Wednesday, May 28, 2014

140525 repertoire one

Piano Fitness is learning to be absolutely comfortable on every note.  Yoga reveals neutral balance to be most comfortable.  Understanding when the chakra align the neutral spine, arms seek simultaneous balance of the three ways the arms move.

140528

Piano fitness is exciting!
A year ago on memorial day, I had my dad's 100th memorial rehearsal.  The first half of that program, now named repertoire 1, was first performed at my third New Year's recital 2013.  The link to listen will be posted when it's working...

Even though I've  played these pieces countless times, I still find them intriguing since it feels different every time.  In the piano world, different feeling is a different sound.

The piano fitness hypothesis:  learning to listen with the musician's mind and the pianist's body is possible at any age.

The last few days I've been feeling lots of changes in my middle back, forearms and fingers. Continuing to consciously correct to loose knuckles and sitting properly balanced on the hips.  Including the chakra alignments, truly feeling like I've never felt before.

Until my next post-happy practicing!


Saturday, May 24, 2014

140524 piano fitness hypothesis

Piano fitness is my lifestyle. My last two years have been spent consciously correcting two habits.  The first, in fitness, changing a hyperextended knee to a soft neutral knee, was a 16 year habit.  The second, in piano, changing a locked bridge in the hands to soft bridge, was a 30+ year habit.  Amazingly, the body responds to the mind's conscious corrections, and new habits are beginning to emerge.  The hypothesis - a 60-year-old mind-body can still learn to listen.  Chopin's Opus 60, Barcarole, was chosen as the vehicle to test the implementation of these emerging new habits.  The goal - to have the barcarole performance ready by my 61st birthday.

In the next six months, this blog will serve as a record of the progress made to reach this goal.
Regular postings will include thoughts and videos demonstrating the piano fitness training to establish these new habits until they are unconscious responses of the mind body.  I am still learning to listen.