (i'd never do that).  tie up the children.  (i'd never do that either).

what i want is the impossible dream.  i want to be a concert pianist and have it all.  family, friends, 6-8 hour practice schedule, an orchestra to play with, and probably to finish my graduate degree within a year and a half.  oh, and i forgot - to get a scholarship for $20,000 (which i applied for - and can keep applying every 7 days.  you don't even need an assumed name).  this would pay off the existing loan and leave me debt free. 

debt free is a good musical goal.  to actually make money at what i love doing. 

[amanfang]

My musical goal is to play all 32 Beethoven Sonatas, perfectly achievable with hard work. However to play them on stage is a dream come true.

I would also love to learn all 32 of Beethoven's sonatas.  I don't know that I want to play them on stage though.  Beethoven's sonatas are the most inspiring body of works to me.  It would be nice for me to learn about one per year, maybe two.  So this would really be a lifelong goal.  I don't know how practical it is though.  I have recently begun teaching, and I feel that I need to experience many works of many composers to help my teaching. 

[m1469]

My most immediate goal is to be capable of unleashing, channelling and handling my fury.   


That's actually true, as da sdc as it may sound  .


m1469

[rc]

LOL, I'll never be able to realistically, but if I did, I'd become a hermit with a Steinway and do nothing but play music every day

And maybe teach a few younglings for free.

If you become a hermit with a steinway, you should make recordings.  As an insane hermit, free from outside influence, I'm sure you would come up with some unique interpretations!

Zheer, performing on stage is just as achievable as learning them.  You might as well include that in your goal, it would be a shame to learn all that and not share it.  Unless you mean to be playing them all in a row, that's crazy!  Beethoven's sonatas are what got me into piano to begin with.  I don't plan on learning them all, but I will learn the majority.  One of his simple sonatas is next on my to-do list.

I like Pianistimo's approach - not letting it stop you just because it may be impossible.  That reminds me of something Neuhaus said in his book "Only by asking the impossible can we achieve what's possible".  Even if you aren't travelling the world, I'll bet your determination already fires musical bullets at detractors.  It's the dreamers who make the world turn, naysayers are weak in the security of their limitations.  When you walk out on the stage, which concertos will you play?

[franz_]

Some interesting (sometimes unrealistic) goals here.
My goal is to keep enjoy music, to let inspire my life due to music, to dream, to create, te feel the music in all the things I do and will do.
I would like to be a concertpianist also, not a Kissin or a Lugansky. Just one who plays recitals in his country, may be even international. But just in churches, little concert halls, play with singers and violonists,... In fact I just would like to live from the music I play. I would also like to give piano lessons part-time.

[netzow]

I would also love to learn all 32 of Beethoven's sonatas.  I don't know that I want to play them on stage though.  Beethoven's sonatas are the most inspiring body of works to me.  It would be nice for me to learn about one per year, maybe two.  So this would really be a lifelong goal.  I don't know how practical it is though.  I have recently begun teaching, and I feel that I need to experience many works of many composers to help my teaching. 

That is another one of my musical goals, to learn all 32 Beethoven Sonata's, the 48 Prelude and Fuges, and Chopin's 34 Etudes.

[franz_]

...and Chopin's 34 Etudes.

34?

[pianistimo]

how about 27 chopin etudes?  is that about right?

dear rc,  thanks for the encouragement.  i guess that if i were to choose some concertos, i'd pick less known concerti like barber, macdowell, beach, and especially leroy anderson's right now.  for more known concerti - i suppose that rimsky-korsakov has always been a favorite.  cappricio espanole and the c# minor concerto appeal to me. 

if i were choosing rep for a recital in april, i'd choose:

scarlatti k 19 and 119
macdowell sonata #2
brahms intermezzo's op.118 #1,2,3
copeland's piano sonata
barber nocturne

[tompilk]

alkan concerto for solo piano, prok 2 and 3, gaspard among other things....
Tom

[ted]

My most immediate goal is to be capable of unleashing, channelling and handling my fury.

Start improvising immediately, m1469. Nothing like it for doing that.

[m1469]

Start improvising immediately, m1469. Nothing like it for doing that.

Actually, you are quite right.  This is where I best find it currently, in improvisation.  However, if I really just let go, there is very little shape (as most people would see it) to my expression right now.  The ideas are just too big, it seems, right now.  It does not come out in arpeggios and chords that are built in proper manners.  It just comes out as sound, sometimes *HUGE* sound, and sheer expression -- not necessarily music.

I can sit down and decide that I would like to use this or that kind of chord progression (though I frankly have a very difficult time thinking in this manner) and so on, and I can "improvise" to a degree in this way, but it isn't all that satisfying, to be honest.  It doesn't have the raw elements that I experience in my description above.  I can also compose in this way, but the results are somewhat as I have just described.

I suppose I have hoped that eventually the two "styles" of improvisation would meet and become friends.

Thanks for your encouragement, Ted, maybe I will go sit down right now.


m1469

[ted]

However, if I really just let go, there is very little shape (as most people would see it) to my expression right now

What other people think is irrelevant. What you feel is everything.

It does not come out in arpeggios and chords that are built in proper manners.

Oh dear ! How sad ! Report to the musical headmaster's office for the strap. "Proper", "ought to" and "should" can be completely removed from improvisational considerations. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" - Aleister Crowley. 

I can sit down and decide that I would like to use this or that kind of chord progression (though I frankly have a very difficult time thinking in this manner) and so on, and I can "improvise" to a degree in this way, but it isn't all that satisfying, to be honest.  It doesn't have the raw elements that I experience in my description above.

Of course it isn't satisfying. Of course you have difficulty thinking that way. Your reactions are quite normal for someone with orthodox training. What you do is start from a position of freedom and gradually, over a long time, allow form and order to enter the mixture. These latter are better if they are your own form and order, meaningful to m1469, not arbitrary sets of rules handed down by "experts" or a bunch of boring, dead Germans. 

Loss of inhibition is the big hurdle for mature people starting to improvise. It helps to form the habit of taking pleasure in abstract sound for its own immediate sake. A flower is not beautiful because of the precise measurement of its petals or because the bush has a certain number of leaves. As Charles Ives said, "The stones in the old garden wall by the orchard are all different." Once the key to the eternal present is found, and becomes your possession, the rest will follow.

It does take time though, largely because it is a life-long, open-ended activity. It's totally different from learning pieces. You don't grind away at it day after day after the manner of a hard job like learning Mazeppa or painting the house. Once flow is acquired, you can pick it up and put it down as you wish. A "hard job" mentality will kill it before it starts.

[sirpazhan]

to be able to play at least one composition from every composer who has ever existed.

[Waldszenen]

34?

soem people alwys make typsos

[netzow]

34?

how about 27 chopin etudes?  is that about right?

dear rc,  thanks for the encouragement.  i guess that if i were to choose some concertos, i'd pick less known concerti like barber, macdowell, beach, and especially leroy anderson's right now.  for more known concerti - i suppose that rimsky-korsakov has always been a favorite.  cappricio espanole and the c# minor concerto appeal to me. 

if i were choosing rep for a recital in april, i'd choose:

scarlatti k 19 and 119
macdowell sonata #2
brahms intermezzo's op.118 #1,2,3
copeland's piano sonata
barber nocturne

soem people alwys make typsos

Yes, it was a typo, and it was actually meant to be 24 Etudes. Bernhard said that the other 3 were not at the same level so I will go with 24. He sure would know more than me. I only noticed this just now that's how come it took so long.