Piano Forum

Hello everyone

This will be my first post so I thought I'd introduce a bit a about myself;

I started piano in late 2016. As a child I had started playing but never continued. Now as an adult I felt it was time to take things a bit more seriously whilst having the mindset to progress in a more controlled and intellectual way. I currently have a teacher who has been very useful in my piano journey and hope in time I can play public performances and compose my own music.

As of now I am approaching the grade 3 exam which takes place on the 28th of November and I must say I am a bit apprehensive. The pieces come from the  2015-2017 Trinity College London Syllabus, they are;

Haydn : Divertimento in G Major, Hob. XVI:8 (IV : Allegro)



(This version is in 3/4 with some dynamic variations)

Dance of the little Swans - Arr Pauline Hall



The Rainbow - Ray More



SUMMARY OF ISSUES

I have practiced all of the pieces in a vareity of different ways - from Segmental practice, HS at varying speeds, cycling through different sections from specific points to another; for the most part not looking at the keyboard etc and the general playing now is reasonable however the main issue I have deduced comes down to hand memory particually when reading two staves at once. Technically none of these pieces are difficult but I am beginning to realize how the visual processes of reading can somewhat interfer with the learning and aquisition of touch and hand memory in particular.

I feel I am having to conciously be aware during this late stage about how I am not making enough associations with touch during my practice and regret that perhaps I have been doing something wrong in the earlier stages. It seems that even during a specifc practice I am "overly visual" with the music.

With Allegro most of the problems take place in the RH keeping everything flowing and anticipating any changes, all with that accompanying LH.

With the dance most of the issues take place in the perception in the middle section (bars 10 to 13) and the ending (bars 18 to 19) - I know the notes but it's just not in hands so to speak.

With the Rainbow this is for the most part a pedal problem - being the first proper piece using one at this stage - I find it very difficult to read, listen and co-ordinate at the same time. also the transition in bar 14 and 15 are a bit tricky; I think to myself B7 chord in the LH moving to finger 2&5 and 2&4 in the LH leading back a tempo to the first section.

I believe that these pieces mark a solid transition in the perception and interpretation of learning music albeit relatively simple.

How can I continue to improve these pieces?