Pianos - What’s happening folks!!!

 It’s been over three years since I have posted in my blog FocusedHour88Keys.  I decided it was time to jump back in and focus on my favorite instrument, as well as a lifetime of committing to playing the piano  capably and with great musicality!

So, I am 67 years old and my first piano was a small Baldwin spinet- an Acrosonic.   My Dad received a promotion at the bank where he was a real estate attorney.  So, he knew how much my mom wanted a piano and he bought her one.  I can still remember the day the piano was delivered.  My mom was at the corner of our street Vaughan in NW Detroit, and I remember her screaming. “Run Rosemary run we just got a piano.”  I was walking with my childhood friend Mark James, and I turned to him and said something like “I’ve got to go!”  And off I went.   

My mom took piano lessons first, but eventually it was I who raised my hand, when my dad asked “who wants to take piano lessons?”  It was the start of my musical journey….and helped me to create my piano motto - Changing hearts and minds one note at a time.   Whatever your reason for playing the piano, come up with a statement that holds you accountable to practicing, playing and even performing.

But I digress.   I am a social media person to an extent, and I find myself perusing my Facebook page, for several reasons.  I like to see pictures of my adult children, on vacation, with their friends, or even their posting of humorous anecdotes.  I also have a judge colleague, who posts loads of interesting things about history, as well as fun family vacations.  I love to post about my home town of Detroit, my favorite musicians, and interesting stories, about historical figures.  

Facebook, also has groups particularly community Buy Sell and Trade pages.  Here, people put their items on the page to sell—-It’s an interesting approach to the old fashioned garage or tag sale.  The concern I have is that folks put pianos up for sale  on the site.   And they sell these instruments for $1.00 or $5.00.  The pianos are beautiful spinets with a history and a story. Shouldn’t these pianos become part of a school music department where they can be used by students to become better musicians?

I have friends who often tell me, I bought my child a keyboard, then I I don’t have to tune a piano.  Really?  How can a keyboard replace a real live piano?  It can’t and don’t lull yourself into the the thought process that it can.     The touch and feel of a real piano, the sound, the craftsmanship, well there is nothing like it in the world. 

I even suggest that if you want a real piano, go on one of these Facebook Buy Sell Trade pages, and buy one of these instruments for cheap.  Then turn around and contact your local piano tuner guild, find a tuner, and get it tuned.  It might require having the tuner coming back a couple of times in a year, to bring the piano to an amazing place .  But I guarantee this will work.  Be part of this piano’s story.  This piano could change your life!  We all want to change hearts and minds one note at a time.   And here is a way to start!

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Broken again-but it is only my finger

 So in my last post from September 2020, I spoke about breaking my left wrist-my dominant hand, and the challenges it would present for playing the piano.  Well, on January 20, 2021 -yes Inauguration Day in the States, I headed to our condo club house gym to use the elliptical and treadmill.   Having recovered mostly from my wrist injury, I though it would be good to get back into the exercise routine.   Well, as luck would have it, I got on the treadmill, and pressed the speed up button.  It was a treadmill I was unfamiliar with, in terms of exercise equipment.  I couldn’t get the machine to stop and end up rolling off of it, injuring my right index finger.   It was bleeding between my first and second finger, and I thought, well-I don’t think it was broken.

My husband was with me, and we headed to the emergency room.  And yes it was in fact broken, a minor break, but nevertheless broken.  I could only think....here we go again, doctor visits, splints, bandage wraps and alas, playing the piano on hold.

After I spent some time in the ER I left there with my finger in a splint, and the directive, to see my hand and wrist surgeon Dr. Marlo Van Steyn.   Interestingly, when I met with Dr. VanSteyn, she kindly told me that my finger break could have been a lot worse.  And that I was lucky.  I also got the impression that she didn’t put much stock in treadmills, and though she didn’t exactly say that, I made a decision then and there, that walking, the elliptical, and swimming would be the order of the day going forward.

