Hi, I just noticed this part of the forum, so I thought I'd better jot down some stuff about myself.

I'm 36, married with two children (boys) and another baby due in a week's time. I started learning the piano at age 7, in Pretoria, South Africa (I was born in SA, and lived there until I was 24. I now live in the UK). By age 17, we'd moved down to Cape Town, and my playing had moved on to a level where I performed Chopin's G Minor Ballade and Bb Minor Scherzo in public at music events in Cape Town. Then I broke my wrist playing rugby (along with numerous dislocated fingers along the way)... I then went to university, studying financial economics, although I did keep my music going, particularly as a pianist / organist at our local church. After leaving school, I ceased having lessons, but used to play regularly, but without the discipline of properly learning pieces and then performing them. My playing deteriorated. Then I moved to London, and didn't have access to a piano for 18 months. Not surprisingly, my playing deteriorated massively over those 18 months. I then bought myself a digital piano (this is around 10 years ago), and started playing again.

Then around 18 months ago, I took a serious look at where I was going musically. I decided that I really wanted to get back to the level where I had been when I was younger, and then go beyond that. I found a fantastic teacher (a concert pianist), and my playing is coming on in leaps and bounds. I'm playing better than I ever have before, and I feel like I've got my musical spark back. Hopefully I'll do DipABRSM end-2010, or early 2011. But then, I'm having such fun learning new pieces and developing my playing that those dates may slip a bit.

Favourite composers: Rachmaninov, Chopin, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Ravel, and Gerald Finzi (wish he'd written more for the piano).

Hobbies: squash, karate, rugby (still rugby mad despite the injuries, but don't play any more), cricket

Saving up for a Steinway grand - should get there by the time I'm 65!! (also need to save up for the house with a room big enough to fit the grand in it!!)

The following pieces of music give me goosebumps: (1) Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto (when the orchestra enters with the main theme in the first movement), (2) Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers, and (3) Gerald Finzi's Bagatelle No.IV Forlana: Allegretto Grazioso

Looking forward to posting!!

Tom

Well done for deciding to improve your playing. You will never regret it and your children will have fun to, don't forget the nursery rhymes!

Agree with what you say about Rach's 2 piano thingummy and Tchaichovsky's Waltz. Must admit to ignorance about your third choice, so will have to go off and research!

You are a braver man than me going for a third sproglet, so I hope your everything goes well.

We should get on well! He's one of my favourite composers too!

to the forums! Hope you enjoy your time here!

Welcome to the forums, Tom Piano, hope you enjoy posting here

Hi Tom, welcome to the forums!

Hi Tom, looking forward to reading our posts on your progress!

Hi Tom,
I am also back playing for myself and having lessons again after a long break. Great isn't it, being an adult learner!
Good luck and welcome!

Miffy.x