So here is the latest update: I have decided to play all of the level 10 pieces from the RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music). There are about 30 pieces in all. I have been playing 1 per month so far. I ordered the book online back in October. While I was waiting for the book to arrive I played Chopin Nocturne in F# minor op. 15 no. 2 since I found it in a book we have here. In November I played Bach Fantasia in C minor, BWV 906, which was a fun piece to play. In December I played Franz Liszt's Liebestraume (super schmaltzy). This month I am working on a piece by Jeno Takacs: Toccata, op. 54. It is a curious exercise in bi-tonality. I find it fun to play. It is a rare thing that I can memorize something (and especially so easily). I have memorized the whole 8 pages without much effort. It is very patterned and dissonant. It also sounds very difficult but is actually surprisingly easy to play. It is the opposite of Bach which sounds easy but is difficult to play. I also have been intimidated by fast music but this is easy to play fast for some reason (some of it because of the patterns). I have been using a random number generator online to pick which piece to do next.

Before I started, I was doing a lot of ear training for about a month (using an app for my ipod). I trained on scales, intervals, chords, and perfect pitch.

Next Goal

I haven't reviewed too much from my pieces last year but I have been playing some from chord sheets and lyrics. Some new pieces I have downloaded or figured out: Kentucky Rose, Walking in Memphis, and Breathe.
The ideas I have for the next goal is to work one jazz piece per week as well as technical studies (finger work). I am also going to do ear training although I still need a concrete goal. I need to do rhythmic training as well. I still need to figure out the training format.

Done

I finished the 50 new pieces for the year. I had a subtle improvement in speed, dynamics, and technical control. I have grown emotionally. I don't know how much was through having a creative outlet and how much was just coincidental. I have decided to spend a few months reviewing the pieces I learned this year. I have been thinking of doing 300 new pieces next year (one per day from a Jazz fake book) but now I am having second thoughts and maybe I'll do one per week to get in more detail. Maybe the goal will end up somewhere in between.

Last Month!

This is the last month for this goal. This month I am doing 5 pieces to get up to the number 50. I have been doing four per month which only totals to 48 pieces so I did an extra one a few months back and now I am doing an extra one this month. The two Debussy pieces I have picked are easier and shorter so it should work out well. This month's pieces are: Mozart K 394 the Fugue (from Prelude and Fugue in C) -- I did the prelude a while back. Debussy Jimbo's Lullaby and La fille aux cheveux de lin. Bach Sinfonia #13 and Rachmaninoff Prelude in G sharp minor. I have learned a lot of pieces this year. I have made an improvement in my confidence and subtlety. I don't think there is a huge change but definitely some improvement. I am making emotional progress, which was my original intent. It is hard to say exactly what the changes are.

I am thinking of studying Jazz next year. I have been improvising and writing music since I was 10. I took 10 Jazz lessons at USU. I also went through the 5 Jazz method books from the library twice. I need to figure out what is a good goal to do that is not too time consuming so as to distract me from my real life!! Maybe Samba month and Calypso month and Ragtime month etc? I need some more ideas to make it a little more concrete.

February

This month I picked Bach Sinfonia #10, Mozart K. 457 2nd movement (I have already done the 1st and 3rd), Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Major, and Debussy En Bateau. I finally found a Rachmaninoff piece that was pretty easy so I finished it early (yesterday). I am now working on the Prelude in B minor which seems not too hard except for about 1 page that is more challenging. I am usually intimidated by really fast parts and this has a fast part. When I started this year long goal I was mostly hoping that it would help me grow emotionally. I think the faster I go the more out of control I feel so I get a little tight. I'm not sure how to approach this but I will play it as fast as I can and try to stretch my boundaries.

New Month

Hi!! I have picked the pieces for January: Mozart Sonata in C minor K 457 (3rd movement Allegro Assai), Bach Sinfonia #9, Debussy Second Arabesque, Rachmaninoff Prelude in Eb Major Op. 23 #6. It is usually difficult to find a Rachmaninoff piece that is acheivable. Most of them are very difficult. The Bach seems fairly easy so hopefully I can get in another piece soon.

Month 8!!

I finished month 7 and now I have picked 4 new songs to learn:
Mozart Variations on a French Folk Song K 265 (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Debussy Prelude from Suite Bergamasque
Bach Sinfonia #8
Rachmaninoff: Elegie in Eb Minor Opus 3 no. 1
Still looking for the balance between control and letting go. I know it takes a lot of work to get to where it seems second nature. The Rachmaninoff was a much easier piece last month (except for one page that was really fast). I have always had a hard time with fast. The more prepared a piece is, the easier to let it go and just play.