Week THREE: Share your love! (Watch Party is next week!)
Hello and welcome to the WEEK THREE Main Thread for this challenge! 
Alright everyone - this is the thread where we'll all be posting our daily updates.
Make sure you've read the rules before replying (<- click)
Twice a week between February 6 - 13 I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!
Here is this week's assignment!
Because the WATCH PARTY is next week, February 14th at 11am PT let's do the following this week!
1. OVERALL GOAL: Record your piece!
2. OPTIONAL: say a few words about why you choose your piece, and what you love so much about it BEFORE or AFTER you play! (Before is nice, because then we can listen with a guided imagination through your words!) You can submit two videos (one of your words and one of the music) I will then put them together into ONE video.
3. OPTIONAL: Record your piece at least TWICE! Why? Because we want you to submit your favorite recording, and tell us why you choose the one that you did. Was it because of technical reasons? Musical ones? It is important to practice evaluating your work through words!
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Here is my final submission for the challenge. This piece is always a work in progress, but here it is as it stands now. It is Brahms Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2. All observations and feedback are welcome. I look forward to more of these community challenges in the future!
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Juan Carlos Olite Thank you for your compliments Juan! I learn a lot from your comments in the forums and look forward to seeing more of your performances. Your Beethoven was excellent!
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Michelle R I really appreciate your kind words and detailed observations! The way you describe this piece is expressed beautifully and is much like how I envision it as well.
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Darrell Jenkins my other favourite piece is his Cappriccio in F# minor which I'm learning. I'm lucky enough also to have a cellist neighbour to work on his Sonata in E minor for piano/cello.
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Ching Lee Goh Wow, two other marvellous pieces! So nice to know you are a Brahms fan like me! The cello in the E minor is so beautiful!
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Darrell Jenkins Beautiful playing! I’m not that familiar with Brahms so I really appreciated the intro and I’m inspired to look into his works.
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Alice Lin Thank you so much Alice!
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Didn't get two of them uploaded, sorry! Glad to have done this. I wasn't sure I could learn this in 3 weeks, and manage it. What went well? I think I managed to get most of the notes right. I tried to bring in some difference in volume between the sections, and to truly find the tempo of a waltz. What I wish I could have done better? I couldn't find the speed that Ben had. I also didn't find the depth during the middle section that I was hoping for. But all in all, it has inspired me to try Op. 64, no. 1 ("Minute Waltz") which I have always been too intimidated to try. Thanks for this!
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Judith Sounds beautiful! I like your tempo and dynamics! Please share the Minute Waltz when you are ready- intimidating for me too!
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Judith Very poetic playing! I love it!
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Judith an amazing job just within 3 weeks! I love your variation of tone which makes it very interesting and giving me ideas on what to do with my version.
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Judith Great playing, and well done learning it within the timeframe! I love this waltz too.
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Judith In three weeks you have done an incredible job. And you get very well the wistful feelings of Chopin music.
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Judith This performance is lovely — and perfect for Valentine’s! Thank you!
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Judith Lovely playing. I especially enjoyed the dynamics and thought the tempo was just right for a waltz.
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Judith that was a lovely interpretation and sound quality was amazing! bravo
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Judith it sounds really nice! It made me smile how you ended by playing towards an adorable ping!! at the end :)
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Judith I like tempo too! Great lyrical upper melody and a really natural feeling rubato.
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Judith Wonderful Judith! I really appreciate your clear voicing of the melody. You learn fast and your heartfelt efforts shine through in this piece!
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My piece is Baile de Burgos from Joaquin Nin-Culmell, Tonadas, Vol. 1.
I love that it is a short, interesting piece that is accessible to those of us who are late elementary or early intermediate students without sounding like it was intended to be played by children. Played very quickly, it is reminiscent of loud, percussive street dances at the festivals in Burgos in central Spain. Played slowly, though, it is meditative, and Nin-Culmell’s own harmonies come through more beautifully.
I play it slowly. It evokes for me walking with my uncle through the city of Teruel in Aragon, half a century ago, exploring ancient churches and buildings in the exotic “Mudejar” architectural style unique to some regions of Spain. (I posted photos of a few examples, back in Week 1.)
Please excuse my flaws and overly dramatic gestures in the video — this is still a work in progress…
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Libby Craig This was lovely! Very meditative and played with feeling!
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Vidhya Bashyam Thank you!!
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Libby Craig This was thoroughly enjoyable to listen to, Libby! I agree with Vidhya that it was very meditative.
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Michelle R Thank you, Michelle!!
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Libby Craig that was really nice, such an interesting piece :)
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Derek McConville Thank you, Derek!!
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