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Showing posts from January 27, 2011

Magical Moment 363, "Cabin Fever Epidemic: The Movie"

Sometimes I let my imagination run off and go wherever it wants, especially when I'm bored. I wonder, could I secretly be the star of my own movie, like in the Truman Show? Maybe there are hidden cameras capturing my undone, wavy hair, sweatpants, and sorry attempts of piano practice (I just can't seem to motivate myself to learn the waltz from Coppelia). That would be about the most boring movie I can think of. More realistically, I'm probably stuck in the same day over and over again, like the movie Groundhog Day. Hey, it is Ground Day, how's that for proof?  I wake up every day, look out my window, and see white. The next day, I wake up, look outside, and see white. It just keeps happening. I can't seem to break the cycle.  I hope these are weather-proof chairs Joy does most of her "swimming" in the winter White...EVERYWHERE I'm doing everything I can to break the Groundhog Day spell, like in the movie, he has to do everything right

Magical Moment 362, "Nearly Lost Piano Treasures"

I vowed today that since work got cancelled due to the crazy ice storm, I would sort every piece of sheet music that is stashed on my cluttered bookshelf. For years, I've let it accumulate into madness, dreading the day when I would have to face the consequences of my disorganization and put it into some kind of order. There is a plastic bag filled with photocopied music that I haven't even opened in years. I fought the impulse to just toss the entire thing, but as it usually goes, I'm glad now that I didn't.  The first lost piano treasure in this mess, was a practice schedule from 1992 (I just turned 9). My teacher made me write down how many minutes I practiced per day and then a parent had to initial the bottom. This particular week, I practiced pretty diligently considering it happened to be my birthday! My dad was the parental initialer whose handwriting looks strikingly similar to that of a nine-year-old's...fishy, but I was a very honest child. He just has t

Magical Moment 361, "It's Ain't Pennies"

New York City and surrounding areas, get your flash lights ready. Your battery operated radios. Your blankets, canned food, bottled water. Put your cars in the garage. Cancel your plans tomorrow. For tonight we shall have rain, sleet, ice, and snow falling from Heaven. If only it were pennies instead.... Taken at Fordham Plaza in the Bronx, "Pennies from Heaven" To see more videos from Play Me, I'm Yours , click here .

Magical Moment 360, "Hymns for Him"

Hard, wooden pews. Old, brick building. An organ, a piano, and a hymnal. There is a subtle charm inside the walls of a small, faithful church. And something inspirational when they still use the old fashioned hymnals on the backs of the pews. I appreciate the contemporary sound in some services with drums and a rehearsed worship band, it can be very powerful and compelling. But I'll always have a special place in my heart for the hymns I grew up with, their poetic heartfelt lyrics, and familiar melodies. Today we sang one I haven't heard in a long time. " Little is much when God is in it! Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it, if you go in Jesus name. " How true that is. I've seen it. If that statement is true, "little is much when God is in it," then the reverse must also be true, "much is little without God." How many times have we seen that sad story? A moment later, a man walked to the pulpit to sing

Magical Moment 359, "The Show Must Go On"

I played a show in New York City the other night. I was booked last minute at a lounge in the lower east side. I did my best to promote the show in the few days I had, but I knew with the most recent snow storm, the crowd would be sparse at best. And with another round of snow the day of the show, I knew I had to decide right then to cancel or go ahead as planned. The thought of trekking into the city in such bad weather for an unpredictable crowd tempted me very hard to cancel. Until I thought about my friend Bethany. Bethany is a singer/songwriter from my hometown. She often plays at small, local venues. We've been friends since kindergarten, but I had never heard her play until recently. She had a show scheduled at a club in Lincoln, NE and I was so excited to finally hear her music. When I got to there however, I was one of only ten people in the audience. I looked around, puzzled, wondering if she would just cancel the whole thing, but as soon as I spoke to her I realized

Magical Moment 358, "The Highest Compliment"

Anyone who struggles with worry or anxiety knows that there is no break from it. Despite reassuring myself, reasoning with myself, and preparing the best I know how for everything, I'm constantly surrounded by feelings of self doubt, nervousness, and apprehension. Even though I've been playing for a ballet school and company for five months now, I still feel butterflies every time I go to work. I'm so thankful for the job, and so surprised I got it, that I'm terrified the other shoe will drop . I'm probably the most inexperienced pianist on staff. I feel pretty comfortable with most of the instructors, but occasionally I play for an instructor I've never met, and that's when things can go not-so-smooth. Everyone likes their class to run their own way and they have a certain taste of music they prefer. The other day I was asked to stay for an extra class, which I agreed to do. I walked into the classroom, hoping to see an instructor I've played for befo

Magical Moment 357, "Any Old Business, Any New Business?

Do you enjoy looking at your old yearbook photos, or does it make you cringe to see what you once were? For me, and probably for most, it's a little of both. There is proof of how goofy, naive, and immature I used to be (dorky, bad dresser, stringy hair, but I digress). And proof of how much I've grown since then (I have better hair now). I found something today from my early musician-hood that made me laugh out loud. I began playing piano professionally (I use the term loosely) during my senior year of high school. In trying to gain some more business, I asked my then piano teacher, Ceil Brown , to help create a business card for me. This was before I knew how to use a computer (oh my, I didn't realize I was so old). Ceil, in addition to being amazingly gifted and a wonderful teacher, is one of the funniest people I've ever known. She came back the next week with some very professional samples......and this one. I'm so thankful that I've kept it tucked away al