Dottie's Practice Diary - Beginning Again
Somehow when I initially posted my practice diary, it ended up under the 4-Hands section. So, I'm recreating it under the Practice Diary area. I'm also attaching the most recent recording I made of Invention 4 by Bach.
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I feel like I'm beginning all over again. I graduated with a BS in Music Education back in 1984. I made a lot of progress during my program but was not able to continue taking lessons after I graduated from college. Once I began working, my piano was severely neglected. In 2005, I began to practice the pieces in Mikrokosmos by Bela Bartok. Even though I worked my way through Books I to V, I still feel like my technique is not where it was when I was in college.
I watched "Russian Scales," by Dominic as well as "7 Practice Strategies," by Marina. I have been implementing these strategies with the pieces I am currently working on.
The piece I am actively working on at the moment is Invention 4 by Bach. I have had a lot of success using Marina's practice strategies; however, the trills continue to escape me. While they have improved, I always find that when I reach the parts where the right-hand trills, and then the left hand, I always have to slow down.
The next piece that I have been working on is Valse Op 69 Nr 2 by Chopin. I also played this piece in college and would like to be able to perform it one day in one of the tonebase concerts. The section that gives me the most problems is where the key changes to B major.
Finally, I would also like to start working on the Sonate in F major K332 by Mozart. I played the first section of this Sonate for my Freshman Jury (1979) and did very well. This time I would like to learn the entire Sonate.
I would also like to begin working on Etude Op 25 No 2 by Chopin.
I really want to get my technique back, and then keep progressing and learning new pieces. I really love classical music and want to keep learning.
I'm really looking forward to continuing my studies on tonebase piano.
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I loved this. Well done! You captured the propulsive forward energy of Bach very well for the majority of the piece. I also struggle with trills. My teacher says the best thing is to go for the trill without thinking too much, and focus your ear solely on the other hand that's carrying the theme. Basically, you ignore the hand that's playing the trill, so that you don't feel tight and anxious. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
I'm working on sight reading right now, and am using the Mikrokosmos set as one of my sources (just started book 2). All of K332 is beautiful to play, though I learned the movements in parts. I think you'll love playing the second movement. It's gorgeous.
Hope to start a practice journal myself later this week.
