Rubens now that you mention it, it does feel very Russian! I can't even tell you what I think Russian style sounds like, but maybe more intense and muscular? I also had a Russian teacher, and then later a Polish teacher (tempered by a very mellow American professor in between).

Josephine A beautiful piece and beautifully played! I tried to learn it last year but it was too difficult for me. But I have a great teacher now, so maybe I can play it in the future 😄

Thank you! Once you're feeling confident with arpeggios and chromatic scales I'm sure you'll be able to play this piece 😃

Sophia Your playing is so beautiful - and when I realize you just recorded that on the last day or so I'm actually turning green with envy 🙂

I did re-learn it recently (in March, so actually seasonally appropriate) so I'm glad it didn't take very long to get it back. With all the talk of neuroscience techniques it turns out that "learning stuff in your formative years" sticks around better than any works I learned in the past couple of decades. Thank you for your kind words!!

        1. Player1 — Energico
        Hey, it sounds like your fingers are moving faster! Next time angle the video so I can see the kitty! I know you hate metronomes--did you find a video you could play along with? I think it would help a lot with keeping the tempo steady.

        2. rogerch — Improvisation 6
        It's sounds very coherent and fluid! You are right to be happy with how it turned out.

        3. keff — A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
        A pretty arrangement! I know how hard those kind of harmonically complex arrangements can be to read/memorize. You played it really well.

        4. Sophia — Fascination
        Great job! Your rhythm is great, and you seem comfortable with hand independence, jumping around the keyboard, and finger crossovers. You're almost not a beginner any more!

        8. hebele — Downtown Abbey theme
        It sounds like a good piece for practicing pedal. Your pedaling is smooth and not muddy. Sounds great!

        13. Nightowl — Plaisir D'Amour
        I didn't notice any hesitations. It sounds very nice! And what a nice pretty piece for beginner level.

        14. bSharp — High Heels
        Not a bad performance for a piece you haven't played for a while. The rhythm sounds good--I could see where rhythm mistakes could happen easily, but I didn't hear any from you.

        15. WieWaldi — Rainbow Connection
        I love this song, and it fits with your muppet theming. It sounds solid! For a beginner piece, it's pretty long, but you managed to get through the entire recording without mistakes!

        16. SalmonJack — Alia
        This definitely doesn't sound finished--there isn't a big dramatic arc like I hear in your other songs. But it is a nice ending. I'm curious to find out how you flesh out a song like this. For melodic minor, I often revert to harmonic minor because my improvising brain can't handle melodic minor up and natural minor down!

        17. Calavera — Chrono Cross - Scars of Time
        At first I thought this was from Chrono Trigger, when they go to the future world for the first time. But then it started sounding unfamiliar (I've never played Chrono Cross). Still, it brought back a memory that I enjoyed. You played with great drama!

        19. TC3 — St. James Infirmary
        Nice build-up! I like the harmonic movement at the end too--I might have to analyze it and see if I can steal something from it. The improvisation problem with changes like that is you have to land at exactly the right place--you analyze it from where you want to land the ending and work your way to the beginning, but when you improvise, you can't do that.

                                Thanks to those who helped put this together! I’m not very clear on who the recital coordinators are, but this is a great inaugural recital, and it’s wonderful to see so many submissions! It’s really exciting that this became a reality!

                                For submissions that were made both here and on PW, I’m thinking I’ll alternate where I post my comments, but I will try to get to everyone! I decided to start at the end for this set of responses.

                                25. diretonic — Borrowed Blues. I’m not familiar with Dr John, but I enjoyed this tremendously, and I appreciated the story of how you came across the music. Thanks for sharing!

                                26. Rubens @Josephine — Waltz Op.70 no.2. What a fantastic story of how this submission came to be! Also lovely and sensitive playing by both Rubens and Josephine. I thought the contrast in character worked very well, in the context of the piece.

                                27. Serge88 — Misty. A wonderful performance of this great standard! You seem more and more confident with each new submission.

                                28. twocats — Rustle of Spring. In my neck of the woods, it’s high summer, but the Rustle of Spring is most welcome! I’ve heard this piece a few times before, and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. I’m very impressed that you were able to whip up the recording without much recent practice. I really enjoyed the contrasts, and you did a great job with the dramatic moments.

                                29. navindra — Bluebird (in Mauritius). What a great story and fun video! I’m so glad you felt comfortable playing (and recording) there. This was a fantastic ending to the recital. The music felt like it was perfect for the setting of the bright blue sky and sandy beaches. It did, however, look like the piano strings were suffering from the humidity 🙁 .

                                More comments to come, and thanks to all who have commented and/or listened to my submission!

                                            Sgisela I’m not very clear on who the recital coordinators are

                                            All praise goes to navindra 😊

                                              rsl12

                                              Lol, it's orange and orange cats have no brains. Search youtube if you don't believe me.

                                              Here's a short piece with the orange menace showing his face.

                                                  That's what I wanted! Thanks!