I have to put in a bit of kudos to Dr. Van Steyn.  First and foremost, she is one of the kindest doctors I have ever met.  When you are sixty five and a hand surgeon tells you -“you have beautiful hands” you automatically start to feel better.  I wanted to say hey Dr. Marlo, I have handled paper, paper clips, staples, cleaning products, and all kinds of cooking utensils for over 30 years, and let me tell you, you can’t mean me.

She also made me realize that I could conquer the injury to my finger, and get back to a good degree of normal.  She also renewed my personal belief that one must always protect their hands.   I think that goes back to 7th grade at OE Dunckel Junior High in Farmington Hills, Michigan, when I received a D in gym for our volley ball unit.  I told my gym teacher that I was not playing volley ball, simply because I had to protect my hands, in case I became a concert pianist.   I am sure my gym teacher thought I was a kook, but here is the thing, I had a such good grades in my other subjects.  And I was able to weather the storm of a D in volleyball, for the sake of the piano.  Hurray.

I have also learned that if you believe in your physician, and she or he believes in you, you can accomplish just about anything.   Dr. Van Steyn ended up sending me to hand therapy and it is improving flexibility in my left wrist, and stiffness and mobility in my right finger.  And my hand therapist is strengthening my grip, which is sadly needed at my age.  So if your physician suggests therapy, don’t scoff and say to yourself, “self I really don’t need to do this,” because you probably do need it.

I add, hand and wrist therapy is occupational therapy and my therapist is on task and all business.  When you work hard and do your homework, you get a well deserved “congratulations.”  I also learned from Tammi Hartshorn, that she was at the Orthopedic One facility here in Columbus, Ohio, because she wanted to work with Dr. Marlo Van Steyn.  That was reassuring, because I know that they are working together, to make my hand and wrist better.   They both make an amazing team!!

There are loads of crazy hand and wrist therapy exercises.  Squeezing a tennis ball in different positions, rolling large glass marbles in your hands, and my all time favorite, rolling a tennis ball round and round a plastic plate or frisbee, to increase wrist mobility.  Every exercise, has a specific reason to do it.  And I have learned that if you do the exercises, results come, and they are generally good.

There is also the “grip measures” where you can find out if you are increasing your grip strength.  My grip strength is getting better, although incrementally.  And honestly, when you are in a hand, wrist, arm and shoulder therapy room, you look around and realize—-count your blessings.  A lot of folks have a lot worse crap than moi.  So again, one more reason not to whine.

So, I’m back to practicing.  There are still some pieces, that are taking a back seat for the moment.  But, I am discovering there is a lot of playing I can still handle reasonably well.  One must take a tortoise approach when playing a musical instrument after an injury, and I have always subscribed to the theory that slow and steady does win the race.

More piano adventures to come!

Broken but determined

 So Sunday September 6th, 2020 added some excitement to the Labor Day weekend.  A couple of our friends stopped by with an outdoor pizza, as we really haven’t seen many friends in months.  We just moved to a new condo development, and decided to take our pals down the street to look at a new patio home model that was under construction. 

Walking back to our condo, I cleverly tripped on a small rock, fell, and tried to break my fall with my left hand, which is in fact, my dominant hand.  Wrong move.  I could feel my wrist swelling as I got up from my slow motion fall, and what went through my mind was....piano playing is going down the tubes.

As luck would have it, our new patio home is close to the local urgent care/emergency room.  Since I don’t have a medical background, I decided a trip to the ER was warranted.  It must have been far too early when we arrived at the Urgent Care, as the place was basically empty.  They took xrays and determined I did in fact have a hairline fracture of my left wrist.  There is nothing like bandaging by a medical professional, and I left the place with a very white ace bandage, almost to the tips of my fingers.

On the way home I started to think about what I wouldn’t and couldn’t be doing over the next 6 weeks.  When it is your dominant hand it is always a bit daunting.  I add I am full on left handed, and cannot do much of anything with my right.   And after a visit to the local hand surgeon, it looks like I was looking at 6-8 weeks of inconvenience.   I don’t know, it is in my nature to cry, particularly, when I am not thinking clearly and can’t seem to find an initial way out of things.  But as head of the national crying committee, crying doesn’t take one very far...and honestly you can wreck your eye make up.

