Piano Update

Still heavy into piano lessons.  There is so much to learn and I still have a long ways to go.  This semester has been solely piano theory.  My teacher had me to buy several books on piano theory and on accompanying choirs.  She gives me tests and written assignments.  To keep me motivated, she also has me working on a super hard song that I can only play if I strictly follow certain theory rules that's forcing me to grow as practical application is put to use.  There were some things I needed to brush up on, and some advanced theory I just needed to learn period such as transposing...AKA math patterns...an example would be with hymns when sometimes the advanced pianists will go up higher to another key on the last verse....that I am learning.  For me, this is more difficult than the concert piano training.  This is some brain hurting material.  I am learning so much though.  Mr. Malone and Mr. Jenkins are so kind though....I really need to practice playing the hymns period, and with a singing audience :-), and they invited me to play at the AC students hymn sings.  At one point I was thinking maybe I should just wait until next fall semester, but I start that this month in April.  It should be fun, and a push for me to get on the hymns so that I can be of more service for God in this way.  I'm a little nervous, but that's normal and after I've done it one or two times nerves should vanish.  I have the piano accompaniment hymnal that I'm using...it's different for the pianists than the regular singing one.  Thankful to Mr. Malone and Jenkins for taking the time to make this one for pianists!  Also, my niece, Sophia, turns 4 in a few months, so technically she only has one year left before she can start formal piano lessons with Mr. Jenkins!  I am sooo excited for her.  She already wants to start so bad..she begs to "practice" with me sometimes, so if she keeps that enthusiasm, she'll do great!  Probably end up being much better than I!  :-)

ABOVE:  A taste of what my lessons are like from a clip I took a few weeks back.  My teacher lets me record while she is instructing on some things so that I can go back over it during the week.  A quick video clip of learning a warm-up for choir accompaniment opportunities w/a choir accompaniment book.  There are so many different combinations to know, but once you get the general theory of it, it's easy.  Transposing an entire song, on the other hand, is so hard to me, at least.  Obviously that is my teacher's hand and not mine.  :-)!  Just thought it would be fun to share a small taste of my piano lesson experience.  :-)

BELOW:  Sophia, ever so lightly...so much so you can barely hear her; sings Row, Row, Row Your Boat in my "fun room."  It's hard to tell kids who haven't had any formal training yet to sing louder b/c then they'll usually shout too much.   Totally prefer the "muted" version.  :-)

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