Such a pleasure!

It's been a little over a year since I began to realize a childhood dream.  We acquired a keyboard and I had an opportunity to take piano lessons with a great teacher who had retired from kids and only worked with adults.

This has been my instrument up until last week- note the add-on concert music stand.  This is a 20 year-old keyboard with 5 octaves and no pedals.  I have had weekly lessons with summers off.  I have practiced and practiced.  Our teacher hosts a monthly workshop for all her students where we play for each other.  This was pretty scary at first, since I was the only student who was starting from the beginning.  I had to learn to read music as well as how to play.  Most of the others were returning to the piano having had lessons as kids.  But, now there are a couple more beginners whom I can encourage.  The workshops are a joy with many different levels of skill being shared. 

Now, I have a new instrument.  Oh, my!  What a difference it makes.  This is a real piano.  Well, it is a digital piano but that doesn't make it less real to me.  It  sounds  - and looks - like a piano should and it makes me want to play it.  And I do.  I'm still learning the basics but I feel way more grown up now. The music has gotten more interesting over the year though still pretty simple. 

I try to get an hour a day to practice which pretty much flies by.  I've gotten some great advice from other pianists.  Here are my favorite three:  play some scales every day (if nothing else);  never miss a chance to perform in front of others;  and play duets whenever possible.  These have been very helpful to me as I navigate my small corner of the world of music. 

 And now, I'm off to play.