Week 4 – Play Through & Share

Welcome to Week 4 of the Romantic Music Challenge.

This week is about letting go of the microscope and trusting the arc you’ve built. You’ve worked through notes, texture, and character. Now it’s time to experience the piece as a whole.

 

This week, your goal is to play through your piece—or your chosen section—as a complete musical thought.

Practice Prompts

Choose one or two and explore:

- Play through without stopping, even if something goes wrong
- Decide where the emotional high point of the piece lives
- Notice where your attention drifts, and gently bring it back to the narrative
- Imagine you’re performing for one specific listener

 

Sharing for This Week

When you’re ready, share a recording of your full piece or selected section. Audio or video is welcome.

We’ll begin compiling submissions for our Romantic Watch Party on February 13, where we’ll listen together and celebrate everyone’s work.

 

Press record, play it through, and let it be what it is!

60 replies

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    • Kerstin
    • Yesterday
    • Reported - view

    Thanks Dominic! Good advice to sit down, play and record. Chopin part od op. 61 - 1:34min. https://youtube.com/shorts/8pmqvwj-yVo?si=76qF8CBSTzhn8Z94

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 14 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Excellent playing! I too was once obsessed with that piece which I consider to be a desert island piece! I played nothing else for a full year. You can hear the outcome on my YouTube channel. I have to say, I always struggled musically with that particular section. My teacher at that time, Greg Niemczuk, kept saying it had to sound more tender and dreamy. I think you're pulling it off better than I did. Good job!

      • Kerstin
      • 13 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you!

      • Kerstin
      • 13 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you! I had some lessons with Greg too. Unfortunately he has no time because of his concerts. Last year I have played the 3. Chopin sonata. Took me 10 month. 🤣 Now I am on this op. 61. I try to memorize it. I have worked on it 3 month now, but it’s still a miracle. But step by step. 😇

      • Kerstin
      • 13 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you! 

      • vbashyam
      • 13 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Amazingly beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

      • Kerstin
      • 9 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you so much! 

    • Piano Player with Day Job (for now)
    • Peter_G
    • 15 hrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hey everyone, there is some really fantastic playing here. Makes me want to go back and practice about 100 more hours before posting, but , well....

    Here's my piece as it stands on Week 4.  I'm behind schedule as usual.  Hope to finish my Week 3 comments and assignments soon and to post them here.   

    I couldn't resist playing around with the "transitions" available in my video software (LumaFusion).  Hope it's not too distracting!  :

    https://youtu.be/U0F6i1r-RkY

      • vbashyam
      • 12 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Sounds great! So complex but carefully balanced so we can hear the interesting melody too. Your recording (video and audio) is so professional as always.

      • PViseskul
      • 10 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Such intensity right out of the gate, and I got a bit of goose-bum towards the end. I generally find Schumann difficult to play and interpret but this piece feels very emotionally direct to the heart - and your playing here really delivers it ❤️ 

      • Kerstin
      • 9 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Wonderful! 😇

Content aside

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