Piano

I've been playing piano for two years. I don't take lessons, I just practice harder and harder pieces, and I'm reading some of the theory as well. I practice regularly and quite a lot. I've consistently put in four hours a week, so by now I've had over 400 hours of practice.



The main thoughts I have about playing piano are:

• It's fun to play good music. I don't know why I can't get the same enjoyment from a good recording that I can from playing it. It seems a little irrational.
• It's really fun, and I have no trouble practicing consistently. I don't exercise nearly as regularly as I'd want to, or even read music theory that much, but I practice plenty. It's cool to have a random skill that's constantly developing like that.
• A lot of the best music I've heard is still too hard for me. Here are some targets I am shooting for in the next few years:
  • Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (an advanced piano adaption)
  • Beethoven - Eroica Symphony, 1st movement (piano adaption by Liszt)
  • Chopin - Scherzo in Bb Minor
  • Chopin - Impromptu Fantasie
  • Bach - Well Tempered Clavier Book 2, Prelude #6

Incidentally, I am moving out of my apartment tomorrow, moving out of the bay area on Sept 10, and going back to UCI on Sept 20.