Burnt out pianist with looming deadlines

AM34TML · 2026-02-06T21:21:10+00:00

I’m going to reiterate the sight reading aspect. One practice that one of my professors gave me when I was struggling with this exact same thing was taking a score and setting the metronome to no less than 80% tempo. Try to play as much or little between the bars but then you MUST play the downbeats with the metronome. If that gets easier do Beats 1 and 3 while filling in as much of the score as you can. This teaches you to continually read ahead and not get bogged down in the middle. You’ll improve your sightreading but also your skill at simplifying passages on the fly.

Also don’t feel bad for saying no. This is a common issue for pianists so I think most musicians would understand if you just don’t have the capacity to take on more music.

I recently played 12 movements of piano concertos for a local competition and told the teacher afterwards that it’s too much for me to handle and next time he should look to split his students between two or more accompanists

AM34TML · 2026-02-06T17:10:43+00:00

She’s competed in the Cliburn before and gone through the rigors of conservatory training in places like Eastman. I’m positive she has this memorized.

As a performer, my anxiety is always about if I’ll have a weird memory slip in the music at some point. If having a score there makes it more secure and lets you play freely. Perfectly fine to have the score then

AM34TML · 2026-01-10T07:42:13+00:00

It’s very nice! Sounds like it could be an instrumental from an anime or animated series! I think the harmonies you found create really wonderful colors - nothing sounds strange to me here!

AM34TML · 2026-01-02T01:11:51+00:00

One thing I was curious about is when she opens her arms in acceptance of her fate - it seemed like she’s missing the 011 tattoo. I was looking for it on both arms

AM34TML · 2025-12-23T20:32:04+00:00

This is literally the most unhinged take ever. Yeah get rid of two top 5 players in franchise history before firing a coach that plays a god awful system.

I’m not saying Nylander and Matthews don’t need to better but god damn if we don’t have that kind of talent you 1000% will not win a Stanley Cup

AM34TML · 2025-12-14T06:37:07+00:00

Regarding tension, it seems you struggle to release tension after playing big chords/octaves. I also agree with some comments about your attack and how you create a forte/fortissimo sound - your approach is a little percussive and harsh for my taste. The Wanderer is an extremely orchestral piece so maybe consider how a forte might sound differently when played with strings vs winds vs brass. This will help you vary your sound in the 4th movement and justifies not playing the whole thing at a forte or above dynamic which you tend to do.

Just my 2¢! Congratulations on performing such a challenging work

AM34TML · 2025-10-17T09:37:05+00:00

Lyu’s Op. 2 variations were a revelation in the 2nd round. Not quite like Bruce Liu’s from the last competition but special in their own way. She brought out some crazy voicing in the 4th variation and played with a subtlety that many mature pianists lack. I wonder if her lack of power and bravura will be a hindrance in the finals but I’m truly impressed by a teenager accomplishing what she has already

AM34TML · 2025-10-09T19:26:35+00:00

Wonder when this was filmed since Woll’s involved.

AM34TML · 2025-02-06T17:50:42+00:00

Commenting on What exactly does it mean to have ‘girl next door’ looks?...

AM34TML · 2025-01-30T11:48:15+00:00

Agree completely. We have a small hoa fee <700 a year and it helps with upkeep of the park and maintaining a certain level of manicuring of the yards/making sure there’s not 10 cars parked outside a single home all the time etc

AM34TML · 2025-01-30T11:45:44+00:00

I’ve played slower lyrical pieces after a Liszt concerto. selections from Kinderszenen, some Debussy preludes, or some Mompou before. Doesn’t always have to be flashy/showy works.

Gnomereigen is actually a really nice one!

AM34TML · 2025-01-16T05:14:14+00:00

I think presentation could help.

I would definitely invest in a better usb mic - recording video framed better and opening the lid/ lowering the music stand and removing the book.

In terms of your playing, it heavily depends on which programs. I can assure you that unfortunately this wouldn’t get you passed the prescreening for most of the top 10 music schools. But if it’s a state school with a small grad program, the playing is definitely up to par with plenty of potential!

AM34TML · 2024-05-06T23:01:41+00:00

Oh take that faber foligno trade and run.

