Did the best I could

Last Thursday I had another practice session at my piano teachers home.  I feel that I am getting use to the feel of the piano keys now and actually prefer them more than my keyboard.  I practiced all of my scales, my contrary motion scales,  broken chords, chromatics, and my three chosen pieces.  My teacher so generously asked if I would like to do some aural testing as well.  We went over my theory notes for each piece and that was it.  I really felt that it had helped me, immensely, having these few practice sessions.  I practiced again that night until 11:15pm and again in the morning of my exam day, being Friday.

It seemed like the whole morning I was just a ball of adrenaline.  My thoughts were only on doing this exam and my nerves were showing it.  I made my way to the exam venue and I had no idea what the exact time was but I knew I had some time before I had to go in, so I parked  my car and studied my theory notes for the last time.  When the time had come closer I decided to go in, as I needed to be 10 minutes early to get my name marked off and to receive my exam sheet to give to the examiner.

It wasn't long until I got called in.  My heart started thumping so fast.  I sat down and tried to calm myself, but it just wasn't happening.  So I thought to myself, 'Oh well, I'll just have to play through it like I did in my lessons,'  and that is exactly what I did.  With hands shaking profusely I went through my scales, and surprisingly I hit the right notes.  I was so happy but still had to keep a level head.  All the technical stuff was complete, now for the pieces. 
Skachka was my first piece, and I felt like my shaking fingers would just give up on me, I made a slight mistake, but just played on and completed it.  With an inward sigh of relief I tried to compose myself again.  The examiner requested my next piece, which was Les Plaintes D'une Poupee.  I asked him if I could just have a second to get my head together.  My heart was nearly beating out of my chest, but I couldn't calm down. 
I began my piece, all started well, but I tried not to get carried away, I just stayed focused. I made a little mistake, but I remembered what my teacher said and just played on without stopping.  When I played the last note of this song, I was ecstatic.  It was the one that had been giving me the most trouble but today it just came together, I wouldn't say perfectly, but the flow of it was there. 
Light Blue was my last piece and I feel that that one went OK too, until I got to the last couple of notes.  My last triplet just stalled for a second, just enough for me to lose position for the last note.  I then played it wrong and tried to fix it by playing it again and played it wrong a second time.  I knew I should have just left it at the first wrong note, but something was telling me to show that I did know the note that should have been played but it didn't come out that way, but overall I was happy with it.
Next came some theory questions about my pieces.  What Key are they in?  What does Andantino mean?  What does Molto legato mean?  What are the three grouped notes called?  I felt that I answered these relatively correct.  Then the aural part.  Sing the tonic note, which in my head sounded correct.  Clap the rhythm back, which also sounded OK to me, then sing the melody.  This one I don't think was that good, but my teacher said its better to sing something than nothing at all.  So I gave it a go.  Maybe the first half was right, but the second half I kind of ad-libed. 
Some sight reading followed.  I am so glad that my teacher showed me an easy way to do these, because it was taking me a long time to figure out where to put my fingers to start, but on the day, the first thing that I knew for sure was where to put my fingers to start, whether I played all the notes right, time will tell.  Anyway that was the exam all done and what seemed like the longest 14 minutes ever, but I had survived and come out feeling pretty happy with my effort.  I can say that I tried my best. 
I now have to wait for about a week for the results and I don't know what is harder, the exam or the waiting for results.  Lets hope there will be celebration and not commiseration. 

Mid week practice

I had an awesome practice time on Thursday this week.  I went to my piano teachers house and played on her piano for an hour and a half.  It was so good to be able to play without any distractions or kids jumping on me,  and no one looking over my shoulder.  It was so peaceful and really helpful, so much so, that I think it reflected in my lesson this week.  The majority of what I played come out good, surprising even myself. 

We did a bit of sight reading and aural work this week.  The clapping exercises were all good.  Pieces where I sing the end note were spot on, but when it came to singing the whole bar or two of notes, it all fell apart.    Not sure if its the major lack of confidence when it comes to my singing voice or whether its the short amount of time you get to sing it back.  My sight reading needs major work too especially in the Bass Clef (left hand).  I think the timing of the pieces doesn't pose too much of a problem here, but mainly the note recognition and hand positioning that best suits the notes within the piece.  Need to work more on these problem areas.

I also had the marvelous opportunity to play on $150,000AUD Steinway Grand piano yesterday.  It was beautiful to play and the sound that emitted from it was gentle to my ears, (with the exception of my mistakes that didn't do the poor thing much justice).  In the hands of a maestro it would sound majestic.  I'm a long, long, long way off that, but I can dream cant I.

Shakin like a jelly

Hi all,

After a 3 week break from piano lessons, I started back today.  I received the details about my exam which happens on the 13 Nov this year.  Not too long to go now.  Found out that the exam will only go for 14 minutes, but I reckon it will be the longest 14 minutes ever.

I really did enjoy my lesson today.  Its so nice to play on a proper piano, but boy my nerves keep kicking in just when I don't need them to.  I have to keep telling myself, I can do it, otherwise my fingers just shake so much that I can barely push the keys.  It did happen today, but amazingly I pushed through it.  I did manage to complete my piece and at the end of it my teacher was so encouraging, she gave me a clap. 

My heart was soaring and I was so relieved that I actually finished it regardless of the shaking, but this was only after attempting it for the second time.  The first time I tried to do the right thing and refer to my music sheet, but for some reason I felt that it distracted more than it helped.  I decided that I will do it like I practice it at home, and use my memory instead and that is how I got through it.  We also worked on some theory relating to each piece that I  played.  Next week its some aural practice ahhhh!!!!  Not a fan of singing notes accapala.

My teacher and I have discussed the option of me coming to use her piano to practice on during the next few weeks till the exam, so I am hoping that I can do this because I feel it will really help me.  Will report back on how this all goes, until then its practice, practice, practice on my keyboard.

Impressing with the flow

Hi again,

Been a few days that I have written something so here goes. 

I have been trying to get in a bit of piano practice, but have had a couple of busy days.  I also have to contend with a 3 year old jumping onto my lap every time I switch the keyboard on.  It is frustrating beyond measure, but it also helps me to keep playing even when there are major distractions going on around me.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. 

At the moment I am working at trying to get 'Les plaintes d'une poupee' to flow better between the changes, as the first section is repeated three times during the piece, but the parts in between them are dramatically different to the sweet and smooth feel of these parts. When I had to play it during my lesson, it just didnt come together well at all.  It seems to me that maybe it has a little to do with the difference in the touch of the piano keys, but also the fact that I am playing it in front of someone that I want to impress and show that  I have been practicing it and have improved.  I love the solemness of bars 29-44.  I have to work hard to get the notes to flow as well as bringing in some variance in volume.  Its a little tricky for me, but its coming together a little bit better each time I play.

Skachka and Light Blue are coming along OK I guess, but Skachka still catches me out every now and again.  Sometimes I lose that galloping feeling and start pressing the first two notes at the same time instead of keeping them separated.  With the increase of speed comes the shorter time between the notes and therefore more chance of playing them together.  Must stop myself and make a mental note of the fact that I have done it and play it again slower until I stop doing it, otherwise I think it might become a bad habit that is hard to break.

Piano practice

I mentioned in my above post that I am taking piano lessons.  I am booked in to do my grade one piano exam on the 13 Nov 09.  Its getting closer and I really need to knuckle down and practice.  You probably think, big whoop its only grade one, but it will be a big achievement for me.  Being a stay at home mum, I really wanted to keep my mind active and alert with something that might some day be a career thing.  Not sure how far I will go with that, but its a thought.

I decided it might be a good idea