Carole My Practice Goals
Last year 2021 my goal was Octaves. I have very small hands, but I achieved my goal and performed Habanera on a YouTube Ensemble concert given by my orchestra.
I also play violin with the Concord Chamber Orchestra in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This year my new Goals include overall FLOW, so I've been including everything I have learned in past few months on Tonebase regarding Alignment and Shape of Hand.
I no longer have a locked elbow. I play not only with fingers but Wrist and Forearm.
I also use both the Book The Complete Pianist and all the suggestions from Penelope Roskell for daily Warm-ups (floating up and parachuting down) and Posture. I notice that has improved my use of Weight, which has resulted in a much better Tone overall.
I am currently using Czerny Velocity studies #1 & 2 for scales and #3 for Arpeggios.
I have incorporated all of Dominic's suggestions for Left Hand chords.
And, I have begun to use his Techniques for Memorization using Analysis of the music, not just muscle memory. I have recently memorized Mozart Rondo a la Turque and Habanera with just muscle memory. And, I have been working on Mozart Concerto #17 using mostly aural and muscle memory. Now, I am memorizing Debussy's Arabesque and Yiruna, A River Flows in You using increasing observation of Intervals and Harmonic Analysis. I am marking this in my part. I know Music Theory, so this is not difficult, but it does require effort and real Focus. However, after just a few days, I am happy with the results. I plan to start memorizing asap after I put in my fingerings, instead of starting to memorize after I totally learn a piece. I like to practice piano 3 or more hours every day. Haven't missed a day in over 2 1/2 years, and I keep a daily Practice Journal. But, I am not a solo performer. I have been accompanying a violinist for the past 4 years. We have performed 3 times. I would like to improve my memory skills and feel more comfortable as a performer. Tonebase has been a huge help in improving my overall technique.
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Practice Journal Update: It's the end of January now 2022. I have decided to relearn a piece, Habanera by Bizet, that I performed this week a year ago. It went OK , it's on YouTube with Musical Miniatures, Concord Chamber Orchestra of Milwaukee 2021. We recorded in our own homes and they made an Ensemble Concert. Getting the sound right with microphone in my home was difficult. Some notes popped out and many subtilities were lost. Overall, I was a bit disappointed, and exhausted playing it over and over to adjust the sound. Well, now I am rememorizing it, not just with Muscle memory, which felt rather insecure, but using all the suggestions Dominic recently gave regarding How to Memorize with Harmonic Analysis. It is going quite well. So happy I learned this technique. It requires extra effort, but the results are much better. If I am not worrying about memory lapses, I can Focus on interpretation. If my memory work improves with my 2022 Goals, and I learn to Record better in my home, maybe I will try to play on a future Tonebase Concert.
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For February Schubert Challenge I am learning Impromptu #4 Just put a good fingering in all 13 pages. Have worked out left hand staccato. Now will continue my goal to start memorizing from the beginning rather than wait til I learn the whole piece as Dominic has recommended. I memorized page 1 today using the Harmonic Analysis and observation of intervals method instead of just muscle memory. Going well.
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Carole Kincaid Love this Impromptu!! Can't wait to hear it :)
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Brother Will Green Thanks Will. You might hear it if I can learn to both record and upload it to ToneConcert. don't know how to encrypt properly, always says file too big..
PS really enjoyed your performance on 1st Tonebase concert.
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Feb 21, 2022 Practice Journal Update: Just about have Bizet Habanera memorized now. So happy on Tonebase to learn about new Repertoire. Got my 1st book of Liszt The Final Years. Read through Nuages Gris. I also want to try some of the flamenco piano music by Turina that Ashley Lucero showed us on her Tonebase lesson today, Characteristics of Spanish Music. The Phrygian sound of flamenco chords ties in with the Tonebase lesson I took on Modes in Jazz Piano with Jeremy Siskind. I also want to learn a piece I heard on the Olympics that one of the Ice Skaters used Metamorphosis Two by Phillip Glass. Just got the music and read through. I really appreciate some of the ideas I got from a recent lesson with Garrick Ohlsson, especially the one his teacher said to him, "Play the Left Hand, Don't Practice It.". I am now applying that idea to everything I play. For the 1st time in my life I am giving a lot more thought to Voicing. And, I am applying Dominic's word "ghost tones" to things like the Left Hand in Mozart Rondo a la Turque.... not skipping notes, just more of a flourish, rather than making every note important. For our February Schubert challenge, my Imprompu #4 i s only half learned. The middle chord section will take me a while yet to memorize. So, I won't feel ready to perform it in February of 2022 maybe 2023....lol
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Update Journal : March 3, 2022 I so enjoyed hearing everyone who played for the Schubert Challenge. I noticed that Angela plays with a lovely fluid technique, that is very deep into the keys. So, I immediately tried this out and really like the results. Thank You Angela! I am now having that as my current Focus of the week, and I really like the results. For example, I started Beethoven's "Rage Over A Lost Penny" (inspired by Claire Huangci's Tonebase lesson). Today, I started the 1st Left Hand Chord deep into keys (I have very small hands) and then my hand is perfectly ready for the next chord with an F sharp. This worked so well, I am using the idea everywhere. It is especially useful for a scale like A Major, at the end of Habanera, that I'm playing. Instead of crossing thumb under, now my hand stays in Alignment, so faster and fluid. Previously, I was moving my arm forward for black keys and I think it was too much movement slowing me down in some places.
This is what I really like about Tonebase lessons...we not only get to hear wonderful Repertoire played by our artist teachers and fellow students, but we get to Watch technique and pick up ideas visually.
I am not ready to perform a solo yet on Tonebase ( usually I just accompany a violinist ). However, I did get a Phone Adaptor for my Tripod this week, so I can start video recording my own playing and evaluating my progress. It will also help as a Practice Performance, to see if I really have some of my solo pieces memorized or "150% prepared......every centimeter" as Garrick Ohlsson said. Today, I just took a photo of my deeper into the keys hand position. It really does look different, and sound better.
***Also, as a violinist, I was very inspired today by Vijay Goupta. I look forward to all future lessons he shares with us on Tonebase. Thank You Dominic for including Violinists.
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Well today I figured out how to record myself. So that is another goal achieved at last. Set up cell phone attachment for Tripod and external Mike. Went pretty well. 1 page of Bach's Italian Concerto for March Bach challenge. Nice tempo and flow. Dynamics are much better live. However, twice now I could not get it to up load.
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Journal Update: April 16 For this month's technique challenge, I have been using the Czerny Book on Velocity doing #1,2,3 as a daily warm-up, building up speed, using techniques Dominic taught during his Scale & Arpeggio lessons. And,, I'm continuing to learn Bach's Italian Concerto mvnt 3. Have 5 of 7 pages sounding pretty good. And still working on Beethoven's "Rage over a Lost Penny". I seem to learn slower than a lot of members on Tonebase. But, definitely making progress.
