Piano Street Competition - Round 1

[ajspiano]

Hey, Ajs started it!

You encourage me.

I'll sit this one out and wait for the next one.  Might do the piece anyway, though.

Ok Lloyd, I'll take your name off the bottom of the OP. I'll be glad to see you in the discussion thread though once it gets going if you are going to learn the piece. I think I'll have time to get that moving this evening

...

So we have 10 people, thats really great - 5 more spots available. There were a few others that commented in the other thread but I didn't get the impression they wanted to participate, just keen observers perhaps.

...

Costicina, i presume from your post it's just costanza? Not both of you?

[chopin2015]

My other piece is La plus que lente by Debussy, by the time we do a hardcore competition I MIGHT be willing to record one of the longer Chopin or Liszt pieces.

[costicina]

Costicina, i presume from your post it's just costanza? Not both of you?

Somehow it's both of us: Costanza coached by me, so I must learn the piece myself, and very well, too!!! I think this is the best solution, for my daughter above all: it will be good for her to feel herself part of a community of people scattered around the globe with a shared interest in piano playing and music. Her peer ages have different, more dubious interests...

For the moment, I'm trying to fix the fingering and to figure out the pedalling for her...If I got it right, doubts, questions, etc. should be discussed in the associated thread?

[ajspiano]

For the moment, I'm trying to fix the fingering and to figure out the pedalling for her...If I got it right, doubts, questions, etc. should be discussed in the associated thread?

That's the plan, I'm probably going to post a lot about learning it and explore it a long way beyond what would be necessary..  I just haven't had a proper look at it yet..   I think as a group we should all share whatever ideas we have and that will hopefully boost the group as a whole to a higher standard, improving the overall quality of the performances in the competition.

That thread can have whatever in it, as long as it related to learning the piece..  whether its a question, or just a description of where you're up to and how you got there, anything interesting you notice about the piece, links to different interpretations, form analysis..  practice videos..  etc. etc.

[/quote]

[keypeg]

I'm sitting on the fence which is a step further than where I was.

[littletune]

Hey, It just happens to be on both sides of a single sheet. My printer is duplex mad! 

Not sure how I'm gonna justify two page turners though, given the likely difference in your and littletune's taste in such matters. 

Me? littletune? did you maybe mean fleetfingers?  cause if you would want to choose a page turner that would convince me to vote for you it would be best if you chose a cute animal for a page turner!  Oh well ... but just in case you couldn't find any animals who would want to be your page turners then maybe at least someone looking kinda like Glen Gould or something...   
Oh but it's REALLY funny to imagine someone having a page turner for two pages

[outin]

cause if you would want to choose a page turner that would convince me to vote for you it would be best if you chose a cute animal for a page turner! 

If I was competing I would ask one of my cats to do it then...She likes piano music and is also very smart. I have no doubt she could do it 

[j_menz]

Me? littletune? did you maybe mean fleetfingers? 

Ooops! Sorry.  

Now I need three page turners a guy a girl and a cute bunny (or somesuch).  It's gonna get crowded!

[littletune]

If I was competing I would ask one of my cats to do it then...She likes piano music and is also very smart. I have no doubt she could do it 

Ohhh now I'm even more sorry you're not competing!!!! Well you have to next time!!!!   

Ooops! Sorry. 

Now I need three page turners a guy a girl and a cute bunny (or somesuch).  It's gonna get crowded!

     Well maybe you could do it this way: the guy sits on one side, the girl on the other, the bunny (or somesuch) on top of the piano ... then when the time comes for a page turn... lets say the girl picks up the page gives it to the bunny (or somesuch) who then throws the page into the air so the page turns around, cutely jumps and catches it and at same time lands in the guy's lap who then takes the page and puts it where it belongs (don't really know what that's called, music stand?). so what do you think?     

[j_menz]

    Well maybe you could do it this way: the guy sits on one side, the girl on the other, the bunny (or somesuch) on top of the piano ... then when the time comes for a page turn... lets say the girl picks up the page gives it to the bunny (or somesuch) who then throws the page into the air so the page turns around, cutely jumps and catches it and at same time lands in the guy's lap who then takes the page and puts it where it belongs (don't really know what that's called, music stand?). so what do you think?     

** wonders what could possibly go wrong with that 

I think I'll skip the page turners and force my printer to do two pages.  You'll have to just make do with such gorgeousness as nature has bestowed on me (and which has survived innumerable quotidian ravages)

[ajspiano]

** wonders what could possibly go wrong with that

Bunny decides to eat the page.

