4 hrs

Chopin Ballade 4 - development to end

Chopin etude 10-7 - First page right hand, groups of 6

Chopin etude 10-12 - LH, first page

Earl Wild Etude 4 - First 5 pages, write in text,

Mozart 1 - Exposition memorize

Scriabin 4, 5, 13, 15, 16 - Read


loose wrist, reset often; let wrists breathe while having active fingers

Summer Repertoire

Mozart Sonata K332

Chopin Études op. 10 no. 7 and no. 12

Chopin Ballade #4

Scriabin Preludes # 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16

Earl Wild Concert Etude #4 Embraceable You

2 hrs, 5 items

8:30-10:00
Bach - Nun der Heiland Heiden, 1st page
Chopin Ballade 4 - 1st page of Coda, rhythms, fingering
Mozart - 3rd movement, first page up to 2nd theme, fingering and rhythms
Faure Nocturne Db - p. 12, fingerings, read through

10:30-11:00
Poulenc, read through 1st and 2nd movements of Trois Pièces

Mozart Sonata in F major K. 332 - 20 min
Chopin Ballade 4 - 12 min

Intermission

3 Bach Kempff Transcriptions - 15 min
Faure Nocturne #6 in Db - 9 min
Debussy L'isle joyeuse - 9 min

Relax, relax, relax...

Today I am trying to make the root of my movements come from the back shoulder area with awareness of movement around my collar bone. In my attempts to relax, I am finding myself tense up.

I am trying to think about sitting with a "noble" posture, pulling down from the back, staying open, and trying to stay grounded.

I need to slow everything down to coordinate movements to my fingers from my back.

Need to explore: how to strengthen finger independence through Dohnanyi exercises.

Reexamining Technique

I am on a mission to reexamine my technique at the piano, and it feels like I am reteaching myself how to breathe (which is also something I have been trying to do for the sake of singing and breathing deeply during the day).

I tried some things tonight and it was amazing what I noticed! I realized quite a few things:

1) I haven't been adjusting my hand to account for the awkwardness of the index finger, so as a result I was tensing up the forearm in order to "reach" with my index finger

2) I have to work on awareness in regards to exactly when my finger hits the key bed and feel it in my entire arm while allowing the sense of the initiated motion to follow through.

3) I don't know how to free myself up at the collarbone. I suspect it might be the result of looking down too long while I am playing. I am going to explore that more tomorrow.Also my neck and the area around my shoulder blades.

4) I really only have 3-4 hours of "juice" inside me to be at the piano on an average day. I'm starting to wonder what might happen if I start thinking about spending more deliberate time score studying.

Repertoire: Rachmaninoff  op. 32 no. 10 B minor prelude,  Chopin op. 10 no. 1 Etude in C major
Don Giovanni Batti Batti,

Tomorrow: Chopin nocturne and Britten TotS


Also, a motivational article: http://motivationgrid.com/10-things-you-will-have-to-give-up-to-reach-success/

August goals

Solo Piano
Chopin Etude op. 10 no. 1
Chopin Nocturne op. 48 no. 2

Chamber
Brahms Eb Clarinet Sonata

Vocal
Bernstein - La Bonne Cuisine
Moriah's music
Helen's music

Opera
Mozart Don Giovanni
Pergolesi La Serva Padrona

Pedagogy
Study Piano Adventures
Study Helen Marlais' Succeeding at the Piano

Things to work on for the next month

Before graduation
Brahms Clarinet Trio again - May 26

Lutoslawski - Paganini Variations - May 27

Stravinsky - Firebird - May 30
Andre Previn - Two songs - June 13

Academic

Debussy/Faure presentation - May 20

Masters Oral Exam - June 1

Astoria
Haydn - G major Gypsy Trio

Mozart - The Magic Flute