Piano: "Taking Turns" by Christine Donkin
Discovering Christine Donkin earlier this year was a game changer for me. I love studying classical music and I love playing recognizable pop/rock tunes, but what I didn't know is that I truly LOVE fa...
Tag: piano-prep-grade
Piano: "The Tired Turtle Express" by Christine Donkin
The Tired Turtle Express is an early elementary piece from the book "Comics & Card Tricks: 12 elementary piano solos", by Christine Donkin. I had so much fun practicing this one: first time I encounte...
Reinagle Op. 1 No. 11
Yet another of Reinagle's charming 18th century miniatures! This one was also present in my edition of Essential Piano Repertoire (prep grade). I really liked the dynamics and tempo indications in Sne...
Reinagle Op. 1 No. 6
I have been working through Reinagle's "24 Short and Easy Pieces" in order, since they seem to be mostly arranged by difficulty. All the pieces in Op. 1 are early elementary level, ranging for prepara...
Jumping in the Mud: 10 early elementary piano solos
"Jumping in the Mud" is the title of the first book in Christine Donkin's Piano Pieces Vol I: Elementary (there are three piano books in this volume). This is an early elementary (preparatory grade) s...
Kabalevsky Op. 39 No. 2 Polka
A little polka from Kabalevsky's "24 Pieces for Children", Op. 39. I've seen this book recommended everywhere and I finally decided to get a copy of it. Even though most pieces are beyond my reach at...
Kabalevsky Op. 39 No. 1 Melody
I just started working on Kabalevsky's "24 Pieces for Children", Op. 39. This is the very first piece in the album, "A little melody" or "A little tune". Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904 — 1987) was a Russian/...
Reinagle Op. 1 No. 2 Minuet
I recently bought the Schott edition of Reinagle's Op. 1: "24 Short and Easy Pieces" and have been going through all the charming 18th century miniatures in order. I'd consider them more like short ét...
Kabalevsky Op. 39 No. 3 March
This is a cute March, piece no. 3 in Kabalevsky's "24 Pieces for Children", Op. 39. I don't know where to find the individual sheet for this specific piece, but there are quite a few editions of Opus...
Little Sonata, C.H. Wilton
Sonatina in C (or "Little Sonata") is a prep grade piece by Charles Henry Wilton. The tempo is allegro moderato, which should be somewhere in the 100112bpm mark. I got the sheet for this piece from th...
Completed Piano Career Academy Grade 1!
I have finally finished the first book in the Russian School of Piano Playing method! Which means I have also completed the first level of Piano Career Academy beginner course! Can't believe I made it...
The Entertainer (7 months piano progress)
Who would have thunk I'd be able to learn this?! 😀 Seven months into my journey, I'm playing Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer". Well, a simplified arrangement by the Fabers, but still. Yes, I know I pl...
Reinagle Op. 1 No. 4 Allegro
The tempo of the piece should be Allegro, but I found it way too fast. First, I cannot yet play that fast, but also the piece made me think of a little ballerina in a music box, so I decided to go wit...
Reinagle Op. 1 No. 1 Minuet
I've been practicing this beautiful piece for a while and have it really polished, but once the Big Red Button was on, I simply couldn't get a good recording. 🎥🔴 Sheet music for this piece: Keith Snel...
Piano progress: 6 months
Six months learning piano. Still very much an adult beginner. Still very excited about it. I'm still committed to Piano Career Academy (PCA) and the Russian School of Piano Playing (RSPP) method book,...
Madama Butterfly: 4 months piano progress!
Four months learning piano! My progress has slowed down a little this past month, because of work and family. Still, I continue practicing every single day and I can really feel the benefits of consis...
3 months piano progress!
I am learning so much from Ilinca and her PCA course (piano career academy). I'm really happy I discovered this so early in my piano journey! Here are some of my favorite pieces I worked on this month...
Piano progress: 2 months
After about six weeks with the Faber method I realize it'd take me forever to progress if I continued entirely on my own. Also, the arrangements all sound the same and it was starting to get under my...
Piano progress: 6 weeks
I keep practicing 1 to 2 hours a day and can feel my speed reading music is improving. I am still working on Faber Adult Piano Adventures and I also bought Keith Snell Essential Piano Repertoire Prepa...
Piano cover: Yakety Yak, by The Coasters
Yakety Yak, by The Coasters (1958). Loved learning this one! It finally feels like I'm playing real music! Sheet music arrangement from Faber Studio Collection: Selections from Showtime Piano (Level 2...