[littletune]

Bunny decides to eat the page.

Why would a bunny want to eat the page? oh... well it is true that guinea pigs sometimes like to eat paper  maybe bunnies do too  ... but I'm sure it would be a very well behaved bunny! 

** wonders what could possibly go wrong with that 

I think I'll skip the page turners and force my printer to do two pages.  You'll have to just make do with such gorgeousness as nature has bestowed on me (and which has survived innumerable quotidian ravages)

Well it's ok, I'm sure you're handsome! 

I was thinking... will we (the contestants) be able to vote at all? I mean cause what if everyone just voted for themselves then? Or will we be able to vote for others?

[slobone]

Well, best of luck guys. I just listened to 4 or 5 recordings on YouTube and I'm sick of it already. It looks like the 10-year old Asian girls have the edge on this one. But I know y'all will make me change my mind...

[unholeee]

don't particularly like the piece but it will be fun. can't wait to hear everyone.

will probably do ravel prelude / piece from mother goose children suite (if i can play it solo)
chopin waltz / first few bars of fi.

[lloyd_cdb]

Well, best of luck guys. I just listened to 4 or 5 recordings on YouTube and I'm sick of it already. It looks like the 10-year old Asian girls have the edge on this one. But I know y'all will make me change my mind...

lol, I saw that one too.  It actually was the best performance  .

[keypeg]

lol, I saw that one too.  It actually was the best performance  .

Looks like you guys missed the one I found early on. 

[chapplin]

If spots are open, count me in..!

[cpessimist]

confirming... if spots are still open

[littletune]

I'm pretty sure there are still spots open, cause there are only 10 comfirmed entrants and there can be 15!

I was just thinking, what if there's really the end of the world on December 21, like some people are saying. Will we still have the competition? Like in another dimension?   

Well, best of luck guys. I just listened to 4 or 5 recordings on YouTube and I'm sick of it already. It looks like the 10-year old Asian girls have the edge on this one. But I know y'all will make me change my mind...

Thanks! Well then I think maybe Costanza and me have a little more chance of winning  we're not Asian (at least I don't think so), but we're girls and we're not THAT much older than 10!      And i don't understand how you people don't like this piece!!!!  i really like it a lot!!   

[costicina]

Costanza has no chance to win because she is too lazy to sit at the bench and practice, the only way to elarn a piece, as far as I know. I shish she had half of your  motivation and your  fresh enthusiasm, Littletune! And you have the right feeling for this graceful piece:I'm sure you'll do a great job 

[keypeg]

I'm signing up if there is room, with the caveat that if it hurts my left hand, I drop out.  But I think now there are ways around that.  (I injured that hand a few years ago and don't yet have effective playing for this kind of music.)  I'm in it for the experience.  As the junior who is just learning proper playing literally in the first months "competing" would be silly.

[costicina]

The 'competition' element, at least for me, is not the main issue. I think of AJ's project more in terms of a shared learning process, which could help you to learn how to learn...
I'll study the piece with my daughter Costanza, with the same care and attention for the detail I'm going to ask her to observe. If we'll be able to reach this goal, we'll be in any case 'winner'

[slobone]

I'm pretty sure there are still spots open, cause there are only 10 comfirmed entrants and there can be 15!

I was just thinking, what if there's really the end of the world on December 21, like some people are saying. Will we still have the competition? Like in another dimension?   

Thanks! Well then I think maybe Costanza and me have a little more chance of winning  we're not Asian (at least I don't think so), but we're girls and we're not THAT much older than 10!      And i don't understand how you people don't like this piece!!!!  i really like it a lot!!   

I guess I was just trying to be a little obnoxious. There's nothing wrong with this piece, it's just not to my taste. And I'm a huge fan of girl pianists, Asian or otherwise. Good luck to you in the competition!

[ajspiano]

new entrants have been added, perfect_pitch has also requested that he be withdrawn due to work/life commitments..


at this stage we are at 12 confirmed, 3 spots remaining.. if we do hit 15 I'm happy to take additional names as reserve in case we anyone withdraws..  To be honest I wasnt really anticipating that we'd get more than 10.. so "YAY!"

[starstruck5]

These days I oscillate between giving up and then being drawn back to play through some piece I love or other -and I LOVE this particular Tchaikovsky piece -have for a long time.

