Ok, so a little more background about me.
I played the piano for approximately 11 years from age 6 to 17, with very varied levels of practice until I stopped when I finished high school and achieved my AMEB 7th grade exam. I never completed the theory exam requirement at the time so I never received my certificate my practical exam, only the results sheet which was a C+. That’s not a particularly impressive result I agree, and considering the number of years I called myself a piano student it’s by no means an amazing result. I’ll agree with you there. But to put it in perspective I look at it this way:
It’s not how long you own an aeroplane that makes you a good pilot, it’s how long you spend in the air flying it that does it. That and of course all the theory and training you do on the ground but you get the picture.
As a pianist in my youth I wasn’t particularly disciplined. I was also hindered I think by having a fixed-mindset, something I think still effects me today although much less and I am working on it.
Since then after various life experiences I’ve gone to uni, become a qualified high school teacher and I had a small interlude of about 5 years where I played the guitar, trying to learn a little classical and flamenco music. During that time I was exposed to research by and writing by the people I mention in my bio which has changed my beliefs about both my potential as an amateur musician and about how I want to approach my efforts as a high school teacher. I also found that with a regimen of about 3 hours practice a night and with my previous music knowledge attained on the piano I started learning a piece that my then teacher, a student at the local conservatorium, had used to as part of his audition for his Bachelor of Music degree. That changed my mind about what I could achieve with the piano but also in any other area of my life. Because I was practicing so much I found that I could see changes in my technique occurring over a relatively short number of months and could feel my body changing as I began to feel more comfortable with my hands on the guitar. I had a year after uni where I stopped music lessons and had a good think about what I wanted to do with my time.
So, about two months ago I started getting piano lessons again with the aim to complete my AMEB 8th Grade Piano exams, something I’m finding challenging but fun.
I bought myself the 4th grade theory exercise booklet to start practicing theory again. I need to complete the 4th grade exam to be eligible for my 8th certificate. I can still sit the practical exam if I haven’t sat the theory but they won’t send me the certificate until I complete the complementary theory exam.
That proved a little tricky so I then bought the third grade theory book and started revising that. I found I was struggling with avoiding consecutive octaves and 5ths when writing cadences and also with piano-style and vocal-style voicing. So back to basics.
Playing wise I’m already showing improvement thanks to my much longer and more focussed habits of practice where I’m completing anywhere between an hour and 3 hours a day although on weekends I occasionally manage 4 or 5. I have to pace myself though because when I do that I find myself getting achy wrists.
I’m currently working on playing the following pieces either for fun or at the suggestion of my teacher:
Rondo a Capriccio Op. 129 by Beethoven
The Hunting Song by Mendelssohn (I’ve spent a lot of time on this)
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen by Gried (although I’ve spent a lot less time on this piece)
Invention Number 8 by Bach
For my exams I’m working on:
Fugue in F minor HWV 433 by Handel
Sonata in A major, 1st movement by Mozart
Des Abends Op.12 by Schumann
The Engulfed Cathedral by Debussy
I haven’t started the Debussy piece beyond a couple bars because I’m waiting to borrow some notes on fingering and playing from a friend of my teacher’s. So there you have it. If you want to know more in depth why I feel I have the new motivation I have you can do your own reading of Dweck, Ericsson or Matthew Syed’s book, Bounce.
I should admit I’m also interested in the work of Sir Ken Robinson regarding creativity.
Anyway back to point. Here is the plan and the promise I’m making to myself.
I am going to dedicate 3 hours a day, or as close as possible for the next 10 years to playing the piano. I plan on spending some time this weekend trying to make as detailed a plan as possible for how I spend my time. Like I say in my bio, I need to spend time on my career as a teacher, with my friends and family, and also put some aside for exercise, and resting so I have a healthy and balanced life.
It’s going to be challenging, and it’s going to be difficult but I honestly believe that If I dedicate myself to this seriously I’ll see changes in my body and that my brain will change. Oh, this may sound slightly mad but ‘ve read research saying that exercise can cause your brain to generate new neurons in areas of memory and that even in late age, we show a great amount of plasticity. So I’m taking Omega-3 oil supplements because it’s meant to be an important part of brain development.
I’m going the full monty here. I was originally going to aim for an 85% or Honour grade for my 8th grade and same for Amus but I think if I work hard I can have my AMEB LMus diploma in 6 years and be playing seriously interesting pieces like La Campanella by Liszt in the next 10 years. My ultimate goal is play Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. Once I have that piece under my belt.. well I don’t know. I’ll find my next challenge.
Again that’s if I can manage my time, my career, my health and keep it all together. I’m feeling good about it though and confident I can make this happen if I just focus, apply myself and practice furiously and deliberately with a focus on improving every time and then resting so I can recover and do it again and again. I just need to view errors and challenges as bumps in the road on my journey.
This my pledge to myself to do my best to achieve my goals and then surpass them, to overcome my insecurities and to enjoy every minute of the extremely hard work I’ll need to do to get there. Here we go then, Back to the Keyboard: the adventure begins.
amateurpianist 