Hi guys!

This is more of a panic thread more than anything really, but I'd like your advice on a piece.

There are 8 days to go until the Leicester concert.

I'm playing Chopin's Nocturne in C# minor (op. Posth), and I'm really struggling with the scales on the last page. Can anyone shed any light on what I need to do to get these even and flowing? (And learnt by next Saturday!!!!)?

Thankyou

Don't know the piece but I have a tricky bit to sort out for then too and I'm going for lots of slower repetition.

Think positively about it, if you think negatively, it is bound to go worse. Slow practice is a must, try splurting - Sarah wrote a thread on this. 8 days is still over a week, you have plenty of time . *hugs*

Really love that piece, wish I was there to hear it!

Sure you'll be fine.

Yes, one of my better compositions!
Keep your fingers very close to the keys and aim for the top note and then lowest note...good luck!

Yes, just do that and you'll be fine. If you just press the keys even slightly the pedal should be able to catch it on for you.

Oh and 8 days is plenty of time to learn it if you think about it. Just spend at least 5-10 mins two or three times a day everyday and you'll have mastered it.

Good luck.

I'm mainly panicking because my piano doesn't do it justice really...I don't have a working pedal, the action is broken...so I'll have to wait until I go back to school to practice on the grand...

I might also give a practice recital

EDIT: Just gone through it slowly like sbhoa suggested - and it went quite well

Don't be tempted to speed up too soon..... keep it slow for a couple of days and build it up from there.

go for it oddball, you can play both parts seperately really well, just keep an even sense of timing with the left hand and use a bit of rubato for the right hand. otherwise just go for it!!

oh, if you curl your fingers, rather than keeping them straight then than enables them to move faster and it is easier to go between black and white notes

I don't know why but I find E major scales really hard...probably a bit of a psychological thing...

E major, you can do it Only 4 sharps

E major is actually one of the easier scales to play as it suits the natural shape of the hand.

There's the thing - playing an E major scale doesn't bother me...just in that piece!

Is it specifically an E major scale? It may be because you can see it coming up and are going "argggh, this bit is scary!"

It could be because it looks so darn scary on the page.

Memorise it ?
Then it won't look scary because you won't be looking......

'tis what I plan to do! Memorise it so I don't have to look at the paper!

I am getting there actually. Today has been a good day

Thanks for all your suggestions guys

Nat: Ooooooh yeah, I will try that tomorrow! 'tis a bit late now....

Yes, if you memorise it, I think the problems will go away. Doing it with lots of different rhythms is a great idea.

Sounds good! Thanks

I played that in a concert a couple of years ago, and was worried about the same bits. They came off like a dream - and I made a dog's dinner of bar 15! Experience has since taught me that that this is how it goes in public, when you're under pressure; you concentrate hard on the bits you're wary of, and forget to concentrate on the bits where you don't envisage a problem!

same here - i just sit and worry about the bits i find hard and then i don't keep my concentration up for the easy bits, i wouldn't worry about a couple of bars, the overall effect of the peice is important, make it all as good as you can, but dont let the rest of the piece go down the drain because you prcatice a few bars all the time.

Ah yes, the notorious bar 15....

Oh dear, Andy has another bit to worry about now!

I can do it, but when I think about it....!

I'm going to speak to my head of year tomorrow and see if I can do a practice recital in assembley...

Thinking is usually a mistake in that sort of music!
Practice recital sounds like a great idea.
I'm sure you'll be fine though.

I agree

Thanks guys

Just gone through it actually, it's sounding good.

Good

Woo, it'll sound fabulous!

wow, a concert in assambaly!! - makes it worth going from the tutor room in the cold!!

It would make me want to go to assembly..but we just have stupid themes like "Heroes"

don't worry about it, the only thing you have to worry about is me telling eveyone how good it is before the concert - which of course i wont!

Just found out Jon - got to do it in the studio

For those of you that don't know (which is pretty much everyone) the pianos in the music block are naff...

OH STOP COMPLAINING! Dear dear....

It's going to be fine.

You'll play in assembly but are afraid of the forum concert? I would imagine assembly is far more scary than the forum concert (not that I won't be scared at the forum concert ) but if you're okay in assembly you'll be fine in the forum concert .

It's mainly why I'm doing it. It's a piece that really is too hard for me, and I really want to be used to playing to an audience....

And my HOY wants me to play it next tuesday too, in a lovely little village called Dilton Marsh

you mean the worst place on earth!!- she didnt tell me that the dilton "gig" was next week!!

the assembaly will be great practice - loads of people who you are familiar with, a personal audience is a good thing to play in front of, as they know you and that sometimes makes them scarier, at least our year group will not have a chance of noticing even the biggest mistake, the majority are musically... for want of a better word ... Thick! it'l be great - shame its the studio piano!

Dilton Rocks! (Only joking, this place is terrible)

Dunno what the primary school's piano is like though...

Ooh yeah, coxy wants you to play in that too.

ahhh, what on?? runs away to search for pieces to play!! i think the little kids like tunes they no with backing tracks that include drums!