Wednesday 11 January 2023

Wednesday 11th January - the day after the day before

 Oh bliss...

A day of normality.

No-one came to the door, there were no deliveries, just one phone call, a couple of emails...

I didn't do much, except for teaching three most enjoyable piano lessons:

1. Starting someone off on a new piece, and they managed all the intricacies almost effortlessly. At least is was effortless as far as I could tell; in the zoom call she could hear me and my piano, but I could only hear her voice. The piano came across as random tones and notes, so I was going by the smiles on her face as much as anything.

2. Helping another student find a way to play the Chopin nocturne no1 in Bflat minor with rubato and expression. If you watch Lang Lang play (I can't, I can only listen to him!) you can SEE all the expression in his face and body.  The trick is to covey all that depth of feeling without actually swooning over the keys... we were getting there...


Lang Lang playing Liszt Liebestraum


3. Finally, this student has been making slow progress for ages, but today she said

'I've practised the pieces for half an hour every day this week.' 

Wowsers! That IS a first, thinks I, while congratulating her on managing this feat.

'Actually, I'm rather cross with myself for not having done this before', she added.

I could have hugged her. It's something we all have to learn, especially when we get beyond the age of 'my mum makes me practice every day.' Her progress in just the one week was exhilarating and I hope she can carry on like this.





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