How should I get back into piano?

[Donald]

I know it says the forum is for professionals, teachers etc, but I have been looking through your posts and you give absolutely brilliant advice, so I thought I'd try you with my question...

I started playing piano when I was 8 and a half, and passed ABRSM Grade 8 when I was 16.  (I wasn't a grade a year person though - I did 3, 4, 7 and . 

Now, I'm 18 and I'm at university away from home, studying Accountancy, not music, so that I can afford a beautiful piano when I'm older!  I've played a bit since I started in September, perhaps about 2 hours a week, and have just tried to keep the pieces I know going.  (Standard grade 8 pieces etc,  + one of Bartok's Bulgarian Dances from Microkosmos and some other things).

Now, I feel I'd like to improve and start to play properly again, to do some good practice.  Only problem is, I don't really know what to play!  How should I get back into piano?  Scales etc again?  What sort of pieces would be good to learn going just beyond Grade 8 Standard?

I'd really appreciate your help!

[Brian Healey]

Three simple words:

Get a teacher.

Seriously, there are things I or anyone else here could tell you that might help, but nothing compares with having a teacher. Find a teacher, explain your situation and experience, and go from there. Any competant teacher will be able to help. In fact, most teachers will be stoked to take you on as a student because you already have a good deal of experience, so you can pretty much jump right into it.

Best of luck,
Bri

[lostinidlewonder]

I think to rely on a teacher to tell u what to learn is ok for most, but i think it is not how to use a teacher to the fullest. You have to know what you like, and what you want to play. It is not use letting a teacher tell you everything to learn, that doesnt offer you much control over your own progress. If you want to learn this or that you should be able to offer it to your teacher and they should be able to reveal exactly how you will go about learning it. Even if it is 10 times above your level.

Now you have done grd 8, which means you do know your way around the piano pretty ok. In that case i would say, dont consider what the difficulty of pieces. You should consider it when you try it, not listen to others because the concept of difficulty is very various and different for everyone. Some people are more comfortable with chords others with single note runs or whatever. At your level you should be able to identify what difficulties a piece would present you and have tools to deal with it.

As i say to everyone who is lost about what to learn, learn bach! 48 Preludes and Fugues will only make you better and better at your fingering sence and musical sense.