Hi! I am returning to the piano after an absence of many, many years.
If all goes as planned, I will be posting here regularly regarding my plans and progress, as well as recording and uploading finished pieces to YouTube.
History
I grew up in a musical family. My mother was a professional pianist and my father a tenor on a high amateur level. It seems that I was always able to read music and play Hot Cross Buns on the piano. My mother was my first teacher.
I started formal lessons when I was eight years old and studied until I was about sixteen. I guess that I was playing at an early advanced level at that point. After that, I continued to play regularly until I left the US at the age of 25 and no longer had access to a piano. My mom was always available to give me pointers.
In my late 30s, I purchased a piano and I started to play again. But, within a few years, I was working more and more hours and there wasn’t much time to practice. So, my piano mostly sat under a cover to keep it from getting dusty.
Where I Am Right Now
Now, I’m retired and ready to start playing seriously again.
After not playing for so long (and, I suspect, also suffering the effects of age), I feel that I have lost a lot in the way of flexibility, strength, and endurance. Although it may not be possible to get it all back, I remain hopeful that all is not lost.
After playing around for a while, mostly playing old repertoire, I have embarked on a structured approach to try to get back to my previous level. Working with several level-based series, I have gone back to basics, and I am working my way through easier repertoire and in the process, re-building my technique.
Last Updated on July 9, 2022