Dec 082004
Dec 062004
Getting the body settled at the piano is easy compared with getting the mind settled. The mind flies off in all directions when we practice.
Concentration, the word used to indicate someone is thinking, is not a word I like.
In our youth we heard parents and teachers say:
“You’re not concentrating.”
“If only you’d concentrate, you could do so much better.”
“Don’t let your mind wonder.”
“Hello, where are you?”
All these experiences give us the feeling that concentration is a moral value. read the rest
Dec 032004
Practicing is the most difficult, day-to-day issue of playing the piano. Like any regular discipline, some people find it easier to practice than others do. Some days are easier to practice than others and sometimes it seems like nothing works, even when the quality of the practice is good.
In this chapter, I want to discuss the difficulty of actually getting to the piano in the first place. read the rest