Week 2: Status Update and one NEW improvement!

Michelle R Bravo! That was a joy to listen to. Cheerful character, crisp rhythm, dynamic differentiation - it was all there. It's rare to hear this piece played so proficiently. 

Michelle R Lovely Michelle! Memorized too and beautiful trills!

Alexander Weymann Thanks so much for your kind words. I certainly had fun playing it! Hopefully I can make improvements over this challenge.

Vidhya Bashyam Thank you! 

Sindre Skarelven Thank you, Sindre! I was trying to be deliberate with staccato versus legato, and am happy that it came through in my playing. I'm hoping I can improve over the next few weeks.

Michelle R Sounds lovely already, Michelle! 

Judy Kuan Thanks, Judy.

My one new improvement is to add ornaments in the A section - I slowed down, played RH only (and also tried to integrate the gestures I am working on with my new piano teacher - so, I guess I did more than one new improvement!). I'll try to record hands together on Saturday, though it probably won't be quite up to tempo. Here is one of my practice session rounds - I didn't feel like taking my headphones off since I was going back and forth a lot. :-) 

Well, it looks like ornaments are not in my immediate future - after two days of practicing with ornaments, the finger joint that was injured in January is feeling stiff. So I'll back off and think of another way to enjoy the repeats! 

Michelle R I can't tell for certain because of your sleeves in the first video, but it looks like in the ornaments version, your right wrist is dropping quite a bit - maybe even forcefully - during the embellishments which might contribute to the joint stiffness...? Perhaps try keeping the wrist a little more level, or perhaps trying different (non-adjacent) fingering for the embellishments might help?  I'm not a piano teacher, but I am very focused on biomechanics for my career... Either way, I am enjoying listening to both versions!

Michelle R You give this piece such a wonderful personality.   Each hand tells a story!

Michelle R I totally know what you are talking about regarding finger pain!  Keep away from stuff that hurts, and spend time just looking at the score and "thinking" through what you'd like to do.  I just learned my mazurka for Jarred's intensive but spending time with the score and listening to lots of amazing pianists play it on Youtube.  In fact, I'm taking a similar approach with my Chopin Etude for this challenge.  Hands separately, too.

Judy Kuan Thanks, Judy. Discretion indicates that I should just wait until my teacher and I get to the ornaments together. I can find another way to make the repeats "different." My finger was injured from a technique another teacher gave me. I could try other fingering, but I'm content to wait and find other ways to play that don't aggravate the injury.

Gail Starr Thanks so much, Gail. I thoroughly enjoy playing this minuet, and find that its playful innocence is joy under my fingers! 

Thankfully my finger doesn't hurt, but I've learned (the hard way) to back off right when I notice stiffness. So, I'll back off and look at other things to work on. It is challenging to find "good" YouTube videos of these simpler pieces. I enjoy Lang Lang's interpretation, and  I think that I'll try his approach and emphasize right hand the first time and left hand on the repeat. That will be quite a challenge for me!! 

Sindre Skarelven Thanks, Sindre! 

Michelle R Sounding good! Sorry about your pain. Take it easy and don’t strain too much. 

Sindre Skarelven Vidhya Bashyam Thank you. My piano teacher has told me to stop if I have any pain, since I have a non-piano-related shoulder injury that is impacting my ability to move in certain ways. I'm about to become good friends with our local physiotherapist! Thankfully, the finger is merely stiff - not painful.

I haven't watched all of Magdalena Stern Baczewska's tutorial - perhaps I should take the time to finish it. Thanks for the reminder, Sindre. 

Michelle R Absolutely makes sense, Michelle! I'm sorry to hear about your prior injury, and you are wise with your patience 

Michelle R So smart!  And I love your trying out different tutorials to see what various teachers say.  I've been doing that with my Etude for this challenge.  In fact, I need to make a video NOW!

Michelle R VEry nice!  YOu have a nice touch with this.  Keep up the good work.

Jennifer Mehta Thanks, Jennifer!

Michelle R Sounds nice, Michelle. You have a lovely tone and great musical sense. I am always amazed at how effective single handed practice is for me as well. You are wise to back off, at least temporarily, if you feel any pain or discomfort! Happy practising!