Create, Create, Create, I love to Create.: September 2010

Gee I haven't posted on here for quite some time now. Since my last post I have been working hard on my second grade work. While working on all this new stuff, I felt that with the keyboard I had I was not going to improve much at all where tonal quality and light and shade in a piece, were concerned. I contemplated not doing anymore exams until I could get hold of a better one with more touch sensitivity. When my piano teacher asked me whether I wanted to sit the grade two exams this year I said no. I just knew that I wouldn't be able to do what was expected of me with the equipment I had, but the following week, out of nowhere my husband presented me with a fantastic digital piano. I was elated. It was just what I needed.

It has 88 keys which are so much more like real piano keys should feel. It is a digital stage piano so it doesn't have in-built speakers, but they were also given with the piano and a fantastic keyboard stand. With all this new equipment I really felt that I could now be in with a chance to improve my skills and actually sit the exam. So with some hesitation I informed my teacher that I would sit the grade 2 exam in November. At first it was difficult to get use to the difference in the touch of the keys. They are a lot heavier than my keyboard keys. It really works my hands. There was now only one thing missing.

With two of the pieces needing sustain pedal to be used, I did not have a sustain pedal. I had never used a sustain pedal before and thought if I couldn't get one soon these pieces might suffer. I just kept on playing them anyway, with the normal lifting off of my fingers as if I were playing them with a sustain pedal, then after about a month after getting the piano, my wonderful husband came to the rescue once again. He bought me a sustain pedal that matched my piano. Now there is no stopping me.

With the addition of the sustain pedal came a new challenge of adding foot work to the pieces, but boy it makes such a difference to the way they sound. Its just beautiful to hear them how they should be played, its just a pity that I am not quite at the standard of playing them without any errors. A little frustrating at times when all I want to do is hear the piece played through in its entirety and it doesn't happen, but I am happy all the same.

I have received the date and time for my exam now and have the same feeling as I did last year, that I am not really ready for it. I suppose I never would feel ready for it if it were up to me, but my mum said to me, at the time when I told her I wasn't sure whether I wanted to sit the exam, whats the worse that could happen, you fail, its not that bad, your life doesn't depend on it so don't worry, just sit it, so I am. My teacher also said to me that she would not let me sit the exam if she didnt think I could pass, so with all these people encouraging me, my confidence is growing little by little.

There is one piece that is giving me much grief though and that is the Menuett. It just hasn't come together as well as I had hoped by now. Its a very challenging piece and at the moment I am playing it very disconnected, and I haven't played it through once without a mistake. Not sure what it is that I am having trouble with, its straining my brain. I really enjoy playing the Two Part Intention. I love its swing timing and jazzy notes. The Miniature Fugue.....OMG. This is one piece that I cannot play without looking at the music sheet and that is really odd for me because I play most of my pieces from memory and find if I look at the music sheet I loose my place. I know, its quite strange that that would happen but it does. Not with this one though. I am pretty surprised though that I can play it without looking at my fingers.

Any way the exam is on the 12th November 2010 and so the pressure is on.

Create, Create, Create, I love to Create.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Its been a while

5 pieces decided