Today I practiced in spurts during the day. This is unusual for me, as I usually practice at night after the kiddos are in bed. My main focus today was on two different Chopin works. I practiced both for approximately 30 minutes.

The first piece I focused on was a waltz, opus 69 no. 2 (posthumous). It is a beautiful piece. Just take a listen to this beautiful waltz on YouTube performed by Arthur Rubinstein. My method is working one line at a time, figuring out the fingering first and practicing each section over and over until I can continue to the next. I overlap the sections so there is continuity when I put them together.

Later, I started working on my big piece, the piece that will probably take up most of my attention during this year. This is a Chopin Nocturne, opus 62 no. 1. Here's what it's supposed to sound like, as performed by Rubinstein. So far, I have the first 9-10 measures basically down (though you wouldn't be able to tell by my recording), and the last two pages, starting with the key change (at about 4'25" in the YouTube recording). I'm terribly slow with all the ornamentals, but I'll get there, darn it. I have until October, and it's coming together much faster than I anticipated! My goal was to have the 4th page down, at least as far as the notes are concerned by 1/31, but I already have it down and am starting on the 3rd page (last line). And here's my pathetic attempt at this beautiful nocturne, minus the middle. Normally, I would keep this to myself, but since I'm blogging my progress this year, this will make for a great comparison when this song is recital-ready!

I didn't get in any theory study or music history study today.