pseudonym58 You can play it considerably slower than that and still have it be effective!
This is always something to remember!
I'm working on a piece with my teacher right now, and I have the tempo of the original in my head (it's contemporary, so I mean, the original as played by the composer) so that's the tempo I want to play it at. But my teacher is always saying things like "You can play that slower" and "I think it works really nicely at a slower tempo" 
ShiroKuro
I previously wrote without explanation:
"...sometimes it's thinning out a series of chords that are hard to play in succession..."
Practically speaking, this could involve looking for notes that are doubled at different octaves, or just trying it out by ear and seeing what you can leave out and still have the essential character of the chord intact.
For instance, in a chord that includes the scale degrees 1 3 5 7, or 1 3 5 6, or 1 3 5 7 9 (not necessarily in that order), look for replications of 1 3 and 5 especially, those are usually what I first remove, and then I see if it still sounds good.
I'm pretty good at those kinds of modifications
I generally consider myself an intermediate player, but I maybe should say that I've been playing piano for 25 years now... I just don't generally play classical music because I tend to prefer contemporary solo piano.
@ShiroKuro I think that as I have unintentionally hijacked this topic a bit, perhaps I should start a new one under a different topic.
I'm ok with hijacked topics, but new topics are good too! 
Ok, I am scheduled to meet a cellist in two weeks... guess I should start practicing that piece....
@ShiroKuro I have got to start practicing piano music way in advance, since it takes me a long time to drill anything into my fingers. I'm very envious of people that can sit down and read off the page what would probably take me weeks just to play half as well.
Luckily, I don't have to work under short deadlines.
I suggested something I’ve already played
It’s been several years but it’s super easy and I just played through it and it should come back into my fingers quickly.
The cello part is divine, and the piano part is so simple that it’s a piece to really enjoy the sound.
I also have a few pieces to suggest that I have either played before or that I know I can bring into my fingers quickly.
Anything else, and yeah, I probably it need weeks or months depending on the difficulty level!
Ok I’ve been working on this piece, and the cellist has been working on her part as well.
I was thinking that is been so long since I played with another musician, last time was pre-pandemic, it’s really good I picked this easy (and familiar to me) piece to start with.
I have a few other pieces to suggest we work on, but just getting used to playing with another person again will be the first order of business.
Recently a new ensemble group started across town that focuses on Baroque music. During the first rehearsal we were asked to re-tune the instruments to A=415 instead of 440 to give an authentic Baroque sound. The 1 instrument we don't see very often is a recorder along with violins, violas, cellos, transverse flute. The 1 instrument we don't have is a harpsichord.
When it comes to music performance, I attneded a church fundraising event yesterday with an hour of Gospel music. A lot of singing on top of various instruments including keyboard, guitar & drums. The congregation joined in the singing. Different phrases in a song were repeated many times in an improvised manner. Each time the singing would get louder and more exciting. When singing traditional church hymns you'd do the verses of a song in order just once.
Next is an upcoming piano solo performance in my area for students who wanted a chance to perform in public. It's a small group up to 20 people at most. Anybody from an absolute beginner can participate. The program is not decided ahead of time. During the performance, students would take turn going to the piano and announce the piece(s) he/she is about the play. The last time I went to a gathering, some people played pieces above their level. Instead of playing a piece through they'd hesitate in certain places and restart certain sections. A gathering like this is not for showing off your technical abilities or how good you can perform. It's a chance for people to play in front of an audience to get rid of performance anxiety (stage fright).
Wow, @thepianoplayer416 Those all sound like wonderful events! I don’t think there are those kinds of events around here… reading your post makes me want to move!
BUT! I’m meeting with the cellist this Friday, so hopefully we will start playing together, and maybe this will help me get connected to other amateur musicians.
BTW re the piano solo performance you described, who organized it? And what kind of venue is it held at?
ShiroKuro I think you’ve mentioned that you live in a place with a good music school and that you take lessons with someone who’s affiliated with the school. I have to imagine there are other adult students like you — and I’m wondering if there’s a way to find those other students and see if there is interest in getting together to play. It seems to me like a lot of adult learners like opportunities to share with other people who share this interest— although perhaps in a more casual/friendly setting than a full-on recital.
Sgisela I have to imagine there are other adult students like you —
This is my assumption as well!
and I’m wondering if there’s a way to find those other students
Believe me, I've been trying!
