It was a lovely Soirée again and I hope students enjoyed seeing each other play.  Sometimes you can get ideas for your next piece from the ones other students were playing.

My advanced students:  Lucas what a wonderfully sensitive and mature performance of your Schubert.  I hope your possible piano teacher at Davidson gets to hear it.  Jikai, it is hard to believe you are only a rising 9th grader.  You played this very difficult piece with power and good tempo although maybe a bit too fast in places?  This is repertoire that will mature in time.  Don’t abandon it!  Sam, also a powerful performance of the Brahms, ever a challenging composer to play.  I thought when you played at the playathon it was better but life circumstances always affect playing and you were preparing for a big accompanying gig. Tessa, I am so sorry you were too ill to play your gorgeous Nocturne but many of us did hear it at the playathon.  Aurora, you always play your jazz piece well but next time can we have the Laufey song please?

Adam, you played The Avalance with authority – that was a challenging piece! Nate, I know you were not happy with the Jazz Sonatina but you still played it well (maybe a bit too fast in places?) but the Bm Waltz was really lovely – well done! Oscar the waltz was great and you had it from memory after a short time and some challenging circumstances.  I really like your right hand bringing out the melody.  Strong playing. Andrew, really good work on your Beethoven! Emily, you have a really lovely touch on piano and both pieces created such a gentle atmosphere. Tyler, you played both your pieces with authority and security – well done! Marten, well, that was a very interesting rendition of Gymnopédie!  But I appreciated the different dynamics levels.  Very smart thinking at the end when you had to improvise an ending which was not exactly in the music!  More work on the ending I think.

James, only your second Soirée! Well done but what happened to Half Time Show?  L’il Liza Jane was great and of course Hoe Down is always a fun piece.  Simon, that was a wonderful performance of Calico Cat – you had really improved your left hand in those runs.  And Gumdrops was also great – you met the challenge of Staccato left hand and Legato right! Addie – your first Soirée!  You played Russian Dance perfectly with Tessa. Jack – yes, you are doing so well with piano in such a short time.  Raptors was terrific and Spanish Caballeros was wonderful considering it was was level 2B and you have not been learning so long! Zelda, all your pieces were really good and from memory but Cranky Cat, the hardest one, got lost in the middle BUT like Marten you did a very smart thing and returned to a pervious ending.  No-one would have known except me!  Clever musical thinking both of you.  Jasmine (Jazzy) you played so well. I loved almost like a dream and the atmosphere it created.  And your Gumdrops was also terrific – a challenging piece there. Marley your Star Fish was also so atmospheric.  Thank you for playing such a recently composed piece of modern classical music. And defying Gravity was wonderful and you DID hold those notes correctly!

I applaud the many students who played from memory.  It is wonderful BUT being able to sight read music is also important – you have to know your notes! I am not entirely happy with pedaling and I will be working on that in Fall because being able to control the pedal is a critical part of playing well.  Lucas’ pedaling is an example of great pedaling. I note that several students are currently working on accompanying singers or choirs or other instruments.  This is a great way to learn sight reading and to always keep going no matter what. I also note that many students are also learning other instruments. I am always open to a solo or two or three at the Soirée; Saxophone duet Jikai? French horn solo Marten? Clarinet solo Oscar?  With other pianists accompanying?

Thank you to all students and parents for making time to come to the Soirée and thank you to the guys, Anjen, Scott and Bobby and a few others who helped set up the piano.

Everyone have a great summer and good luck at your camps musical or otherwise.