Piano on the Eights: 9/26

My piano lessons, for the past eight weeks, are continuing at a slow but steady pace. My main concern is instantly interpreting the notes as I read them off the printed music and transferring them through my fingers to the correct piano keys. I feel that I could have made more progress in this regard if I had spent more time daily at practice, but so far this has proven impractical for me. I'm still working on the major keys of C, F, and G.

I've covered a variety of pieces in my lessons and practice. Among these are Puff the Magic Dragon, Rocky Top, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, I've Been Wishin', Hayride!, Minuet and Trio, Sunflower Boogie, Chinese Water Lilies, and Climb Ev'ry Mountain. On the classical side, I've worked on simplified excerpts from Jeremiah Clarke's Trumpet Vouluntary and Trumpet Tune, Clementi's Sonatina, and Lizst's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2.

I've yet to make that important breakthrough I'm anticipating, where I suddenly seem to "get it" and begin to play more freely, adroitly and confidently. But I know it's coming! One problem that I (and surely many other beginning piano students) have is adjusting my fingering within a particular piece. Often this causes me to "lose my bearings", and I end up going back and forth with my eyes from the songbook to the piano, painstakingly plunking out each note in a slow, disconnected progression. It's certainly going to be a relief when I master this difficult area! But all in all, I'm just plodding along, enjoying the challenge, and looking forward to the day when I can play the piano according to my own standards! And I couldn't have a better teacher, who has imparted a great sense of confidence and hope to me (as well as correcting my many errors).