                                                  Nightowl
                                                  Your playing isn't "below standard," you're exactly right on the money for your playing level. You get the feedback you deserve based on your playing, not because anyone is fluffing you. That would be a cruel thing to do to anyone.

                                                  The arrangements in the method books are meant to teach, not play for entertainment. That's why they're awkward and don't sound very good. You only need to practice them until you can play them all the way through and have learned the technique they're teaching with that piece. That means being able to play 75-80% of a piece without mistakes, at tempo, is good enough to move on.

                                                  I believe that a piano student should be doing 3 things:

                                                  1. Their lesson pieces on a weekly or semi monthly basis, 75-80% learned and played to tempo.
                                                  2. A performance piece that can be learned and polished to PW/PT recital submission quality within 2-3 months.
                                                  3. A stretch piece that can take as long as 6-8 months to learn and polish which can be played without mistakes at a "formal" recital. (Not that you have to do that, just be able to play it to that standard.)

                                                  You're trying to make your lessons pieces into #2 and #3. It's not necessary or desirable to do that. Learn what the lesson piece teaches and move on at a consistent pace. For #2; find something just a bit beyond where you are and split 2 or 3 sessions per week for both your lesson and this piece. The stretch piece is supposed to be special and something you really want to learn to play. You have to do a little bit of research to find something in this category because you have to gauge your playing progress and then project where you think you'll be in 5-6 months so you will have most of the skills to play the piece you select. This is hard but not impossible. You have to add 1 or 2 extra sessions per week for this one.

                                                  So, a plan emerges. You're (I think) around midway through book 2. Look at the last piece in the book. You can start learning the original score for that if you want, or find something equal to it by checking all of the internet sources for similar grade level pieces. That's your #3. You have 6-8 months to learn it. By the time you do, you'll be at or near the end of your Alfred's book so the timing will be right.

                                                  Now look through your supplemental books and find something midway through one of those. That's your #2 piece. This should be equivalent to 3 or 4 lessons pieces ahead of where you are. You can also check the various internet sources for grade level stuff to find something in this range if there's nothing appealing in your supplemental books.

                                                  If you get stuck, ask for recommendations. There is so much knowledge here that not taking advantage of it is almost a crime. For instance, I think you could easily learn the original score of Bach's Minuet in G Major (Petzold) by Thanksgiving if you put your mind to it, certainly by the end of the year even if you got lazy in your practice sessions.

                                                  This got too long winded. Sorry.

                                                    Nightowl
                                                    Thanks for your comment. I spent a few months away from home. Came home exhausted with jet lag. I've been working on the pieces I submitted to online recitals before but nothing new. I didn't expect to participate in an online recital until I came across the Air in D minor by Henry Purcell.
                                                    Practiced it for a few days on a Yamaha keyboard at a slightly slower tempo. After the first recording decided to redo it at the conservatory where I have my lessons at the current tempo. Sounded just right.

                                                      Nightowl Well played and the lyrics made me smile. I enjoyed the first verse but was less keen on the imagery conjured up by the second verse - it really made me cringe, but no doubt it would make children laugh. Thanks for an entertaining performance.

                                                      My original version had a lot more blood! I think the lyrics were something like "his finger fit with ease / and blood splattered the keys" It looks like I made the right choice!

                                                      Sophia WOW!!!! For a moment I thought I had entered the movie Toy Story - I love, LOVE, LOVE that theme. Your singing has improved SO MUCH, wow, a HUGE leap from the previous recital. And the piano complemented it so nicely... I could listen to that type of music for hours! Love the lyrics too, did I mention it should be used in a movie? 😛 And who can help but smile back when a performance ends with such a happy smile... loved it from start to finish!

                                                      Aw thank you! I want to smile more, but I'm afraid of ruining my mouth shape that I've been working so hard at. It's like I have cotton balls in my mouth. Hopefully soon I'll figure out how to sing and have human expressions at the same time!

                                                      PS check out Trout Fishing in America. It sounds like it's up your alley. Here are a couple more bangers:
                                                      My Hair Had a Party Last Night
                                                      The Window
                                                      Sam's Last Boogie

                                                      Nightowl Thanks P1, I think you're right, I do tend to linger too long on some pieces. I can play the piece a little faster, but when I do that the mistakes happen. I feel that playing it so slowly makes it sound a bit dirge-like and in truth it's a bit painful to listen to - something I should not really inflict on people! My recital is way below the standard of all the other submissions, but that is understandable as most of them have been playing much longer than me - some of them have played for decades! Everyone is very kind though, so it's a positive experience for me.

                                                      It might make you happy to hear that everyone cringes listening to themselves. I certainly do. I hear all the silly mistakes I wish I hadn't made unless I force myself to be less critical. The good news is if you keep doing it, the mistakes seem less harsh, and you can start enjoying what you produce. Also, your recordings become like a diary, and you can listen to old recordings and hear how much progress you've made over time. Also, my enjoyment of listening to these kinds of recitals is very different from my enjoyment of hearing a professional. I am not super interested in immaculate, perfectly recorded pieces. I like hearing people who have made progress through struggle.

