Fresh Starts: September Community Concert

Sat Sep 19 at 11 AM - 1 PM PDT
Sat Sep 19 at 11 AM - 1 PM PDT
Event by Team

 

A new season is here, and it’s time to make some music.

Join us for our September Community Concert, a celebration of fresh beginnings, new goals, and the excitement of getting back to the instrument.

 

Whether you’re returning after a summer break, starting a brand-new piece, or simply feeling inspired to play again, we’d love to hear what you’ve been working on.

 

All levels and repertoire are welcome. Come perform, support your fellow community members, and start the season with music.

How to participate:

• Reply below with the piece you’ll be playing
• Share a recording, or let us know if you’d like to play live

Recordings will be shared as time allows. Thank you, as always, for the care you bring to your playing and to this community.

Looking forward to hearing what you’ve been up to at the piano.

 

General information and Guidelines below!

Reply to this topic with your name and repertoire selection if you would like to perform! If you don't know what you want to play yet, you can always just let us know your intent!

ABOUT TONEBASE COMMUNITY CONCERTS:

These events are NOT live-streamed OR recorded, but are private zoom meetings where tonebase members can share their hard work and perform for each other! 

 

These concerts can be played LIVE, or if you can't attend, you can submit a recording!

 

This is a GENEROUS and SUPPORTIVE space.

 

Performing is one of the best ways to push yourself, and really evaluate the work/progress you have made!

 

Repertoire is open to any piece!

 

Memorization is NOT required.

 

You can play select movements, or even sections of pieces! No need to perform a complete work!

 

Playing the piano is fun, but sharing your music with others is one of life's great joys. Join in on the fun and cheer each other on!

 

FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR ZOOM SETTINGS PLEASE SEE THE SHORT VIDEOS BELOW!

 

Because we use zoom for these concerts, it is important to have the best audio and visual settings available!

 

Check out these videos depending on the device you are using!

 

FOR LAPTOPS/COMPUTERS

https://youtu.be/U2K6saBm8fI

 

FOR IPAD/IPHONE/PHONES

https://youtu.be/UwLo5CzLX2o

94 replies

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    • Sam_Smith
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Thanks Dominic! The stars have aligned - I would like to play William Bolcom's "Graceful Ghost Rag". Takes me about 5 minutes. Thanks!

      • Larry_K
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Wow, I love that piece! I am looking forward to hearing you play it. 

      Do you use a sostenuto pedal? There was a ragtime player on YouTube who brilliantly demonstrated the usefulness of the sostenuto pedal.

      https://youtu.be/s1cVBPqQpgg?is=RO02pMO6-Hq4DUN5

      • Sam_Smith
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Don't expect too much! I do the best I can with it. I have used the sostenuto on other pieces, but not this - will have to look into it. 

      • Larry_K
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       At one point, I looked at the first page and said, nope. You’re clearly ahead of me, lol.

      • Larry_K
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Do you know this recording? I saw Marc-André Hamelin play a few months ago. He was impressive. He didn’t play any of the rags but he played the Ives Concord Sonata.

      When my wife heard the Graceful Ghost Rag, she said she hoped I would play it. Sure, honey, I’ll get right on it.

      I find it so wonderful that the piece sounds like it was written in the 1920s but was written in 1970. Our house is from 1925, my piano is from 2020.

      • Angela_Fogg
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       yes me as well. I first heard it on Tonebase having never heard of William Bolcom before! Great piece!

      • Sam_Smith
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Yes, I have that CD and have listened to it many times. So many to choose from - all very difficult. I really think the "Graceful Ghost" may be the most approachable.

      • Larry_K
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       I was quite disappointed to receive my Yamaha (D)YUS5 and realize that it didn’t have a sostenuto pedal, that it has been repurposed to turn the piano into digital practice mode with a stop bar to prevent the hammers from hitting the strings, something I never use.

      I didn’t feel I could complain as I had ordered the (D)YUS1 and Yamaha couldn’t make their delivery during Covid so they offered the (D)YUS5, a much better piano.

      Anyway, it takes incredibly good reflexes to hold notes with the sostenuto pedal, and perhaps I would never develop that level of skill.

      • Andrea_LeVan
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

      I can’t wait to hear this! 🤩

    • rebecca_LAM
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Please sign me up and will decide what to play later. Thanks. 

    • springgrass
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Yihan wants to play Prokofiev sonata no 7.  He will determine what movement(s) ( depending on time allowed)

      • Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
      • Gail_Starr
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      Can’t wait to hear him!

      • springgrass
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks! He can't wait to play this epic  "Stalingrad" sonata. 

    • PViseskul
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Tentatively signing up. Ideally I would like to play Schubert Impromptu 142/1, though it's currently taking me 13mins which is a bit too long ... maybe I can start from the recap to the end.

    Edit: I will play from beginning to end but without the repeats, so it will be a little over 10mins

      • Pianist, composer and piano teacher
      • Sindre_Skarelven
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       I hope (and would think) there’ll be time for the whole thing! Gorgeous piece!

      • Angela_Fogg
      • 4 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I love all the Schubert Impromptus, what a wonderful piece! Looking forward to hearing it.

      • Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
      • Gail_Starr
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      You sounded so wonderful at Chet’s!

      • PViseskul
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       thank you! 😊 hope to make it better still after the lessons there

    • Pianist, composer and piano teacher
    • Sindre_Skarelven
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Tentatively signing up with Chopin Ballade 2 op 38 

      • Andrea_LeVan
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

      I’m really looking forward to this Sindre! 

    • Philippa.1
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Thank you Dominic, I would like to submit a video. My piece is Valse Carresante by Respighi.

    • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
    • Peter_G
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    I would like to participate. I might be ready to try one or more of my Rachmaninoff Preludes -- Perhaps the Bb Minor again or one of the others I have been working on.

    • Angela_Fogg
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    I would like to play something from Iberia by Albeniz. One of the more straightforward ones. I’ve got my fingers in several at the moment so will confirm nearer the time.

    A great way to kick off the new academic year - as it is in the UK.

    • Ken_Radford
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    I will play one of my original pieces called Cool Breeze.

    In this piece I follow my teacher’s advice to “keep it simple.” Does anyone else feel the need keep it simple?

      • Larry_K
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       I like simplicity and minimalism in piano music. Is that what you mean? 

      I had worked up an idea to record a piece entitled “The Family” by Max Richter from his Blue Notebooks. 

      https://youtu.be/9eEFHMvgcqc?is=6BlVl2Au8mvybh7k

      I heard an interview with Richter in which he said he tried to produce “a maximum intensity with a minimum material.” Is that what your composition teacher is asking of you? 

      Here is that interview,

      https://youtu.be/Ym-uzQgBIZ8?is=-Z05RQbVyKYpGQRN

      Anyway, I passed my idea by an old classical guitar duo partner and she said that there was nothing going on musically in that piece, which kind of hurt, to be honest. Is that true?
      So, minimalism can easily evoke strong criticism, maybe much more so than maximalism. 

      With minimalism, there is so little material that every note must be perfect, something that is difficult to achieve.

      Anyway, I decided that I couldn’t convincingly play something so simple at my level.
      My new teacher has sent me back to play about the simplest Minuet by Leopold Mozart, father of Wolfgang and a violinist. It works as a good etude for the classical style.

      Is there shame in playing simple music? I think not but it seems so sometimes.

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