Where to go from here? Help!

[mazurk3]

Hello,

This is my first post on this forum, and I'd like to thank everyone in advance for their help!

After a very long pause, I started playing piano again in January. I love it so much, and  I'm trying to figure out two things: First, I want to figure out my level, and second, I want to figure out the best way to advance my playing.

I can play things like: Chopin waltzes (Op 64, No 1 and 2), the Prelude in D-flat (Op 28, No. 15), and the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. These pieces were difficult for me to learn, but I can play them fairly well. I can also play things like the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin (although some of the jumping around is still a little shaky for me).

I'm trying to figure out where to go from here. What pieces should I play? How can I advance my skill? Should I just slowly work my way through "harder" pieces, or spend my time with "easier" ones? What techniques should I be learning? Should I get a teacher?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

[dozapp]

i am assuming only the first movement from the beethoven?

[gerryjay]

dear mazurk3:
first and foremost, welcome!

then, go and find a teacher!

about what to do, and provide that you discuss that with your new teacher, i think that you already have the general answers:
- yes, you must track down the path for more difficult repertory. it's funny, it's a challenge..
- yes, play lots of "easier" works. below your current level there are tons of wonderful pieces ready to be played, some of them just with a couple of days of work.

i would like to suggest you something, but i must know to do that if you played beethoven's first movement or the whole sonata. would you mind to answer?

best!

[general disarray]

I'm with gerryjay:  get a teacher, pronto.  If you find a good one, you'll save yourself a lot of grief and advance quite quickly.

[allthumbs]

Welcome mazurk3

From your repertoire, I'm guessing your level of playing is around Grade 8, RCM.

I agree with the others, get yourself a teacher. Your progress will be alot faster if you do.

How long were you away from the piano?

Kind Regards

allthumbs

[mazurk3]

Everyone,

Thanks for the help. To answer your questions, I quit piano lessons when I was about 17 and now I'm in my 30's. I feel lucky to have rediscovered how much I love playing.

I have only played the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata.

Many of you said I should get a teacher, so I'm going to follow your advice! I'm currently a graduate student at a major university, so I might just stop by the music building and see if someone there can recommend a piano teacher.

My dream is to play some of the harder Chopin stuff one day.

Thanks again!

[gerryjay]

oh, boy...if your university have a music department, so you have "the knife and the cheese in your own hands", as we say where i live...

anyway, i have a parallel suggestion: take a look at the abrsm (or any other graded list) repertory. here are the links for the 2006/2008 and 2009/2010 exams. notice that i don't mean you must actually do the exams, but these lists can be quite useful. the repertory you made is a solid grade 7 standard, so anything below that would be rather confortable to do, and the grade 8 lists will provide some challenges to you. enjoy!

best!