Week 4 – Play Through & Share

Andrew Smith that happens all  the time to me on the voice platform. if i use the link from the email i can usually get in.

claudiadm73 Wow Claudia - you received so many compliments on your playing in this post, and you worked so hard on voicing.  I'm just a fellow piano member but I cannot believe it is because of your playing.  It HAD to be due to time constraints, or an oversight in the editing is my guess. How disappointing, but the positive part is the advancement you've made on another piece of repertoire.. (and remember all the compliments from fellow Tonebase members 👍🙂👏).  I hope Dominic gets back to you - perhaps it is possible to contact him another way than via this post.  Warm regards....

claudiadm73 I agree with Vicki. I am 100% sure it had nothing to do with the quality of your playing.

Vicki Thank you so much for your comments and suggestions, they were a great consolation to me….yes it's true, I was quite a’ disappointed but as you said, the compliments I received and my progress have given me so much joy and self-confidence🥹🥹thank you again from the bottom of my heart. I hug you.

Noel Nguyen I hope so😀 with my 💓heart, Noel. You are very very kind and your support is really important for me. Thank you 🙏🏻 so much.

claudiadm73 Hi again Claudia.  I just listened to all the recorded concert (2 hours ÷). (Altho I had listened previously and enjoyed everyone's recordings via the post.). Anyway , I noticed and perhaps you did too that Dominic apologized a couple of times about not being able to fit all the contributions of people's recordings.  It seems to me they were overwhelmed with more videos than expected.  I imagine as this site grows in popularity  they will receive more and more videos  and might have to request excerpts only.  All to say it confirms my guess about your video and time constraints.  I'm just sorry it was yours (and maybe others?? ).  Dominic did say there will be a new challenge posted next week. 🤷‍♀️ My sincere sincere empathies Claudia.  I would feel the same way. BiG BIG  hugs.  And lovely playing and  voicing. 🤗🤗🤗 ps I still hope you can contact him personally...💐

Vicki Yes, I'm sure it went as you say, dear…. I'm the one who felt part of a great team until the end and then……it was a bad time for me, also because my father passed away a week ago and I'm very emotionally fragile these days. I thank you so much for your warm and affectionate words that comforted and affectionately embraced me. You are truly a treasure and I am so grateful to everyone and honored to be part of this great Tonebase family.❤️❤️❤️

claudiadm73 I'm very curious about how the selections are made. This may seem trivial to some, but I believe it is a big deal, considering the effort that many participants are putting into the project.

My guess is that what happened had something to do with the fact that there were so many Rach submissions (and now I kind of feel bad about mine, but I know I shouldn't!).

I believe those whose videos were not shown should be guaranteed a spot in the next challenge they participate in.

Noel Nguyen Noel, my dear, you are so tender😀😀 you were splendid and I really enjoyed your performance ❤️. For me, it's just a very difficult time in life; I discovered a few days ago that I had a serious health problem to deal with, and my father's death last Saturday was like an emotional zunami, so not even seeing myself admitted to the romantic challenge was the peak that brought me down. But I'm better now, the talk I got from you and Vicky, with Dominic's kind email, they reassured me, she is very comforted. Now I just have to try to find some’ calm and serenity. Thank you for all, you are a treasure 🌟🥰

claudiadm73 Hi Claudia, I've been on Tonebase for about 4 years.  Most of the challenges I've participated in had somewhere around 10-15 participants.  I'm sure that they were taken by surprise by the huge number of particiants for this challenge.  The original notice said that we would have a 1 hour watch party. the actual watch party was closing in on 2 hours when Dominic said he had to go to another appointmentment and I believe that he also said he had not got to everyone yet.

I for one am positive that it had nothing to do with a judgment on your playing.  This challenge was specifically about works in progress -- how far could you get in the 4 weeks, and we saw a sampling of players of all levels, and pieces in many different stages of completeness and unfinished -ness.  So I do think it was just a matter of running out of time.

