I finally played Rhapsody in Blue as a piano duet on stage a few nights ago with my teacher at the Dwight Armstrong Performing Arts Conservatory. Here is a video of that performance. If you want to view it full sized in you tube just click on the square in the lower right corner once you hit play. (My brother also shot another video from another angle that I may post on my public main blog; maybe. I'm always thankful for the opportunities that God gives, and try my best to be careful in not coming across as in your face and all about me focused. It's all about giving back to others. I saw this quote online a few weeks back and committed it to memory. I think it makes a lot of sense; especially if you're a woman trying to obey God with the meek and quiet spirit. "Always have a unique character like salt; it's presence is not always felt, but it's absence makes everything tasteless." Not that my absence would make things tasteless...LOL, but I like the spirit behind the quote.) Thanks to Mr. Malone for opening the door for this opportunity. It was big and I was appreciative. Wow! I made it to the end. After the recital when someone came over to tell me I did great, my teacher piped in and told them, that wasn't my greatest performance but that I did okay and that it was an acceptable performance, but that she is about perfection, and I'd played it better in practice. LOL Piano teachers also keep you humble, very humble! :-) Thanks to my piano teacher for all that she does to help me become a better pianist! She really is great! I purposely wore a loose dress with the color blue in it. Rhapsody in Blue was composed in the 1920's, and the fashion back then was no waist line and loose fitting dresses. It was a fun dress though now I'll sew the seams in it to actually fit my size coming back to 2019 making it a fun summer dress!
The definition of piano lessons should be read as follows: The act of paying a skilled pianist to constantly give you correction and hammer you (and the piano) for the length of your lesson and keeping you humble when "fans" come over to congratulate you after an actual performance. :-)! This is so true....without a teacher you'd never know what you're doing wrong. Anyway, by the time we ended, my brain was about shot. In fact, I was so exhausted that when I went home I didn't even eat dinner I was so tired. I went straight to bed with a super migraine headache. I think that comes from stress and low blood sugar since I can't ever eat before I perform. The fine print of advanced piano lessons! If someone had told me even three years ago I'd be doing all of the things in piano that have turned into a big chunk of my world, I would have laughed at them. Piano in my life these days is proof to me that God wanted that for me, and made that a big part of my life. Of course I have to work hard in doing my part in practice, but I have to say, the doors have just swung wide open for me over the past few years with service opportunities and performances that I haven't even asked for....they just fell in my lap. I practice, and God does the rest. It's character building too. Sometimes I don't feel like practicing, but I know I have to in order to be of use and service. It is really amazing what big doors God can open for you when you allow Him to use you in doing His will for you. Wow, it's mind blowing amazing!!! Yes, I love piano so much now, but it's more than just playing; it's because I know God is the reason behind it with all of the blessings that have come from it.
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