But when I got past those feelings, and realized I had already had two foot casts for bunion surgeries more than 10 years ago, I knew in my mind I would find a way.  In a pandemic world I rely on all my hobbies to see me through.  I am just a piano playing fool, and realized that a cast on my left hand is going to take away time from working on my new play list for a time, until playing at the Ohio State James Cancer Hospital will resume.  I also love to create through needlepoint, and I think for now, I am putting that on hold.  You can needlepoint with one hand, but I like needlepointing with two.  

So in thinking ahead, I decided that when my amazing piano tuner arrived for my 6 month tuning of my beautiful grand piano, I was at least preparing for the day when I would play again.  In fact, Mark Ritchie, decided that now was as good as time as any to pull the “action” out of the piano, and take it with him, so he could file the felt hammers, and generally get this amazing instrument in even better shape.  I bought my piano in 2002, and I have always been committed to tuning my piano twice a year.  If you care about the piano, you want the sound to be perfect.  There is nothing more horrible than playing on an untuned piano.   And there is nothing better than playing even the simplest of exercises on a piano that sounds great.

Mark Ritchie, is an incredibly knowledgeable piano tuner and piano restorer.  He has the confidence of many long time customers as well as the confidence of various local Central Ohio school systems.  He takes this artistic craft seriously, and appreciates that even amateur pianists like me, are willing to commit to excellence.  So if you need a tune up- message me if you are in the Central Ohio area, and I will send you his number.

So without my piano action/piano keys, my piano sits in our new house, as a reminder, that music is what makes this family, this home, this house Better, everyday.  I’ve blogged before about the piano symbolizing possibilities, and in this pandemic world I know I need all the possibilities I can get right now.

Interestingly, Mark Ritchie, is actually going to do some work on the action, that will voice the piano down a little.  We have a great room with an adjoining den, and the piano is in the beautiful den space.  With our wood floors, the sound is almost a bit too big, so, some professional work on my instrument might really make a difference.

For now I put piano lessons on hold.  But Dr. Suzanne Newcomb, ever the optimist, scanned and emailed some piano pieces to me for the right hand only.  Suzanne was a student of the great Leon Fleisher at Peabody, and he had a neurological  condition in 1964, when he lost the use of his right hand.  It was diagnosed as focal dystonia  forcing him to focus on the repertoire for the left hand, including Ravel’s Piano Concert for the Left Hand.   And in 2004, he played the world premier of Paul Hindemith’s Klavier music, a piano concerto for the left hand.    See Wikipedia notes on Leon Fleisher.

Just reading this about Maestro Fleisher, gives me hope, and I hope any pianist with an injury, hope.  He could have pulled back, and given up, but from what Dr. Newcomb tells me, he never did.  Isn’t that one of the points about any artistic endeavor, not giving up on creativity, not giving up on playing the piano, not giving up on drawing, not giving up on painting, not giving up on dance, or not giving up on cross stitch, needlepoint, knitting ever.  The story of Leon Fleisher and this set back for him is in part about not giving up on whatever feeds your soul.

So I am still whining, I’m still saying a Charlie Brown “aaaaargh,” but like a lot of other things that don’t go my way, when I take the necessary pause, I usually try to find a way.

So, re grouping, at 64, I would like to think I can always get better at it.  And I should have this cast off  in time to start working on my Christmas music sets.  Aaaaargh!!!!

30th Birthday Tribute to our own Sarah Pomeroy

 August 19, 2020

It's Sarah Catherine Pomeroy's birthday today!  Thirty years of our amazing daughter!   Sarah has played the piano since she has been about 6 years old.   She can play classical, Broadway show tunes, and most importantly she can play jazz.  One of Sarah's favorite pieces of music is Take Five by Dave Brubeck.  I have thought over the last few days, about how that piece of music correlates with her life.

 

First and foremost, Take Five is in 5/4 time.  Paul Desmond who was Brubeck's alto saxophonist wrote this amazing song, in the unusual 5/4 meter.  It sets the song apart from other jazz standards.   Almost everyone knows how Take Five begins, and if you don't, as soon as the left hand starts, you will know.  Just as that 5/4-time meter sets the song apart, the rhythm of Sarah's life sets her apart.  In the past 30 years, Sarah has internalized her own particular beat, and marches to it, loving us and Michael and standing by her many wonderful friends.