Question though, if I decided to enter, I will probably be unable to record a video on my acoustic upright -unless I know for certain my barmy neighbours are out -so are digital pianos allowed?  I would probably not be able to record it as loud as I would ideally like -? So quality of recording is also an issue -

I can predict a very high standard for this competition though, and a great difficulty in choosing the best performance -

Another question -is the choice of a second piece going to matter -for instance, if you chose another Romantic piece -such as a Chopin Mazurka?

[ajspiano]

These days I oscillate between giving up and then being drawn back to play through some piece I love or other -and I LOVE this particular Tchaikovsky piece -have for a long time.

Question though, if I decided to enter, I will probably be unable to record a video on my acoustic upright -unless I know for certain my barmy neighbours are out -so are digital pianos allowed?  I would probably not be able to record it as loud as I would ideally like -? So quality of recording is also an issue -

I can predict a very high standard for this competition though, and a great difficulty in choosing the best performance -

Another question -is the choice of a second piece going to matter -for instance, if you chose another Romantic piece -such as a Chopin Mazurka?

I think that's all okay starstruck, I'm not interested in finding reasons to exclude someone - I'm sure it would be different if everyone was forking out an entry fee, but its not like that..  no strict rules, the only rule is on the repertoire and getting recordings to me on time. Obviously better quality recordings are better, but not being able to to so shouldn't matter..  as long as the its audible and a reasonable enough representation of your performance for someone to be able to make a fair judgement when voting..

A chopin mazurka would be fine, any piece that fits on the grade 3-7 list, irrespective of style/length/composer..   I was kind of hoping we'd see a wide range, maybe that would open some viewers up to different repertoire..

[costicina]

As her second piece Costanza has chosen Bach's Invention n 8... I hope j_menz will be forgiving 

[ajspiano]

As her second piece Costanza has chosen Bach's Invention n 8... I hope j_menz will be forgiving 

I hope rach_forever will be inspired!

[keypeg]

Question though, if I decided to enter, I will probably be unable to record a video on my acoustic upright -unless I know for certain my barmy neighbours are out -so are digital pianos allowed?  I would probably not be able to record it as loud as I would ideally like -? So quality of recording is also an issue -

I can predict a very high standard for this competition though, and a great difficulty in choosing the best performance -

Starstruck5, I'm fixing everything about my playing right now with my teacher because I was self-taught before a long time ago.  I only have a digital, have been at this "learning to play" for a few months, and my recording equipment is an iPod that I'll have to convert to mp3 using Goldwave, unless I can get a lopsided view of hands unto Youtube.  I'm participating rather than competing, and there may be a few more of us who are not that "stellar".

[starstruck5]

   Count me in then -

[j_menz]

As her second piece Costanza has chosen Bach's Invention n 8... I hope j_menz will be forgiving 

What's to forgive. Excellent choice!  Bonus points already. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hey J Menz, are you gonna be posting music from one of your CD's? 

And I've always wanted to ask you this, but I keep forgetting.  Who do you have your recording contract with?

[j_menz]

Hey J Menz, are you gonna be posting music from one of your CD's? 

And I've always wanted to ask you this, but I keep forgetting.  Who do you have your recording contract with?

Since my CDs contain only music played by other people, I believe that would be cheating. So, no.

No contract, but DG have first option. They don't know that. 

[ajspiano]

Hey J Menz, are you gonna be posting music from one of your CD's? 

I might do that! - hell..  I might provide a copy of my CD as a prize.

QuadBox - "The four boxmen of the Aquadalypse"  - performed and produced by a bunch of teenagers (I was about 14/15).. its not (overly) terrible, its a properly produced CD with all the bells and whistles...  featuring songs with some fairly rubbish vocals, and great teenage themes such as..

"What's in your fridge?" and "I hate being a virgin"

[j_menz]

I might do that! - hell..  I might provide a copy of my CD as a prize.

QuadBox - "The four boxmen of the Aquadalypse"  - performed and produced by a bunch of teenagers (I was about 14/15).. its not (overly) terrible, its a properly produced CD with all the bells and whistles...  featuring songs with some fairly rubbish vocals, and great teenage themes such as..

"What's in your fridge?" and "I hate being a virgin"

What's the picture on it; it has coaster potential. 

[ajspiano]

it has coaster potential.

Whatever gets it out of my house suits me, how many would you like?

What's the picture on it

The actual CD is a light sky blue colour with an simplfied image drawn from the theme on the extended main cover.

Its a cartoon representation of a group of demons stealing our band's flag and flying away with it to "rock-god heaven" (where Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and John Lennon are pictured)..  with us flying on our guitars across a vast landscape in hot pursuit.

