Juilliard graduate helping dedicated adult pianists who love challenging repertoire practice less while learning more.
๐น It's only taken me 42 years to talk about this...
|
โ That was the last thing I expected, after spending a year in 7th heaven, working exclusively on Chopin. Etudes, a scherzo, ballade, nocturne, waltz and polonaise. An opus of mazurkas, 6 preludes, the E minor Concerto, and one piece I didn't give enough time. The 2nd Sonata. It served its purpose and got the judges' attention. Earlier rounds were going exceptionally well. I had performed the E minor Concerto many times with orchestra and knew I had it in the bag if I made finals. But I had a huge hurdle to climb first playing the 2nd Sonata. On top of it not being as prepared as the rest of the Chopin, I had just found out my Nana had a stroke and was hanging onto her life. It shook me and I lost my focus. To say I didn't play my best would be a huge understatement. I had more memory slips than I can count on one hand, and I couldn't wait to get off stage. After it was all over, I heard from the judges that I was a shoo-in for the finals until that disastrous round. I wanted to give up, not only the Sonata but the PIANO. That's how bad it was. But, I didn't. My Nana passed away and I was a mess. I allowed myself time to grieve, not only her passing, but my horrendous performance. And when I eventually re-surfaced, I strengthened muscles I didn't know were that weak. I talked to my gremlins and decided I was going to confront them and really master the B-flat Minor Sonata. I don't know how long it took, but I had it ready to perform in Warsaw in 1985. And 4 years later, I gave a rock solid performance of it in the 2nd half of my 1989 Cliburn audition. That sonata taught me something I still lean on. That's what got me through those five years. And that love walked onto the stage with me in 1989. โ |
Lisa Spector, Piano Ninja
Juilliard graduate helping dedicated adult pianists who love challenging repertoire practice less while learning more.
We just wrapped up our annual Beyond the Keys piano retreat and I sent every pianist home with six new cards to put on their piano rack. One idea on each. Play On! ๐นStart Where It Breaks โ๏ธ๐ฅBack Up Just Enough ๐ Name It When You Play It ๐Record Today, Listen Tomorrow ๐ฅTake a Break ๐งโ๏ธ Four days of workshops, performances and conversation. And this is what I wanted them to leave with. Not a notebook full of ideas theyโd never reread. Six decisions small enough to fit on a piano rack. None of...
Members of the Piano Ninja Tricksters Club are flying in from across the country for our annual Beyond The Keys piano retreat here in Monterey, California. A group of adult pianists, a lot of piano talk, and some unusual experiments. Let's just say this is not your typical adult piano camp. There's even a piano movie night. ๐ฟ (If we get to it. For the last two years, we've talked right through it. ๐คทโ๏ธ) But the moment I keep thinking about is Friday night. That's when they'll walk into a room...
I'm wearing a back brace while a compression fracture heals, with strict orders not to lift more than 5 pounds. And I was about to fly from California to Toronto. โ๏ธI'm a lifelong over-packer. ๐งณ ๐งณ Carry-on only was a stretch. Carry-on I wasn't allowed to lift? ๐คฆโ๏ธ The trip was for Stu McLaren's 10-year celebration of The Membership Experience. Stu is my membership mentor and I've been meeting with him and his fabulous team for 5 years on Zoom! Before I knew Stu, my first attempt at a...