 

Jazz music, has the ability to calm folks down, and gives most of us a chance to focus on the actual music.   Sarah is simply like jazz.  She can calm her crazy anxious mom down, and also has the ability to make friends and family feel at ease.  In that way her family and friends can focus on a particular issue, a funny story, or any of the other exciting things going on in her life.  

 

Take Five as envisioned by Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond is about collaboration!  And our own Sarah Pomeroy is also about being collaborative.  She has been bringing friends together, since her marching band days at Watterson.  She never neglected her Watte high posse, which is incredible.  At Michigan State, she managed to forge amazing friendships, and marched to her own person beat, befriending professors, students and marching right to the Presidency of the Michigan State University Residence Hall Association.   And always listening to her own beat, with grace, and good humor.

 

Moritz College of Law was where she shook things up, just the way the song Take Five did.  She managed to live at home with the folks, while still studying her derriere off, and being part of a wide variety of law school activities.  Sar has so many cherished friends from law school, and we got a glimpse of those relationships, when various law pals would pass through chez Heischman.

 

Sarah began her career as an associate at Jones Day in Washington DC.  Again, she found her rhythm there, and again forged wonderful friendships.  But she knew that her real beat, the pulse on which she moves through life was in public service.  So, she came back to Columbus and is currently working with the City Attorney in the Zone Initiative group.    Often in jazz there are solos, but in the case of her current job, she is part of an amazing collaborative team with wonderful young lawyers. at the Zone Initiative, and I have never seen her happier professionally than she is right now.  She is also collaborating with wonderful friends who are part of the New Leaders Council – NLC.

 

So, on her 30th birthday, I think I can say what many critics have said about Take Five....it is a joy.  That aptly describes what Mark, moi and Michael think about Sarah – yes, she's an absolute joy.  Thanks for taking care of Michael like the wonderful big sister you are.  And thanks for sharing your views and thoughts on everything Sar.  Happy birthday Sarah Catherine Pomeroy.  Thanks for being a wonderful daughter and sister, and making our lives absolutely so much fun!

 

Love Mom Dad and Michael

 

 

 

 

Musically speaking during the pandemic

So folks, what does the amateur pianist do during the pandemic?  Well folks, the amateur pianist plays.  Dr. Suzanne Newcomb, yes folks, she has a doctorate from Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University, is one of the leaders in piano for the adult student.  Here in Central Ohio, that means that she has Adult Student Fridays.  You can sign up for a lesson, whether it is one, two or even more lessons a month.  This allows the adult piano students the flexibility that they need.   Sometimes, weekly lessons as an adult student can be a tall order, so with this arrangement, you can take the lessons, to meet your needs.

I took some time off from lessons to downsize our home and move to a condo.   That is a spectacular feat, within the throngs of a pandemic.  However, I can say that my trusty husband and I actually did it.     We moved during a pandemic, crazy but true.  The lessons and the work required to have a good lesson take me away from the constant unpacking and organizing and I am grateful.

Right now, I am working on several piano issues.  The first is use of the pedal.  I come from the amateur view, that I can simply depress the damper pedal, and consequently get through any piece with flying colors.   Well folks, that is an incorrect assumption, on the part of any student of piano.  So to correct my pedaling issues, I am working on a book of Pedal Preludes by Samuel Maykapar.  Born in Russia on December 18, 1867 and passing away on May 8, 1938, Maestro Maykapar saw a need for progressive training in pedaling, and I think this book of preludes fits the bill.  The book is critical in that each prelude contains a note on the pedal’s role in the prelude.  For folks like me, it has been helpful, and secretly, I add that I need to read the note first and then play.

I’m also working on a book of Nocturnes by Dennis Alexander.  The nocturnes are from early intermediate to late intermediate stage, and, I think they capture the magic of Nocturnes especially when one thinks of the Nocturnes of Frederic Chopin.  I have learned several Chopin nocturnes, and albeit, Mr. Alexander’s Nocturnes seem easier, I think they will help when I return to the nocturnes of Chopin.

