Unfortunately my piano lesson has been cancelled tomorrow, can't be helped as my teacher has had to cancel due to personal reasons.

Down side is that I now only have one more lesson before I got to Pro Corda, which means I am going to have to really work hard on my own to get things up to speed. Yikes!!

That's a shame, you must be really missing your lessons

My teacher cancelled mine this week, and I've already gone 3 weeks without a lesson as I normally have them fortnightly and then my teacher went on holiday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can have a replacement lesson tomorrow because I've got a lot to go through!

Hope that you get your lesson Skylark. I wouldn't mind so much but 2 weeks tomorrow I am off to Pro corda, come back and there is only one week before half term. Then it gets busy because of exams so I am sure that I wont get many between now and Christmas.

Look forward to hearing about Pro Corda when you get back!

Have a great time at Pro Corda Eldatom. It seems like I havent seen you in ages. Sorry to hear your lesson has been cancelled. what a nightmare!

Thanks Mini Mo, it has been a long time, July? All being well see you at the end of November.

Forgive my ignorance, but can I ask what Pro Corda is exactly please? I keep hearing about it the forums from time to time

I think it's a similar thing to Benslow... A residential piano course, usually over a weekend, several days, or a week

Oh, so quite similar to Chethams piano week? All this piano course lark seems terribly varied

Yep, exactly.

Well I had a reprieve, 5.50pm this evening, I am cooking dinner and my piano teacher rings to say she can give me a lesson tonight afterall, but I need to get to her house for 6.30pm. I say to her, not sure if hubbie be in, when I can I let her know by. Anyway, long and short of it was hubbie came in at 6.15pm, grabbed my music and glasses and off I went.

Didn't know how lesson would pan out as I hadn't had dinner, or for that matter lunch as out all day.

Anyway, lesson went pretty good despite the fact I have to sit on a chair rather than my stool.

Teacher loved my 1st movement of Mozart K545, she was really surprised as she hasn't heard me play it for about 3 months. We looked at other stuff for pro corda and she loved my programme. Lastly we had a go at the duet, which I didn't think went very well at all but teacher did. It is in E minor so she said to me if you get lost just do an E minor arpegio. Then she said as long as your friend doesn't do it at the same time, because her teacher has probably said the same. lol

Fran Pro Corda is at Leiston Abbey in Suffolk and offers a very small group of people Master classes, one to ones and personal exercise sessions.
http://www.procorda.com/index.php?pid=79&p=Adult_Courses
October is mostly for students that go each year, has become like a club, this is my 3rd year but it has been running for 5 years. It was also offered in July this year so that it could be opened to other students, usually I recommend lots of people to go but Andrew asked to tell people July this year as there wasn't much room for October.

It is great, it starts on Friday, but you can go up on Thursday and have a buffet dinner with wine, and then a recital from one of the teachers. Friday it all starts, Saturday full session and then a champagne and jazz evening in the abbey by a log lit fire, as much champagne as you like and we have a lovely sing song too.

Sunday we have a concert in the barn on a grand piano before we go home.

The price includes full board, room and wine. Plus the champagne on Saturday evening.

There are practice rooms in the ground.

I love it, the first year I went not knowing a soul and it was the best thing that I did.

ET

Now we know why Eldatom loves Pro Corda!

Yes and even better when you play Saturday evening after drinking it, you have a really good excuse for going wrong, plus I don't think anyone notices as they have had lots of champagne too. lol

That sounds fab, eldatom, hope you enjoy it

She hasn't, I haven't played the duet with her yet - I'd better take it to my lesson on Monday. We're going to look at the Beethoven Bagatelle that I haven't played for ages.

I am so looking forward to Pro Corda. It's so nice to be able to play the piano all the time without interruption! I may drive there this year, as it takes two hours less than the train.

Oh well done Chris, what time are you leaving, we are leaving about 2pm to miss the traffic.

I can't believe it is less than 2 weeks now!

Really looking forward to seeing you again. Not had anything from Andrew yet though, have you? I think the jazz email said we should receive something shortly?

ET

P.S. At least we will get time to practice the duet together in the practice sessions. Maybe I should bring my book of really easy ones, just in case we get into trouble lol

I'm not too sure what time I'll be leaving - it depends whether I'm going by train or car. It's four and a half hours by car and six and a half by train. I think I'll aim to get there by 4.30 ish. I've been practising the duet today, and it's not too bad if I play it slower than it's supposed to be. I don't think the speed really matters too much - it sounds fine whatever speed you play it at.

I haven't heard from Andrew either, but I didn't get an email for the jazz course, just a flyer through the post. They always seem a bit last minute, though, so we'll probably hear a couple of days before the course. Text me when you arrive and I'll go and find you!

Hi Eldatom

Sorry I won't be able to make ProCorda this year. I found it very enjoyable last year, and will be thinking about you all.

I might manage to make July next year. I hope you have a great time.

Anne

Hi Anne

Sorry that you can't make Pro corda this year, I hope that you manage to make it next July. I expect I will just stick to the October though as I don't think finances will run for me to do July and October. Maybe I will see you at another play day one day.

How are you getting on with the piano?

ET




Pretty yukky journey for your Chris, I am so lucky now that Monique takes me up in the car otherwise I would have a train journey from ###### too.

I need to buy a present for Monique but not sure what to get her yet, and I am running out of time. Last year I bought her some sheet music, but this year I haven't got a clue what to buy her if I do that again. Of course I will give her petrol money too.

I feel like time is running faster!!! A week Thursday now, yikes! and then I am back for 6 days and taking son away for half term. Which means that I really need to complete 2 essays before Pro Corda!

Sorry you can't make it this year, Anne. I hope your piano playing's going well. It was nice to meet you last year, and I enjoyed your playing in the concert.

What about getting Monique a piano mug, Eldatom, or something similar? My friends got me a tea towel with comic definitions of musical terms for Christmas - I really liked it.

I have decided to go by train after all, as if I get a migraine like I did last year, I'll have problems driving. I hope you manage to get all your work done so that you can relax at Pro Corda. I remember you having to revise last year, and it can't have been much fun for you.