READ ME FIRST: Rules & FAQ for HANDEL'S CHACONNE IN G MAJOR HWV 435 Practice Challenge!

Hello everyone and welcome to our Inaugural tonebase piano Community Practice Challenge🎵🎹🥳 Are you ready to learn some beautiful music together?! 


THREE WEEKS OF Handel's Chaconne in G major HWV 435

 

Download the music:

Handel: Chaconne in G major HWV 435

What are we doing?

  • We are going to be learning some or all of the variations from Handel's Chaconne!
  • The aim is to practice them every day and post progress updates twice a week.
  • There is absolutely no expectation of going through the entire cycle.
  • You choose how many variations you work on, but you commit to practicing them regularly.
  • A watch party featuring your submissions will take part at the end (date below!)

When does this take place?

  • Challenge start: June 17th (today!)
  • Practice days: June 17th - July 8th (21 days)
  • Watch party: TBD! Stay Tuned! (← link coming soon!)

How to start:

  1. Start by practicing one variation of your choice. Feel free to start with no. 1 or check out these SUGGESTED SELECTIONS
  2. After 2-3 days, go to our Biweekly Updates thread and post about one thing you found easy, and one thing you found hard
  3. If you are comfortable with it, add a video or audio of yourself performing it. This is optional, but it will allow you to share your progress with others!

I encourage you to post updates twice a week. No daily update expectation in this challenge! If you want to post daily though, feel free! 

After you post an update:

  • When you feel ready, move on to another variation.
  • Repeat steps 1-3 from above every day of the challenge.
  • There is no limit on long you can spend on each variation! Do whatever feels comfortable, as long as you keep practicing one of them every day.

Why are we doing this?

  • Because we want to challenge ourselves to practice every day
  • Because learning together is more fun than learning alone
  • Because we get to share our progress with others (whether video or just text)
  • Because new music is wonderful and these pieces were written especially for us!
  • Because we want to meet our fellow tonebase community members

The Fun Part:

  • At the end of our practice challenge, we will be hosting a Watch Party on tonebase LIVE! This will feature user submissions, community awards and shoutouts!
  • This is planned for July 10th at 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern, 7 pm London, 8 pm CET)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I join the challenge if I wasn't there on June 17th?

Yes! Just make sure you keep practicing every day and updating us twice a week. 

Do I have to go through 21 variations?

Absolutely not. You are free to go practice as few or as many as you wish. Even spending the entire three weeks on a single variation can be very valuable! 

I have a question, who do I ask?

Feel free to use this thread to ask any questions you might have about this challenge! If you would prefer to ask something in a more confidential setting, please use my email: [email protected]

Can I do more than one variation per day?

Of course! As always, this challenge is for you - do with it what you wish. As long as you 1) practice every day; 2) keep track of your progress; 3) share your progress with others - you are fully participating! Of course I won't be mad if this is too easy for you 😉

↓ Reply with other questions below ↓

27replies Oldest first
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    • GMG2021
    • GMG2021
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Are you going to provide lesson sessions or masterclass on this Handel?  

    Like 2
    • GMG2021 Hello! For this challenge we can discuss this piece afterwards, but we wanted to give everyone the freedom to explore this piece without pre-conceived notions! Would you prefer in future challenges to have masterclasses/sessions in conjunction (before/during) with the challenge?

      Like 1
    • erin
    • erin
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Ok. I will do it.

    Like 1
    • Tessa
    • Tessa
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    First time I will try something like this and will go the first bit, then variations 1, maybe 2 and definitely  21 which will be plenty for me in three weeks as am no where near as advanced as most of you.. Will find the ornamentation hard. Have listened to some bits on you tube and it is amazing music

    Like 1
  • This is a great idea!

    Like 1
    • JERRY
    • Non-professional enthusiast
    • JERRY
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Great idea, and a wonderful piece of music!  

    I'd like to participate.

    Like 1
  • Handel. New territory to me. I listened to this piece for the first time, a few days ago, after I read about it here. I really love this piece. Something for everyone in these 21 brilliant variations. Wish I could participate but I’m on the road.
     

    Like 1
  • I'll do it too... How many do you want? All of it?

    Like 1
  • Can't download the score

    Like
    • Natale Farrell
    • Piano Teacher
    • Natale_Farrell
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    So I am going to record myself sight reading the different variations and include my struggles and comments as I go through them. I'll try to do at least one a day. ;)

    Like 2
  • Signing up for this! Coming from someone who knows nothing about how to read music, but can play a little bit of piano. We shall see! Thank you for doing this. 

    Like 1
  • Great idea. I’ll definitely give it a go. Haven’t really played any Handel before so should be interesting

    Like 1
    • Tessa
    • Tessa
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Have worked on the theme only.

    Found the trills hard.

    love this music.

    Have done the first recording ever of me playing. Yuk. Too many mistakes.

    Have tried to upload it but my ipad says I can't. Never mind.

    Like 2
      • Tessa
      • Tessa
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Tessa am trying an audio recording instead. So many mistakes!

    • Tessa If you upload the video to YouTube, you can then share with us here! One option is to send the video on your iPad to a computer and upload from there!

      Like
  • I have played through all the variations and love this piece! Now I need to select which variations to practice daily...

    Like 1
  • This is a fantastic idea! I wish I would have noticed this earlier; I would have loved to join in.

    Like 1
    • Kevin McGill You can join in anytime! It is not too late! There is no requirement on how much or how little we practice of this piece :)

      Like
  • I've enjoyed playing through all the variations. I love the minor ones, but am practicing them all. I have the most trouble with the original because of all the trills and fast notes, so I'm looking forward to hearing Dominic play it!

    Like 1
    • Tessa
    • Tessa
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    It is 7:00 pm London time. What is the link for the watch party?

    Like 2
  • Can’t seem to find the live link

    Like 1
      • Tessa
      • Tessa
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      mariannejhampton I am looking for live link too. have been looking forward to this all day.

      Like 1
  • Hello mariannejhampton  and Tessa

    So Sorry but we are having to reschedule this live event for later this month! I apologize for not communicating this with everyone. But Don't worry, you have not missed it. Stay tuned for the new updated time TBD!

    Like 3
    • Dominic Cheli Thanks . I’ll practice instead 😊 

      Like
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