I am also an avid fan of the Sonata format and I am currently working on the Sonate Opus 26, Number 3 by this incredible composer.  In all the time I have read about Muzio Clementi, I am most intrigued by his influence on Beethoven, Chopin and Czerny.  This sonata is beautiful, and not too long.    So for the amateur, one can feel like they are accomplishing something, musically.

I always have a secret popular piece to work on, just to branch away from the classical music genre.  Usually the piece is not one I take to my teacher, but something that allows me to break away from the lesson list, with a piece that intrigues me.  The latest piece falling under this category is a jazz piece called My Baby Just Cares for Me.  This is a 1930 jazz standard by Walter Donaldson.  Nina Simone has been referred to as the high priestess of soul, and she her rendition of My Baby Just Cares for Me, is well, incredible.   In fact, on YouTube.com there is a claymation cartoon of her singing this jazz classic.

I can play it very slowly, and honestly, the piece if I get it close to the marked speed is simply a dream.  The dream is always the same, I’m in a dark jazz piano lounge, wearing black velvet, with an alcohol free chocolate martini, at a 9 foot black Steinway, playing this song, and with an amazing singer.  In fact, I have the singer in mind, Faith Maupin from our own St. Peter Choir.  It is just a pipe dream, but the pipe dream is always about possibilities, and I never want to be in a place where I don’t think about the possibilities in life.

So that is at least at this time, my pandemic music activity.  I also recorded the piano accompaniment for a zoom choir song, that we will be putting together in the next week or so, so musically I manage to find a way.  I hope you step back into your musical journey soon, meaning today.

Rest in Peace Ellis Marsalis

During the Covid-19 crisis, about three weeks ago, I awoke to the news that Ellis Marsalis had passed away.  He was Wynton Marsalis' father, and a skilled jazz pianist in his own right.

Often, when I think about musicians I love, such as Wynton, I often wonder what their background was, and whether their parents or siblings had the gift of musicianship.   I discovered that Wynton's Dad, Ellis Marsalis was a jazz pianist in his own right, and taught piano to many jazz musicians.   In fact, one of his pupils was the pianist Harry Connick Junior.

Twenty plus years ago, I happened to be in Borders Books Store, perusing the wide selection of CDs they had in one section of the store.  I found myself in the jazz CDs and noticed a CD cover with Wynton and Ellis Marsalis.  The CD was Volume 3 The Standards, Resolution of Romance.  I flipped over to the back cover, and realized that the songs listed, were ones that my mother sang, and listened to, particularly when she was cleaning around the house. 

Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians.  And they are songs that are widely known by listeners.  I always think about the beautiful ballad Time After Time as a classic jazz standard.  Written in 1947 by Sammy Cahn on lyrics and music by Jules Styne, it has been recorded and performed by so many jazz musicians   I particularly like two versions, one by the singer Ella Fitzgerald and the other by the singer Tony Bennett.

So, when I saw the CD with Standards in the title, I thought, I need to buy this one!    I learned after my purchase, what a gifted musician, Ellis Marsalis was, and the great musical influence he had on Wynton, and his other sons Branford, Delfeayo, Jason, Mboya, and Ellis III.

Take a look at this quick and wonderful summary of Ellis Marsalis.  I think the article touches on Ellis as a husband, father, teacher and musician.  https://apnews.com/571a69e03af0a78dbc5d0899ad156270

One of the things that touched me in the article link was when sons Ellis III and Delfeayo went to see their father play in a club.  At the second set, there was only one man listening, but he was sleeping and drunk.   Ellis III asked his father why he was continuing to play for an audience of one.  Ellis responded that he was being paid to play a set, and he was going to stay and play, even if that man was the only person there.   Ellis III told the article's author, that he learned that first lesson about integrity from his father.