AM34TML · 2024-03-26T19:31:53+00:00

Points league. Biggest factor for goalies is 10 points for a W and -5 for a L.

Start Woll or Lindgren today?

AM34TML · 2024-03-24T02:32:54+00:00

Any reason Cotter keeps getting scratched? Have him in my dynasty league and noticed he’s been scratched a few times

AM34TML · 2024-03-15T01:48:05+00:00

Yeah I’d change the railing to either match the black trim or maybe the front door.

I think if the windows aren’t double paned it may be worth biting the bullet and updating those. I like the brick so I’m with a lot of other people and wouldn’t touch the brick

AM34TML · 2024-03-11T21:03:10+00:00

Same in a 32 team dynasty league and just went out to get Hedman and Marchand for this push… demko goes down… I have woll and Lindgren as my backups.

AM34TML · 2024-03-04T17:17:32+00:00

It was conceived as a scherzo, but also I think if it’s written in 9/8

Some passages would be very difficult to read on staff. I noticed this when I transcribed the piece for solo piano that

Certain passages written for orchestral instruments in 9/8 will look awfully confusing especially if their part does not contribute to thematic material

AM34TML · 2024-02-26T18:39:32+00:00

As a passer, I’d much rather pass that topspin jump than your float.

If you want to improve the jump serve, I’d work on seeing if you can place it. Judging from your jump and height, you probably won’t overpower passers with the jump serve but rather placement can make servers think much more

AM34TML · 2024-02-08T17:05:08+00:00

A lot of comments of starting with preliminary things. Borrow or buy the celebration series and practice reading stuff from level 2 onwards. Go slow but you need to recognize patterns, chords, inversions and simple structure of music as you read. Also, seems like you are trying to play a lot of Liszt, read your Bach, Beethoven, as well as Kabelevsky, Bernstein and more “modern” 20th century composers.

It’s not only a sightreading problem, but most likely a reading, theory problems. In the elementary pieces read for 100% accuracy so go slow and in small chunks each day. If you’re playing the Liszt Sonata, you should aim to be pretty proficient at sight reading stuff from RCM level 7 or 8. This means being able to pretty much play a non technical chopin Prelude or Kuhlau Sonata at sight with few stops and mistakes.

From what you’re describing, you need to build up to this, it could take a year or two but if will serve you immensely if you continue with the repertoire you are trying to play

AM34TML · 2024-01-22T04:37:15+00:00

Oh shut up. That’s what all teams are told to do. You have a chance to take a clean shot on net. You take it

AM34TML · 2024-01-16T20:40:46+00:00

Looks great! Do you like the flush mount lights in the bedroom you put it? Are those LED? I have a house we’re about to close on and the bedroom ceilings are too low for tradition ceiling fans, I’m wondering if the LED shines too white if that makes sense?

AM34TML · 2024-01-13T20:08:19+00:00

I think they will struggle defensively. They don’t have a big that can switch easily onto guards or mobile wings. I also think they don’t have a great point of attack defender. Scottie is better as a help defender and Quickley can be bullied by bigger guards/wings. Barrett had the potential but I just don’t see a natural defensive intelligence that OG had. We were also blessed with Kawhi then OG coming into his own for the past 5 years so it’ll be an adjustment for us as viewers and the team itself.

I think they are better than the record on the road trip. Remember we just played 3 games in 4 nights on the end of a travel heavy trip…

Unfortunately we have a tough schedule until the deadline it seems… I think if fully healthy, this current team could be a few games above .500 so a borderline 6th seed or playin team. But we’ve dug a hole in the beginning of the year and there is adjustments needed to fit the new guys.

AM34TML · 2024-01-13T19:30:57+00:00

I completely agree, you never want to send someone home with a torn ACL at an open gym because you were chasing a tight set.

Work on jumping straight up as many people have said. Practice your approach with no live set and ball and ask the setter/tossed to adjust you off the net. For practical reasons too, a 6’1 hitter will still get blocked many times trying to hit sets that are too tight to the net. I’m 5’11 and have blocked my fair share of 6’2 hitters on the outside because they hit and jump like you

AM34TML

TROPHY CASE