                                                      twocats you made me laugh out loud with your special lyrics! But seriously, I'm so impressed that you improvised all that AND sang along.

                                                      Thank you! I had finally gotten a handle on improvising, but singing is really putting my brain on overdrive, so I'm glad you recognize my struggle!

                                                              twocats Thank you so much. That means a lot, coming from one as accomplished as yourself.
                                                              There are a few mistakes, as I was setting up my phone to wirelessly send video to my computer, and the stand was too close to my right elbow, but I knew the next take would probably get worse, so quit while I was ahead.😄

                                                              Spring is just around the corner, here in Australia, and you brought it early with your wonderful performance. I so enjoyed listening to it, while envying your piano and piano space. Bravo!👏

                                                                  navindra Congratulations on your public performance and many thanks for enabling this most succesful first recital. Lovely playing from everybody.

                                                                      Rob Thank you so much. That means a lot, coming from one as accomplished as yourself.

                                                                      Thank you! However, I have very little ability to play by ear and even less to compose music, and can basically only play piano if sheet music is in front of my face 🙂

                                                                      Your piece was truly lovely from beginning to end. If you (or someone else) ever writes out the score, please let me know as I'd love to play it!

                                                                      • Rob likes this.

                                                                        Nightowl Thank you Nightowl, you are too kind.
                                                                        I enjoyed your Plaisir D'Amour. Considering the relatively short time you have been playing, plus the added pressure of the dreaded 'Red Dot', your performance was excellent.
                                                                        I will be following your progress with interest.

                                                                            12. BicBic — Prelude in B flat minor - No.16 from Op.34
                                                                            Wow, for such a short piece there is SO MUCH going on here! You have put on a master class for a variety of techniques: legato in one hand, staccato in the other; big jumps; hands playing right on top of each other; crossed hands; octaves; repeated notes; tasteful pedaling. You make it look easy! Very well done!

                                                                            13. Nightowl — Plaisir D'Amour
                                                                            Thanks for your nice playing of a lovely piece! I think the piece works well at this tempo, especially with your very steady playing. Even though it’s slow it has great momentum. Well done!

                                                                            14. bSharp — High Heels
                                                                            Interesting piece and very well played! The rhythms are very cool with the steady eighth notes in the left hand and the syncopated right hand. Well done with the fermatas. Nice job with the double notes starting at 0:48: that looks tricky and it sounds good. The crescendo starting around 3:15 was great. Thanks for sharing this cool piece!

                                                                            15. WieWaldi — Rainbow Connection
                                                                            Great playing of this classic muppet song! I recognized it right away from the introduction. The tempo sounds right on, and the articulation is well done in both hands. That’s a nice arrangement and I enjoyed listening!

                                                                            16. SalmonJack — Alia
                                                                            Alia is already a beautiful piece! The bass line is lovely and complements the upper voice wonderfully. I like the way you keep the lower voice prominent throughout the piece in your playing. The interplay between the voices sounds great!

                                                                            17. Calavera — Chrono Cross - Scars of Time
                                                                            I enjoyed your expert playing of this great piece! I really like the contrast between the quiet and dramatic sections. The strong bass notes with the repeated high notes in the section that starts at 1:00 are very effective. I love the abrupt ending!

                                                                            18. rsl12 — Always Chew Your Food
                                                                            Wow, this is fantastic! Thanks for the very fun laugh-out-loud song! Your singing sounds really good and I love your piano improvisations. The Always Chew Your Food lyrics are funny but you really got me with the crowd sourced second verse. Awesome!

                                                                            19. TC3 — St. James Infirmary
                                                                            This is a cool piece, and I enjoyed your smooth, heartfelt playing. The dynamic contrasts in your playing really bring this to life. Thanks for your playing!

                                                                            20. iternabe — The Trout
                                                                            Nice playing of a fun piece! I especially like the articulation in your playing, with short notes and long notes, staccato and legato. The dynamics are well done. Sounds great!

                                                                                                Rubens Congratulations to both you, and @Josephine on your collaboration and performance.
                                                                                                That must have been an exciting project for you both!

                                                                                                  Sophia Thank you so much, Sophia.
                                                                                                  I hope you enjoy your dinner!😀

                                                                                                    rogerch Great Improvisation.
                                                                                                    I liked how you were really losing yourself in the music.
                                                                                                    Improvising is often where the best ideas come from.

                                                                                                      keff That song is a personal favourite of mine, and you did it great justice. Thank you.

                                                                                                        Sophia In less than eight months??
                                                                                                        You are a machine! 😀
                                                                                                        Well done.

                                                                                                          Sgisela I didn't know that piece, but I was absolutely captivated by your performance.
                                                                                                          I loved the rhythm and playful feeling that went into that.
                                                                                                          I hope you had a nice lie down afterwards.😀