It made me think about when I play at the James, sometimes, there may only be one person sitting in that area of the lobby.   I often say to myself, this listener took the time to sit down and listen to me play, and I am going to give that listener, the best quality I can, in part because I committed to do so.  It made me feel good to read that about Ellis Marsalis.  Let's get real folks, musicians, both professional and amateur, we play our instrument or sing because we absolutely love it.    We want to share the music that is in each of us.  My mantra has always been changing hearts and minds one note at a time.  This story reminds me that, this is exact what Ellis Marsalis was doing.

Ellis Marsalis had a great influence on the musicians of New Orleans.  As a teacher, he spent his time and energy teaching students to play his kind of music.  And the musical world is better for the knowledge he imparted, as a teacher and fellow musician.

Many lives are being lost during this Covid-19 crisis.  Ellis Marsalis is one of the examples of the gems of this world who are lost to us.  But, we have his music, and we will listen, and be inspired.   And if you want to carry the inspiration with you, get that Standards CD, or download it, and experience the amazing Ellis Marsalis for yourself.

Rest in Peace Ellis Marsalis.  It is a continuing honor to listen to your music......one of the best!

Piano during the pandemic

In my 64 years, I never quite imagined a time like the one we are having right now.  I live in the Central Ohio area, near Columbus, and our Governor Mike DeWine, just issued a 15 day stay at home order.  I don't think it will be simply for 15 days, so I am starting to look around my home, and determine how I will spend my time.

I have written before in this blog, about my beloved grand piano and how it has saved me and will save me in the months ahead.  The piano to me means possibility.  First, and foremost, I am taking lessons from Dr. Suzanne Newcomb, and she is using i-pads and i-phones to give on line lessons.  Honestly, my first thought was "I don't think this can work."  But when I really stop to think about it, these technologies are providing a way to connect.    And connect I will. 

I have also thought of borrowing my mother-in -law's key board when the weather gets better, and heading out to the front porch to put on an outdoor concert for anyone who will listen.  I think it is possible for neighbors to hear some tunes and still maintain their 6 feet of obligatory distance.

I have been playing once a month at The James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio and right now all visitors are stopped from entering the hospital.  So music at the James through the Heather Pick Music Program appears to be on hold.  So again, when the weather gets better, I may simply head outside and give the naybors a small element of relief.   There was a recent story on the Today Show, where two young cellists right here in Columbus Ohio, entertained a neighbor sheltering in place on her front porch.

I have also thought about, the music I would like to learn, and now perhaps I have the time to learn it.   I don't want to give up on a Bach Prelude or even another Mozart Sonata.   I have some challenges right now in my practice efforts, working on use of the pedal and rhythm in duets.  However, I keep thinking now is the time to choose something bold, and really learn it.  Then I have my moments where I don't feel bold, but I feel scared, nervous, and even a little bit cray cray as my adult children like to say. 

And for my blog followers, if you have a wide variety of popular or lounge lizard music, as I like to call it....perhaps now is the time to work on some of the measures in those songs that you have been meaning to break down, but you let them get away.  Here is your chance amateur pianists of the world....Be bold, be big and dig in.   Which makes me think I could work more on the use of grace notes instead of ignoring them, as I often like to do. 

Looking ahead to beyond isolation, I think, wow perhaps it is the time to organize a concert of amateur pianists.  Perhaps we can play for a cause.  One near and dear to my heart right now, is my daughter's organization New Leaders Council here in Columbus, Ohio   These wonderful young people are part of a national organization that recruits, trains and promotes a rising generation of progressive leaders.    I've also considered a fund raiser recital for local artists, or an organization assisting foster youth aging out of that population.   I don't know, but simply because I'm isolated I don't plan to stop dreaming ever! 

So when you play your piano, thank your parents if they decided You should take piano lessons.  Piano lesson are one more tool in the parental arsenal to expand your children's horizons, open their possibilities.  Also, if you have a piano, and want to take lessons, explore in this challenging time a teacher who may be willing to teach you remotely.  Again, this is a time of being bold.  perhaps Winston Churchill's words must be taken to heart, "never give up, never give up, never give up."  There is some boldness for you.

Think of the music, scales, exercises, waltzes, nocturnes, preludes, lounge lizard songs.  You can play and you must play.  You as an amateur pianist can change hearts and minds one note at a time!!!