Confession.
I do not have the dexterity in my fingers that I used to OWN.
Signs of arthritis are beginning to set into my 71+yr old hands/fingers.
My ability to think and respond APPEAR to be much slower than in my 40s-50s.😁😁😁
Ashamedly, I admit to not continuing 'the art of playing the piano'.
None the less........ today, I challenged myself.
As a child, young teen, and young adult, piano lessons were mandatory.
Of course, having an instructor that lived across the street helped with accountability! HA
A clock-timer was placed near the piano to assure I had done my due diligence.😂😂😂
Practice, practice, practice.......
I loathed performing in front of anyone..... but I did. (Stage fright is real people! That feeling of failure haunts me to this day.)
Practice, practice, practice
Practice, practice, practice
As a young Mom, my love relationship with the piano continued.
(Circa May 1985, Hollins College, Caroline Victorine)
Child #1 and Child#2 performing. ↴↴↴ (don't they look overjoyed???)
Circumstances are different now.
I'm not sure what happened, but here I am again.
They say that you never forget how to ride a bike, but you can ABSOLUTELY forget how to play the piano! The following article, however,is an excellent read. →→→ WHY PIANO PLAYING IS LIKE BIKE RIDING
So, here I am.........sitting on the bench...
Recreating the era when I stroked the ivory keys with such ease and grace...
Acknowledging that the process will take time and discipline...
Who knows where it will lead.😑😑😑
As people age, their cognitive function decreases.
WHAT?
How is cognitive function related to playing the piano?
"It is your ability to think and respond. When students read music, they are decoding written directions that tell him/her to play a specific note, for a specific time frame, within a specific rhythm. Thinking and responding must be done instantaneously."
My expectations are now my own.
Slow and easy does it.
My heart is in it......... now to get the hands and brain to sync!
Thank goodness this is not a race.
One line at a time....... (actually one bar at a time.)
 |
| The Lord's Prayer by Albert Hay Malotte |
Easy, intermediate, advanced?
"Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream!A dream that will need all the love you can give, every day of your life for as long as you live.Climb every mountain, till you find your dream!"🎹🎵
Scales? You bet! (Necessary to limber up my fingers)
2-handed scale runs,
Chords and their inversions,
Arpeggios
Repetition and focus, repetition and focus, repetition and focus.
Metronome?Maybe. (Definitely tapping my foot to the beat)
One
Right hand, then left hand, then together? Yes!
TODAY I CHALLENGED MYSELF AT THE PIANO!
While I may have omitted marking the keys and pedals, I didn't hesitate to pencil in SEVERAL notes for easier reading!
And look at another grandchild with King Ron.
Today I'm particularly flooded with memories of my Mom.
She played, not only reading the notes, but with her heart and soul.
She sat at the piano for hours, and soothed any savage beast that came near.
No doubt, her favorite piece was Liebestraum, by Franz Liszt.
She was able to play with her eyes closed......... and no music to read.
In her latter days, while residing in assisted living, music (especially the piano) put a smile on her face. While I was snapping this photo February 18, 2016, I just knew she wanted to push him off of the bench, sit down, and take his place! 😍😍😍.
TODAY........ I challenged myself ♥.
2020 is going to be a good year!
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