Letter to my PS family.

[ajlongspiano]

   Hi, everyone! I hope you are all fantastic. I'm quite aware that I haven't been very active here as of late. Noah sent me a message on YouTube and that prompted me to stop by. I should definitely participate more, not only because you are all so supportive, but because I genuinely enjoy your company and friendship! 
   Life has been good around here. Recently I turned 18. Obviously, it feels no different to be an adult, haha. You just get up in the morning feeling tired as usual, then you get your morning coffee.  Yesterday I got an acceptance letter to the Crane School of Music. I'm still waiting to hear back from Manhattan, but the professor sent me a very positive email after my audition, so I feel good about it. I've been very busy, and I don't mean that as an excuse, to justify not being on here. Things taking up my time right now include practicing piano 4-5 hours a day, school work 4 hours a day, reading a book a day, writing a couple of books and a big paper, drawing (I love art so I wanted to try it myself. Asked for a set of art pencils for my birthday, haha.) and composing. (I have a composition teacher now)
    My socializing tends to suffer due to these things but I personally wouldn't have it any other way. Life is short and creating stuff is something I love to do. But I do want to be involved with all of you. I enjoy being a part of your success.
    Now that my rant is over, tell me about what you've been up to! I'm sure you are all doing very exciting and fulfilling things with music and piano. Tell me all about it . Looking forward to hearing back from you guys. Stay awesome!

Best,
AJ

[dcstudio]

it's nice to hear from you AJ.. I am so excited for you--and so envious... you are about to take the big leap out of the nest and go to a place where everyone is a musician.   Although music school can be traumatic... it is also a hive of like-minded souls.   You can practice any time day or night--you can discuss with your roommate Beethoven's reasons for adding a march in the middle of the choral mvmt of the 9th symphony--it's just awesome.  

there's always music playing everywhere...  excuse me while I get all misty and sentimental..

one piece of advice--if the teacher asks you to sight-read an example in front of the class to help her illustrate the point... DO IT.   Don't be shy.  

I am so happy for you AJ  please keep us posted on your progress. Might I also suggest you blog some of your experiences..   You are about to go live the dream--and there are many students here who would like to do the same.   You could help them to understand what that entails.

and you like ART?  I am an artist, too  great minds think alike I guess.

  
  this is a slide show I am working on to go with my next concert--the audio is a 10 year old recording of MS 1.  I will show the vid while I play and tell them it's what I see in my mind when I am playing this piece...  then of course after the show--the originals will be available for purchase... along with the cd I start recording next week.

things are going quite well for me, too... I was on the news playing the piano a couple of weeks ago..  really boosted my marketability. here's that post with the vid

http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=60914.0

[ajlongspiano]

Dear DC,

Thank you so much for your long and thoughtful response. It's a pleasure to correspond with you again! Very valuable sentiments on music school. I feel the exact same way. It's funny that you mentioned a blog because I'm planning on starting one shortly! I think you'll like the series quite a bit. I enjoy the painting displayed on your video. Good work! I'm also happy to hear that good traffic is coming your way! Keep up the good work DC. It's nice to hear from you again.

Best,

AJ

[mjames]

Congrats on your auditions! What's your top choice? I have a friend that goes to the Manhattan School of music, but he studies production and not classical piano lol <.<
Not american but my school's a few hours away from NYC. Feel free to send out any invitations if you end up planning for any big recitals, I would come to watch to you play.


well what I'm up to...

The challenge I took up wasnt as crazy as I thought. Op. 44 is starting to sound like music, I can play the a sections and its repeat and the coda up to tempo...YAY! I like to pretend like I'm at carnegie hall during the first few pages....can't believe I can play it !!
But since the A sections were essentially the ones that were above my technique, I spent a lot of time working on them instead of the mazurka parts, but now it looks like can shift my focus to the middle section. Will probably only take me a week to get it under my hands properly (already got it in memory). So it looks like I'll be able to focus on working on my interpretation of the piece quite soon...! long piece of music, exhausting to learn+memorize but very satisfying. op. 27 no. 2, hard to interpret but it's coming along I guess.

and also enjoying on working on less demanding stuff like Bach's inventions and Haydn's sonata. My journey as a pianist isn't as hopeless as I thought

[ajlongspiano]

Hi James,

Thanks for responding! Manhattan is my top choice, but I will be immensely excited wherever I go. I will be sure to send you an invitation to any recitals if I go to school in NYC . It would be great to meet you. I'm really happy to hear that Op.44 is going so well for you. I appreciate how hard you're working on your pieces. Keep it up!

Best,

AJ

[pencilart3]

AJ! What's up? Donald Trump's ego. Stupid question. LOL

Well that's awesome about getting into that music school. So you will be attending there? I mean obviously who wouldn't accept you. I would love to see what you're working on these days!!

As far as what I've been up to, lots of practice. For rep I'm doing Ravel's Prelude, Fugue, and soon the Toccata from Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin. Beethoven's Sonata op. 90 as you can see from my signature and Liszt's Wilde Jagd. Also Chopin's Nocturne #13. Not enough characters in description HAHA I'm going to get my piano tuned soon. I have been playing a lot of chess on chess.com and my rating is 1700. A week and a half ago was the big concert with the symphony which went fantastically if that is a word. Unfortunately I can't upload it yet as I am working out copyright issues. Sheesh. I can send you the file individually though if you want it I would love to see your art! I am an artist also. We should exchange those also

[lateromantic]

Things taking up my time right now include practicing piano 4-5 hours a day, school work 4 hours a day, reading a book a day, writing a couple of books and a big paper, drawing (I love art so I wanted to try it myself. Asked for a set of art pencils for my birthday, haha.) and composing. (I have a composition teacher now)

Too bad you don't have any creative pursuits to keep you busy.

Congratulations on the acceptance from the Crane School, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for MSM!

[ajlongspiano]

Hi, Noah! It's good to hear that your pursuits are going so well. I love the repertoire you're practicing. Your recordings of the Chopin Nocturne and Berceuse are fantastic. Keep up the good work! I'm working on a Medtner Sonata and the Bach Goldberg variations. Soon I might post something in the audition room.

Thank you, Robert! Haha, there are never enough creative pursuits are there?



Best,
AJ

[pencilart3]

Hi, Noah! It's good to hear that your pursuits are going so well. I love the repertoire you're practicing. Your recordings of the Chopin Nocturne and Berceuse are fantastic. Keep up the good work! I'm working on a Medtner Sonata and the Bach Goldberg variations. Soon I might post something in the audition room.

Which Medtner Sonata? Which variations? OH thanks haha the berceuse was recorded prematurely but I got sick of it hahaha I would love to see another audition room post ending in " - (ajlongspiano)"

[rubinsteinmad]

Someday, we'll have to get some extraterrestial orchestra to come down and perform an extraterrestial concerto for us

Who performs the premier; its up for grabs, I guess

[huaidongxi]

hope you have visited Potsdam and understand that it can be one of the coldest places in the lower 48 states.  its location is convenient for those undergrad field trips to Montreal or Toronto.  will admit, my sojourn in another cold corner of NY (lower finger lakes) came before climate change was obvious or substantial.  apparently the music school is something of a paradise for steinway pianos.  buona fortuna with your dreams.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Great news AJ. You clearly have a very promising future in front of you!