And yes, I work at a public uni with a pretty famous and highly regarded music school. But oddly, I feel like that makes it harder to be just a generic adult piano hobbyist... Everyone is pro level, and the music school has so many music related events, that maybe that's why it feels like there are fewer community-level things going on. Also, although the music school offers community music lessons and various activities for adults for stringed instruments, they don't have anything for adults and piano-related things, only for high school aged and down. This really surprised me, but I think it may be just that their resources are 100% in use.
For comparison, before we moved here, I worked at a uni with a small, not famous, music department. They offered lessons in all instruments to the community, and there were more music things happening in the community not connected to the uni.
So what I'm experiencing may be like the paradox a person encounters moving to a major urban metro city and having a hard time meeting people or making friends, while the person in a small town has a much easier time getting connected to the community.
Oh and re my piano teacher, he got his PhD in piano here, and he is currently teaching at a community music school while his wife finishes her PhD in violin here. The community school where I take lessons does recitals for kids, and I have the impression that they don't have many adult students. I have asked my piano teacher but his other students are all kids and his wife's contacts are all through the university (IOW top level, future professional musicians).
Now, of course we've only lived here for a little over a year, so I hope I'll find some piano friends over time. And I'm really looking for to meeting the cellist this week. So I haven't given up all hope! 
Shoot! My tuner was just here (fixing a buzz on middle C, thank you!!) I should have asked him about hobby pianists and community music activities.
Next time!
The solo performance is organized by "Canadian Piano Society". Since Canada is a big country, the group is specific to just 1 city. The group is on Facebook. There is a website "meetup.com" that posts social gatherings in the area including single dance parties, hiking, nature walks, etc. The piano group probably started shortly after the C-19 lockdown here. The meeting place is in an office building in a large room used by an Unitarian church. We are there 4x /yr (1 meetup every 3 months).
There is no rule what pieces we can perform. Some would play Classical, others would play Pop or Jazz improv. Not everybody plays with sheet music. Last time there was a young performer (probably in elementary school) playing some beginner /lower intermediate pieces with his parents in the audience.
Music in church is more common. However, not everybody is into Christianity or religion in general. Traditional hymns tend to be in SATB (soprano, alto, tenor & bass). Gospel music is mainly singing on top of chords so there is improv along the way. The choir leader would decide the vocal range suitable for the singers and the guitar & keyboard would fill in in certain keys by ear than by sheet music.
Thanks for the info, @thepianoplayer416 ! That gives me some ideas about where to look around here. I've checked meetup.com a few times but never found any piano activities there.
Our meetup has been postponed. 
The cellist's availability changed. But! looking on the bright side, assuming we can reschedule, I'm going to recommend we add a piece (we already have one that we were planning to play together at the first meeting)
Fingers crossed!
Ok, we're back on!!
I'm meeting the cellist tomorrow!! Yay! We have two pieces we'll work on, and maybe pick a few more.
Also, my teacher connected me with a local group (actually run by students in my uni's music school) that performs several concerts a year at a retirement center. I am going to play in the concert at the end of November! I'm so excited!!!
Now I have to pick my pieces for that. I can do up to 15 minutes of music.... I think I may need to make a thread just about that...
I'm attending a piano meetup this Sunday. I haven't been performing piano pieces in public for a while. The last time was last November playing "What a Wonderful World" in a store with an untuned piano.
Not sure how many will be at the event. A month ago whan I signed up there were only 4 names on the list. The repertoire is totally open and announced by each performer at the event. I've picked 2 Bach pieces including my arrangement of a Chorale in Cm and "Sarabande" from French Suite #3 in Bm. I worked on both pieces before and know them reasonably well.
This is not a competition but a chance for people to gain confidence playing in front of others starting with a small audience up to 20 at most. Some will be playing from the score while others improvise. Nobody is judged so mistakes are allowed.
thepianoplayer416 This is not a competition but a chance for people to gain confidence playing in front of others starting with a small audience up to 20 at most. Some will be playing from the score while others improvise. Nobody is judged so mistakes are allowed.
Sounds wonderful!!
Next week, I will get more information about the event I'm playing at, but I don't think it's like what you're describing, which to me sounds like a "music for musicians" kind of event. Maybe some day I can find one like that -- or make my own!
