I finally have an ARCT repertoire put together!

List A Partita 2 - Bach
List B Sonata Pathetique - Beethovan
List C Nocturne in Db+ - Chopin
List D La Cathedrale Engloutie- Debussy
List E Sonatine - Bartok
Concert Etude in G- (No.2) -Moskowski

I think you'd all wonder why Pathetique is there. Originally considered a Grade 10 piece, it has now (amazingly) been shifted to an ARCT level, and all you have to do is play all 3 parts to it. It is one of my favourite pieces, which is why I am thrilled to be learning it to perfection.

I love the Partita, it is much more "showy" then Bach's other pieces tend to be, so it's nice to do that after playing Prelude and Fugue in D+ a while back (even though Preludes and Fugues are technically amazing and the basis of what all piano music is all about to this day). Nocturne in Db+ is a beautiful piece - I've seen videos of Lang Lang and Maksim Mrvica play it, and I hope to one day execute it as well as they do. The Sonatine by Bartok is one piece that I'm not very sure of. I searched it up and listened to it and didn't really understand it. I know it is a 20th century piece, but this one just sounded very odd...and not something I would like to perform -- which is why I consider switching to another piece.. perhaps. The Etude in G- is very fast and ferocious, which was always something that is a lot of fun to play.

Hopefully I can pull my life together and be able to spend a fair amount of time practicing. My piano teacher really emphasized that I was not obligated to obtain my ARCT due to a hectic university schedule, but I will pretend that I am in order to pick myself out of my era of "major time-wasting" and hopefully obtain the ARCT like I said I would.

It is a must, not a choice.

Sound of my piano

I don't know why but when I watch my own current videos it sounds as if I am slamming on the keys of the piano. I swear I am not (as bad as it looks) and the reason it sounds like it (I think) is because the entire room is either wood or concrete (walls) and the 'bright' sound that the Yamaha is famous of just bounces off every crevasse in the room!

I'm quite sure about this because I have recorded a video in the past when I still had carpet floor, and the carpet seemed to insulate and absorb all the unwanted echo from the piano.

This is how my piano sounded about 2 years ago when there was carpet playing Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley:



This was back in 2007, that I have made a piano version of it myself (I learned it myself by ear listening to the guitar version). You might recognize this tune because it was played in "the OC" when the main girl died or something.

Notice how warm the sound of the piano is compared to the other videos. This is quite frustrating to me! The sound of the piece is extremely important to me and if I cannot execute it properly on camera then I don't know why I am doing so at all.

Here is another example with the carpet floor with my Noctourne in C- (also back in 2007)



There is a harsh audio-video lag on this.. This was after I had completed my Grade 10RCM. If only I did my ARCT right afterwards, then I would have almost finished by now.. It's never too late though I guess.

Rue Des Cascades - Yann Tiersen

La valse d'amelie - Yann Tiersen

I have already posted this before (in an older video of my older posts) but I decided to redo it hopefully to elimate the mistakes that I've done before.

It's difficult to record a peice well done, especially when you find yourself correcting your flaws months after you thought you had the perfect shot.

Keyboard?

You know how everybody thinks that when you reach Grade 10 or ARCT, you should be practicing off of a grand piano? Well, since I'd rather not throw 20k away, I would prefer very much a professional keyboard.

I was looking at the Yamaha S90es, the "perfect combination between synthesizor and keyboard". It was the model I used when I went to the "Electronic Music" workshop at the Art Institute back in 2007.

The piano sounds of the keyboard are recorded off of 'apparently' Yamaha's most expensive grand piano that's selling for some odd 200k. From my experience, it is quite a very nice feeling keyboard; and the sound is almost realistic like a piano!

So I'm currently rummaging through craiglist trying to find a good deal on it, and hopefully I will be able to use this great keyboard for 2k in placement for the grand piano. (I know it won't be a fraction as amazing, but whatever! I'm not about performance anyways, and I'd much rather just play around with the knobs and settings here and there!!).

I have my good old upright Yamaha, anyways, that I'm happy enough with.

Sound Quality

It's horrible on my camera -- the warmth of the piano is totally demolished from the hardwood floor. The sounds of the piano just bouce off of :S This is very fustrating as the music that I play is supposed to sound gentle and subtle, yet after recording sounds very harsh and ugly.

Comptine d'un autre été - Yann Tiersen

ARCT

So I've been thinking about completing my ARCT.. but since I haven't really been practicing anything (technical), I might actually have a really hard time with it. I don't plan on taking any lessons merely because of my schedule at SFU, so will I suffice by learning on my own time?

There's no use in giving up on it right? I've already acheived my Grade 10 Certificate and my Elementary Piano Pedagogy certificate, ARCT should be a peice of cake! (hahaha yeah right)

ARCT is very complex as you need a tremendous amount of theory (History Harmony Analysis and Counterpoint) -- and of course memorized peices consisting of an HOUR long performance over the stretched period of 2 years. This is not you're average course, it's basicly a degree.

I will be choosing my ARCT repertoire soon with my instructor.. and we'll see how this process goes.

Composing

I wish I had the ability to compose!! But NooOOo I don't whatsoever! I actually tried a few weeks ago, and I usually end up giving up or forgetting how it goes (I'm way too lazy to be writing down my ideas when I know they are going to be worthless).

How depressing.

Update

I actually haven't touched this blog in a while (because I've been on my personal blog so much). So I will give an update on what I would like improve on:

1. Yann Tiersen pieces
2. Claire de Lune - Debussy
3. Noctourne in D flat major - Chopin
4. Arabesque - Debussy
5. Sarabande - Debussy
6. Pathetique - Beethovan
7. Moonlight Sonata - Beethovan
8. NEW ARCT PEICES?!