December 21st, 2008 by Lisa | 60 Comments »
Two More Prizes Added to My Happy Holiday Contest!
First of all, let me say Thank You!
I have been so amazed at all of the incredible posts and stories I’ve read over the last several days. Thank you so much for all your wonderful responses to my Happy Holiday Contest- I have loved hearing from all of you! ~smile~
Because of the incredible number of responses, I wanted to show my appreciation to all of you and give out two more “piano playing surprises.” This means that I’ll be giving out a total of three prizes to three lucky aspiring pianists.
All you have to do is answer the following four questions and submit your comments to this post (or the previous My Happy Holiday Surprise post). The four questions are:
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
Remember, the three people who answer the questions the best (judged by me) will win. The winners will be someone who answer the four questions completely and understands most -the joy piano playing can bring to your life. And don’t worry you can still win even if you’ve never played ~smile~
So what are the TWO NEW prizes?
The TWO ADDITIONAL prize winners will BOTH receive:
• One entire year of access tomy acclaimed World’s Favorite Online Piano Lessons, called PremiumPiano, with simple to follow instructions and amazing piano teacher support…AND
• A complimentary spot on my new 4 week teleseminar designed to kick-start your piano playing and get you playing your favorite songs in record time.
And don’t forget that the first place prize winner will receive:
• A full ride 1 year scholarship to my new online piano academy program, PianoPlus with the SuperSupportSystem. This revolutionary training and support system is designed to give you all the support you need to accomplish your piano playing dreams.
• One entire year’s worth of lessons using my acclaimed World’s Favorite Online Piano Lessons with simple to follow instructions and amazing piano teacher support.
• A complimentary spot on my new 4 week teleseminar designed to kick-start your piano playing and get you playing your favorite songs in record time.
So if you haven’t already submitted your response, act quickly because the contest ends on Tuesday, December 23 at midnight.
And I’ll be announcing the winner on Wednesday, December 24 as soon as I finish reading every last entry submitted.
Thank you and if you haven’t submitted your entry please do because I would love to hear from you!
Happy Playing,
Lisa
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
In the past, I have tried to learn piano on my own, but without much success. The main reason is that I have tried other courses where I lost my interest very quickly due to them making piano playing seem very complex or they simply were not fun.
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
Time. I work 2 jobs in order to support my family that includes 3 kids and the only time I could really practice would be later in the night. We do have a piano at home, but at night, I don’t want to play it because of the noise. However, we are getting a Casio 76-key keyboard for Christmas, so I am very excited that I will be able to play at anytime while using headphones! Also, because of my time constraints to my jobs and family first, I don’t have a lot of time to sit down and learn the piano for hours a day. What caught my eye to your site was the 10 minutes a day motto. I can spare 10 minutes a day and your free lessons that I looked at are wonderful…..very simple!
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
I remember when I was younger and Lionel Richie belt out those beautiful ballads on the piano like Still, Three Times a Lady, and Truly, and I remember thinking that if there is any one skill that I don’t have that I wish I had, it was to be able to play the piano like that while singing. No, I didn’t want to be a pro basketball player or fly to the moon, I wanted to just play piano ballads like that. I used to dream about that all the time. Somewhere down the line, that dream dissipated because I realized that I may never be able to play at that level without a substantial amount of time and money for a piano teacher.
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
The first benefit will be for myself and realizing my dream that I gave up on long ago. I can’t begin to explain to you what that will mean to me. If I finally get to that level, it will be a very emotional moment for me. Also, playing the piano will be a great stress reliever for me in my busy life. When I need to “get away” for a little while, the piano will be first place that I will run to. Secondly, my 12- year-old daughter loves music. She plays the alto saxophone in her school band and like me, tries to teach herself piano. She plays the piano practically every single day. It would mean the world to me to be able to learn the piano together and to be able to bond through music. My family has always come first in my life, so it gets me very emotional just imaging my daughter and I one day playing a ballad together at her wedding. And lastly, my wife has been such a great support for our family over the years, and if I am able to play and dedicate a ballad to her, it would be something that she is so deserving of and I know that she would not be able to hold back the tears.
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
I have been a dancer for about 10 years and recently made a complete career change – going back to school for 2 years. My main challenge has been time. Project work and getting through this second degree AND practicing has been tough.
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
You know its a little sentimental – but growing up I played the flute and sax but my parents are not musical and we so were unable to accompany me in my practice. I want to be able to play along with my future children and support them in the wonderful activity of playing music. I’d love to play Mozart, my boyfriend is a Trumpet player on Broadway so some of the good ole Broadway classics would be fun too.
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
Wanting to run before I can walk! sorry – just can’t wait to play on and on and on.
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
There is so much music in my life and for that I am really thankful, having been a Modern dancer for so long music has been an incredible inspiration for me, my brother is a band – two albums and constant touring, my boyfriend is a wonderful Jazz musician and Commercial trumpet Player – my being able to play the piano would allow my add to that tradition and keep the creativity flowing.
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
I think the greatest challenge for me is in believing that I can learn to play the piano at my age – hitting pretty close to 50! I don’t know how well I will be able to remember the keys and especially the chords – seems a bit daunting to me.