By the way, in your post above you mentioned Opus 23 No. 5 (which is the big G Minor Prelude).  Did you record that one also?  or was that just a typo and you were referring to your beautiful recording of Op. 23 No. 4 (the D Major)?  If you've recorded the G minor somewhere, please let me know, because I'd love to hear that one too!

claudiadm73 Oh my goodness. You've been through so much with your father's passing and your health situation and then this incident.  My deepest deepest sympathies Claudia...    (A comforting and sure promise is found at Revelation 21:3,4 in the Bible that has helped me).    May you find some peace in time.  Kind regards Vicki 

Peter Golemme No dear Peter, that was a typo; only No. 4. I thank you for your kind words and for finding the time to dedicate to me. I am convinced that the matter was as you explained to me and now I am at peace. Dominic also wrote to me very kindly and reassured me in the same terms you used.It's unfortunately a difficult time in my life, between serious health problems and the loss of my father a week ago, which made me more fragile, so not seeing myself in the challenge has added sadness to the sadness that is already in me these days.I thank you all for your closeness and I always remain madly in love with Tonebase and its entire community. I embrace warmly🌟🌟.

Vicki Thank you very much, you are very dear. I will definitely look for the verse you pointed out to me….your words are of great comfort. I send you my warm hug.

claudiadm73 Dear Claudia, my condolences to you on the loss of your father.  I remember keenly the loss I felt when each of my parents passed away. After they were gone, I felt like I was in a rowboat rowing across the Atlantic (and it seemed that I was rowing from Europe to America!). Up until then I had had a tether securely tethering me to the continent , which was then gone. Music can be a great consolation at such times.  Rachmaninoff in particular,  -- especially certain Preludes and the 2nd Concerto in my case.

Your D Major can certainly speak to you in a new and deeper way as you process your loss.  We've already talked about how you find it to be an expression of love and I find it to express much sadness.  perhaps it's a bit of both, an expression of how love can rescue us from the sadness of loss and loneliness. 

Noel Nguyen ,claudiadm73  For you and others who are relatively new to ToneBase, we periodically have community concerts, where everyone who wishes is guaranteed an opportunity to participate, whether via live performance or video.  I know there'll be another one soon (or already scheduled?--I might have missed the latest annoucement while focusing on the challenge!). I hope you will sign up for the next one and let us experience what you have done with your pieces after kick-starting them in this challenge! 

claudiadm73 Dear Claudia! Please accept my condolences for your loss! May the music also be a reliable support for you in this difficult time! To encourage you, I can tell you that my submission was not played either, and it was even below three minutes. As many have suggested, the participation was very active this time, so there is no exclusion reasoning behind, but just the pure lack of time to play all submissions. I know, it does not entirely mitigate the surprise of not being included, but don’t let this experience discourage you from participating in the future events. I’m sure, there will be a chance, even in such a large company as we are here now.

Peter Golemme Thanks Peter. I did participate in the new year community concert!

Astrida Thank you so much, Astrida, you are right about everything, music is truly a powerful and safe haven of the soul when the heart cries. Yes, the lack of time was the reason for mine, as well as the other exclusions…. There were so many of us who participated, and that's important; however, I had already been broadcast in the Beethoven challenge in December, and it was wonderful. I wholeheartedly welcome your condolences and your words comfort me and confirm that I can continue to study ...and to commit myself with confidence and tenacity. You are very sweet and I wish you much good and happiness. I hug you warmly.❤️❤️❤️❤️

Peter Golemme I fully share your reflections and just today I decided to start studying Rachmaninov's Elegy, because I don't find it a composition in perfect harmony with the need to live my pain in the depths of my soul that I feel now…..I feel like a dried-up autumn leaf that still holds itself attached to its branch with a thin and fragile bond, but who at the first gust of wind already knows she's being carried away to get lost who knows where. I thank you and all the friends who wrote to me, because with your warm words you were very sensitive to me and allowed me to bring out so much sadness and give a name and a voice to my pain. Following and studying for this challenge was also crucial to finding balance and strength in the turmoil of my soul. I hug you tight tight.❤️❤️🌟💕

claudiadm73 🫂❤️🌞