The idea:
1. In the next few weeks, a group of us pick a jazz/blues tune we all like.
2. For the August recital, we all submit the same song!
3. Profit
EDIT (May 21, 2025): Through discussion, some changes have been made to the original idea. The revised idea:
1. Almost monthly (more specifically, at the beginning of each non-PT-recital month), a thread is created in the "Recitals" forum titled "Play <name of piece> your way!", along with links to lead sheets and/or sheet music for that one named piece. The genre of the piece will vary each month. If possible, the linked music will cater to varying skill levels.
2. Just like a normal PT recital, people can submit recordings to the thread, which will be hidden until the end of the month. At month's end, all is published and we can enjoy everyone's take on a single tune/composition.
This is hopefully a casual, fun event. People who want the challenge of getting something completed in a month can do so, but those who want to take their time are welcomed as well. The following will be acceptable: submissions well past the "due" date, using an arrangement that wasn't listed, partial performances, backing tracks, and backing humans.
Rationale:
I used to help run a monthly challenge on r/piano called Piano Jam. A list of pieces of various difficulties and genres (usually classical and jazz, but also ragtime, video game, anime music) was presented at the beginning of each month, and participants had until the end of the month to submit their recording of it. The fun was knowing that others were working on the same piece, listening to the different interpretations and then conversing with people who tackled the same piece. It was not incredibly popular, but there was a contingent of fans that consistently participated (including myself and @Greta99). Piano Jams stopped about a year ago, and lately people there have been saying that they miss it. If we start something similar here, it might bring some of the reddit crowd over.
To start simply, I thought a blues piece (that could be taken in a jazz direction) might appeal at the very least to @Sophia, @WieWaldi, and one person on Reddit who I've been talking with. Four participants (including me) would be a good start! But if there's interest in some classical pieces or other genres, I'm open to expanding the scope.
MAY 21 EDIT: The questions below have already been resolved.
Questions:
1. Are people willing to give up the freedom of choosing their recital piece? Is it better to run this entirely separate from recitals? The advantage of combining it with the pianotell recital is that more people will see it.
2. What I like about starting with blues/jazz is that pretty much any single tune can be a suitable challenge for both advanced and beginning players. If people want to do genres that are strictly sheet music, we have to exert more effort to catering to a variety of difficulties. But if there is interest, I'm very open to the idea! At r/piano, classical was the most popular genre.
3. If this idea takes off, we need a name for it. We can't steal the same "Piano Jam" (which I never liked anyway). Song-of-the-quarter challenge? Together We Play? I know one of you can come up with a better name than this!
Others I think might be interested: @Simonb, @keff, @TC3, @Bellyman