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
I’m not sure if I will be able to maintain a practice schedule. I have been ill for the last 5 years (couchbound for most of the time) and I am not sure if I will be able to sit and practice for the length of time necessary to see progress.
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
I would love to play songs that the entire family can sit around and sing and dance to at gatherings. I think that it would build a terrific tradition and bonding experience. Perhaps it would encourage others to learn as well.
I would also like to play songs that my young nieces can sing to enjoy – simple children’s songs.
There are also a few pop/rock songs that I would like to learn for my own personal enjoyment.
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
Ever since I was about 10 years old I have wanted to learn to the play the piano. We were poor and could not afford it so it was a dream that was “put away”.
I have thought about taking lessons and learning but I never had the room for a piano. I was finally able to buy a digital piano that fits in my apartment so I can now fulfill the dream – that would be the great benefit – to give my inner child a dream coming true.
I would start to create a tradition in the family of listening to and singing to the songs that everyone could sing. There is so little that holds family together nowadays and I would like to have something that we could all remember and cherish. So building a tradition would be the second benefit.
The third benefit would be to increase my self-confidence and self-esteem and to face a fear and prove to myself that I could actually do it!
1.) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
My main challenge is “no piano” and “no keyboard”. It seems like everyone has a piano or a keyboard. Not here.
2.) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing piano like you’ve always dreamed?
No money to buy a keyboard and no time. Here on the Navajo Indian Reservation, nobody plays piano. You only see piano in churches, not in homes. Very few people play piano too, this is the reason I believe its a challenge. Preacher or Pastor’s wife and/or their children are usually the only ones that can play piano. Our Pastor’s daughters were the only ones that could play piano in our church. After they grew up, they went their seperate ways to make a living for themselve. Now our church does not have a piano player, I can not believe how we sound sometimes. The piano music must have covered our flaws. I just look at the piano sometimes and image me playing. I know it will be a challenge, first I would have to buy a keyboard which I found out are not cheap (from your website information a couple of weeks ago).
3.) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
I always wanted to play church worship songs. Its medican for the soul.
4.) What are the three greatest benefits you will enjoy from playing the piano?
1. Sing with my children while playing the piano.
2. Play music when ever I want to, I will have no limitation to playing piano. ~Big smile~
3. Provide encouragement to others in my music and songs of worship.
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
I must say the lack of material.
I had so much fun going thru the free material you offer on your site. By the end of lesson 3, I was hooked but dissapointed to learn there was no more Free Lessons. Belive me, had there been more material available, I would be happier today.
Don’t misunderstand, I am busy, but I do make it a point to find time to practice. (Since I could not continue this, I picked up Guitarr cords online and that’s what I am practicing)
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
Just like everyone else, I am also struggling with finances.
I cannot afford private lessons (like the one you offered online: easy to follow, at ones own pace and schedule, easy to understand, etc.
I checked out a book “Piano for Idiots” The book is good, but I guess I was looking for a format similar to yours( easy to understand and to follow).
I will say Finances and lack of accesable material…
in the mean time, I am doing good with my Guitar (Cords, Harmonic Circles and now even singing church chorus in spanish such as:
“Yo tengo un Amigo que me Ama” etc.
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
I do wish I could play the piano with ease like Richard Cliderman (he is awsome)
I now know how to play Ode to Joy, thanks to you.
I am considering myself as a person with many gifts and abilities, I have a full time job in a parts whse. I also serve as a Youth Pastor in my local community church, I have a family (3 Boys 17, 14, & 12 a busy house!!!!.) Yes I am, as we say in church, “a blessed man” nevertheless, I am hungry to learn and hopefully to master the piano…
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
The benefits will have to outweight the challenges by far, other wise, one will never put the time & effort to accomplish it.
What drove me into learning to play was a simple personal goal. “the enjoyment of playing and singing those songs I learned in Mexico while being rised in the Christian Orphanage in Morelia, Mich.” Our Care taker was a little old lady from New Zeland, Mirtle M. Paulsen, she played the piano and all of us children sang along while she played an old piano in the dinning room area. Yes, that simple goal is driving me into what has been a very difficult road. It’s difficult simply because I am not musically talented and have to work, practice, and study 5X more than an avarage musician.
I find this contest encouraging. To all potential piano players, It’s difficult to master any instrument but not Imposible.
Practicing with my Guitarr has taught me that you can only go forward in my goals..
Miss. Lisa thank you for those Free Piano lessons on your site. (Give us More!!!)
God Bless you all.
