Week 1: Choose your piece!

Dominic_Cheli
1 yr ago
24replies

Hello everyone and welcome to Week 1 of "The Adventures of Anya" challenge!

This week, the goal is simple:

1. Pick a movement to start working on.

2. Tell us why you picked it!

3. Optional: share your first sight-reading/practice on the piece!

4. Optional: Check out Orli Shaham's performance, storytelling, and tutorial on these movements below!

It could be either one of these FREE movements provided exclusively to tonebase:

Macarons (Score)

Tutorial video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnj9T14YZFY&t=167s

Magic Wand (Score)

Tutorial Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37HT51OstTs

Or if you choose to purchase the full set, pick any movement!

The discount code ToneBase can be used for a 20% discount on both volumes of the complete product.

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The Adventures of Anya is a musical fairy tale written and composed by Karen Tanaka, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke, and performed and narrated by Orli Shaham. It transports readers and listeners to a faraway land, where a charming bunny named Anya resides within the enchanted and mystical forest. Join Anya as she embarks on a journey filled with joyous exploration alongside her forest companions. Yet, destiny has a surprising twist when a distinguished messenger from the realm'smighty King disrupts the tranquility of the forest, setting the stage for an unforgettable adventure.

- Mary_Craig
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
Tanaka is such a fabulous composer! I’m very excited to learn about these Anya pieces and the latest ToneBase challenge! The webpage for purchasing the entire set of scores seems to be crashing right now (7/22 at 9:30 a.m.) but hopefully will be up again later.
- Angela_Fogg
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
This is such a great idea, I don’t know this composer at all so I’m looking forward to this. I like the look of Magic Wand, it looks dramatic so I think I’ll start with that!
- Gabriel_Lorenzo
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
This is great! As I live too far away, I'm gonna have to wait for a digital edition, but I will surely partake on the challenge. I'll try and learn Magic Wand at first, looks like it brings a very interesting sound and great momentum. But who am I trying to trick? I'm so going to read them both xD
- Retired
- Dennis_Douberteen
- 1 yr ago
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The link to both volumes of the product keeps crashing for me. Any idea's?
- Dominic_Cheli
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dennis Douberteen let me investigate!
- Amateur piano enthusiast
  
  Marc_M
  
  1 yr ago
  
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  Dennis Douberteen Libby Craig Dominic Cheli The link to both volumes works when I access via firefox browser on my pc. On my phone it doesn't work.
  
  Tip: The first score for the piece of the set is available under "Look Inside".
  
  General notes...I love the music! I'm not sure which piece I'll pick though.
  
  I might end up buying the whole thing, but I want to listen to it all first and let it marinate. It would be cool if there were two additional YouTube playlists...one with the story+music (without the piano solo and discussion), and one with the music alone (without the story and discussion). That way my kids could enjoy the uninterrupted story, and I could enjoy the uninterrupted music. Just a "wish list" item. :)
- Dominic_Cheli
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Marc M Dennis Douberteen Libby Craig
  
  Yes I was just told by the publishing company that browsers on computers should work. Mobile devices are unfortunately not working at this time.
  
  Marc M They have released these two free movements for tonebase exclusively! Have you looked at these yet?
  
  Macarons (SCORE)
  
  Magic Wand (SCORE)
- Retired
  
  Dennis_Douberteen
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dominic Cheli looked and played free movements . Those are working fine. Thanks …fun stuff. Like it
- Dominic_Cheli
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
Here is my week 1 update!

https://youtu.be/oNx8X1stw7E
- Lifelong Piano Learner and Educator
  
  Bryan_Sable
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dominic Cheli Such wonderfully expressive playing! These pieces are fabulous. I think I am going to purchase the whole set!
- Pianist, composer and piano teacher
  
  Sindre_Skarelven
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dominic Cheli Great lesson and playing! I love the inventiveness of pieces. Everyone has their unique sound and character. I would love to purchase, but as Bryan also mentioned, is there a way to get it digitally? That would be the best!
- Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
  
  Gail_Starr
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dominic Cheli What an exuberant interpretation! I can’t wait to take a look at these. Thanks for your super suggestions.
- Lifelong Piano Learner and Educator
- Bryan_Sable
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
Hey everyone- I've been behind in practicing and playing this week...Came down with COVID on Saturday. Just feeling human again. Here's my sight reading of the movements posted. That Magic Wand is SOMETHING!

Looking forward to purchasing the score and checking the other movements out!

Forgive the gym-active-wear!

EDIT- I just visited the publisher site to purchase...Is there not a digital download available? I try to avoid using as much paper as possible. (That's my small attempt at saving the planet...lol)
- Michelle_Russell
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Bryan Sable You're a phenomenal sight-reader, Bryan. Well-played. I really enjoyed "Macarons"; it reminded me of Bartok.
- Lifelong Piano Learner and Educator
  
  Bryan_Sable
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Michelle R thanks for the kind words. I rely on my sight reading FAR too much, though! I go through a LOT of music through the academic year and tend to not have practice time…the sight reading developed out of necessity! These pieces are very cute- hoping to be able to procure a digital score.
- Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
  
  Gail_Starr
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Bryan Sable super job! I’ll take a peek at these next week when I have more time. These are absolutely charming…and maybe a tiny flavor of early Prokofiev? Or is that just my imagination?
- Lifelong Piano Learner and Educator
  
  Bryan_Sable
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Gail Starr they are adorable. I wish the whole collection was available for digital download, though! I try to avoid buying as much paper as possible, and I don’t need any more clutter in the studio these days. Can’t wait to hear your rendition- I know you love sight reading as much as me!
- Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
  
  Gail_Starr
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Bryan Sable I'm a bit overloaded with non-piano activities I need to wrap up, as I prepare to go to Chetham's for 10 days with 4 of our wonderful TB friends. Might have to pass on this. But I can't wait to hear more of what you discover!
- Amateur piano enthusiast
- Marc_M
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
Here's my week 1 entry...featuring a quick emergency unison tuning (at 10x speed) because an E was killing me...lol.

I sightread the first piece of the set and Macarons. My reading isn't super fast, and I need to write in fingerings for a couple spots, but I think they'll come together pretty quickly with a little work. Will probably do Magic Wand also, but maybe in the next week or two!

I'm loving the music--lush, accessible harmonies and not overly busy.
- vbashyam
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Marc M Love this! Good job finding the first piece. Your piano repair skills are great too.
- Amateur piano enthusiast
  
  Marc_M
  
  1 yr ago
  
  Reported - view
  Vidhya Bashyam Thank you! Learning to tune unisons is a blessing and a curse. I didn't really notice bad unisons until I learned to tune them (unless they were REALLY bad), and now I notice them all the time. 😂
  
  Later the same day that E went wrong again...I must not have set the string very well, lol.
- Retired
  
  Dennis_Douberteen
  
  11 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Marc M have you found how to buy the entire package yet? I can’t even on the computer.
- Amateur piano enthusiast
  
  Marc_M
  
  11 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Dennis Douberteen I'm still hesitating because of the price tag (haha), but here's how I'd purchase it, up to the point where I'd register. My browser is Firefox on Windows 10--seems to do the trick.
- Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
- Gail_Starr
- 1 yr ago
- Reported - view
Great job, Marc! Love your DIY skills and your delightful commentary. I’ll take a stab at this charming piece when I get a chance next week.