Yesterday, I had a rare opportunity for a 5 hour practice session! I love being able to relax into my practice, take my time to repeat things, and let the music really sink in. For several years while the kids were not yet in school, my practice always had to be ultra efficient, organized, and compact.

Which is a good thing in some ways, but not in others- I lost a sense of exploration in my practice.

Being able to play the piano accompaniments to my flute pieces (without a huge struggle) is such a dream come true for me. That is what initially got me serious about practicing the piano in college. I remember taking breaks from practicing flute to attempt the accompaniment to the Bach B minor flute sonata (not a good choice for a beginner, lol) at a painfully slow tempo. That would have been about 12-13 years ago.

I started playing the piano just before college, at the old age (for a pianist) of 16. It was so hard at first, for a long time. Every time I learned a piece, it felt like a slog through thick mud.

Shortly after grad school, I got my first church organist job. I didn’t play the organ yet, so I played the interview on the manuals, and agreed that I would learn to use the pedals. That was about 10 years ago now, and I’m still very basic on the organ. I think of myself as a very utilitarian keyboardist.

That being said, it has been invaluable for my overall musicianship. I guess my desire to learn piano is and always was with the aim of improving my flute playing. I couldn’t comprehend harmony, intonation, and rhythm the way I do without my piano practice.