A little (a lot) arrogant, but we thought it was hilarious.. it was drawn by one of our friends and I spent HOURS digitally colouring it. Will post later for funnsies...   and to promote the competition.. because its clearly an AWESOME prize.

[j_menz]

how many would you like?

Depends. I'll wait for the cover art before deciding. Either a matching set of 6 or one for each child you are planning on having to be given to them on their 14th birthdays.

[ajspiano]

Depends. I'll wait for the cover art before deciding. Either a matching set of 6 or one for each child you are planning on having to be given to them on their 14th birthdays.

..given that I have ~300 of them I'm going to need a better distribution plan than birthday presents.

[j_menz]

..given that I have ~300 of them I'm going to need a better distribution plan than birthday presents.

Don't fruit/vegie gardeners use CDs to scare off birds?

[ajspiano]

Don't fruit/vegie gardeners use CDs to scare off birds?

That may be a good option..  but perhaps not.. I did manage to use the CD to attract birds when I was younger  of course, that effect has long disappeared i suspect.

[j_menz]

that effect has long disappeared i suspect.

"I'm in a band, we've got a new CD out, wanna hear it?" - Chick magnet material

"I was in a band in highschool. We did a CD. I have a garage full of them - want a copy?" - Chick repellent.

And yes, I know "chick" is both quaintly old fashioned and not politically correct.

[ajspiano]

"I'm in a band, we've got a new CD out, wanna hear it?" - Chick magnet material

"I was in a band in highschool. We did a CD. I have a garage full of them - want a copy?" - Chick repellent.

You should write a dating advice book for washed up wannabe rock-stars such as myself...

[j_menz]

You should write a dating advice book for washed up wannabe rock-stars such as myself...

Not sure I could string "become a record producer" out into 300 pages.

[costicina]

I might do that! - hell..  I might provide a copy of my CD as a prize.

QuadBox - "The four boxmen of the Aquadalypse"  - performed and produced by a bunch of teenagers (I was about 14/15).. its not (overly) terrible, its a properly produced CD with all the bells and whistles...  featuring songs with some fairly rubbish vocals, and great teenage themes such as..

"What's in your fridge?" and "I hate being a virgin"

Poor Costanza has going to have very hard times: I  WANT that prize!!!!! 

[ajspiano]

Here is the CD graphics, I've also attached a song as a demo. "What's in yo fridge" - it takes a while to get going thanks to a chunk of semi-monosyllabic conversation as an intro. If you can't handle teenage humour I suggest you don't listen..  if you can, this will serve as your gauge as to whether or not you actually want it when/if you win our competition..   I strongly doubt it will be of interest to the average piano forum user 

..This is the product of the time that I would perhaps refer to as "7 months worth of weekends that I could've spent practising the piano" ...not that I regret it, it was a lot of fun.

FRONT COVER -


BACK COVER -


INSIDE/CD -
..so that J_menz can properly assess the discs validity as a coaster.
The cover is a fold out 4 page thing.. I can't seem to get it all in one photo so too bad I guess.

[costicina]

Costanza's comment to the song (but she  didn't understand the text) : "Che figata!" (= "how cool"but a bit more vulgar in the Italian teens jargon). Then added: "Why the hell did he switch to classic music?"    

And now she feels entitled to perform Bach with her fingernails lacquered in black... 

[lloyd_cdb]

Here is the CD graphics, I've also attached a song as a demo.

O....



M....




G....


Now I might have to make the time to compete.

[andreslr6]

Hi, I'm new in this forum, but I'm going to be bold and say: I'M IN!

I only have 1 question, by "Round 1" do you mean that there will be more rounds or just Round 1 because it's the first competition?

But whatever the answer is, please count me in.

[outin]

Here is the CD graphics, I've also attached a song as a demo. "What's in yo fridge" - it takes a while to get going thanks to a chunk of semi-monosyllabic conversation as an intro. If you can't handle teenage humour I suggest you don't listen..  if you can, this will serve as your gauge as to whether or not you actually want it when/if you win our competition..   I strongly doubt it will be of interest to the average piano forum user 

Funky 

[chopin2015]

wow, aj! Interesting and makes me thing of tenacious D

 In high school we did lamb of god and evergreen terrace covers at battle of the bands. Yeah, that's right, I was the chick lead guitarist(and vocalist once...)  o_O 

Oh this guy is the bomb diggity