Pastor Gomez
Sent one of these that was kinda long…… But, to put it all in a nutshell…… I LOVE MUSIC, and would love to enjoy it but….. I can’t carry a tune in the biggest bucket, so I want to learn to play my new roll out piano……
Hi Lisa:
My response to the questions are as follows:
Q1: What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
Ans: The main challenge holding me back from playing the piano is the constant conflict between work and time. Being a freshman at Boston University, I have just entered the academic sphere and am required to not only learn from but also significantly contribute to my major, Computer Science. Both the piano and Computer Science are an integral part of my personality: just like a human being needs to eat and drink to survive, I derive my energy from playing the piano and ruminating about the academic realm. In my life, I endeavour to manage my schedule in such a way that I can give adequate time to both of my interests. Here lies a challenge! Once I indulge in a particular thing, I cannot get myself to leave it midway and move on to a different subject. Though I have assigned one hour in my every day schedule to playing the piano, this time division usually varies; it all depends on the vocation with which I start my day. I have seen that I tend to give too much time to this vocation, thereby sacrificing the time I had planned to dedicate in pursuit of other interests. Many days I have worked on the computer for long hours and ended up playing the piano for less than ten minutes, while on others, I have played the piano for hours at a stretch and not bothered about programming. Adherence to time management is the need of the hour!
Q2: What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
Ans:Primary among “the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like [I have] always dreamed” (Lisa) is the unacquaintance with the right techniques. The reason for the unawareness about the right way to do a particular thing is two fold: firstly, I often end up practising the wrong thing due to the lack of good teachers at my hometown of Assam, India. The winter and the summer breaks are the only times when I have ample opportunities to play the piano. During the fall and the spring semesters, on the other hand, I have to race with time in an attempt to give adequate attention to both Computer Science and piano. Many a times my music professor at Boston says that things I have learnt at home are wrong. This makes the process tedious, as it is hard to unlearn what one has already learned. Here your “Online Piano Lessons” become invaluable to me. They are a perfect guide to playing the piano and help me to imbibe the right techniques to master the instrument; for instance, I was facing a lot of trouble while shifting my hand position during a piece. Then I referred to your online lessons and saw the video that advised one to focus on the finger which was to play the next note while changing the hand position. You also bought about the realization that if I managed to press the right key after shifting the hand, the rest of the fingers automatically come in position. I was surprised to see the applicability and effectiveness of your technique. The second reason that hampers my piano playing experience is the presence of students in my music class who have tutors at home. At Boston University, I am on full scholarship and live in a university residence. Considering the high cost to get a personal tutor, I have never had the advantage to have one on one interactions with music professors- your live online conferences are, of course, an exception and an opportunity I had never thought I could avail. The students in my music class already know what is being taught; consequently, the class goes at very fast pace and I am unable to clarify all my doubts. Lisa, your piano lessons have come as a benediction for me. It was solely on their basis that I prepared for the piano finals and secured an A in the course. Your advice to count aloud to maintain the rhythm helped me to perform my final piece at a consistent pace. Despite of not having a personal tutor, I was among the top five students in the course. Using the online notes, I can go at my own pace and ensure that I understand the basics before moving on to play different pieces.
Q3: What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
Ans: I have a passion for classical, romantic, and inspirational songs. Pieces written by Allegretto are also among my favourites. I believe that the beauty of classical songs will last till eternity and always have the capability to touch the innermost feelings of music lovers. Inspirational songs encourage me to never be complacent about progress and strive for perfection. After hearing them, I have realised that life has so much to offer. One just needs to have the willingness to go from strength to strength and Providence leads the way.
Q4: What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
Ans:The piano has always rejuvenated my soul. When I play the piano, I forget all the daily life tensions and am entranced by the music. It makes me realise that life is indeed very beautiful. The combination of the piano and Computer Science has helped me go a long way in life: the serenity of music is like a replenishing tool in my wild search for knowledge. After playing the piano, I feel calm and tranquil. This satisfied state of mind increases my concentration and observing power. It sharpens the saw and encourages me to strive until I achieve perfection. While playing the piano, I better understand who I really am. Music helps me to comprehend my goals in life, my aspirations, and dwell opon questions such as what I really want out of life.
It transcends my conscious mind and leads to positive vibrations in the subconscious.
Apart from personal enrichment, the piano helps me to communicate my feelings of love and respect towards my companions. The smile that spreads on my friend’s face when I play the happy birthday song makes all the effort put in to master the piano worthwhile. I believe that music is the best way to communicate and help somebody understand your emotions.
Another benefit of playing the piano is that it gives an entirely different dimension to one’s personality and is a valuable addition to the resume. People have come to realize the importance of musicians and graduate schools consider music as one of the best extra-curricular activities.
Lisa, I have had another very significant benefit from playing the piano; it was while attempting to indulge in the world of piano that I learned that people like you who are willing to impart education for free still exist in today’s world. Hats off to you!! Way to go!
Regards,
Shailendra Khemka
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for the free piano lessons online. I have always wanted to play an instrument in my life, piano being one of them, but was not able to afford it until i came acrossyour site.Thank you and keep on smiling + try and get some sleep!!!!
1) What is the main challenge holding you back from playing the piano?
My main challenge is time. I’m a full time mum, mother of two(under five).
2) What are the other obstacles keeping you from playing the piano like you’ve always dreamed?
Not being able to sponsor myself for the lessons and all the other requirements.
3) What song or type of music have you always wanted to play?
I love music. Any song really, classical, esp church songs.
4) What are the three greatest benefits you’ll enjoy from playing the piano?
Being able to perform in a concert, just to get lost in the music, i mean, i love the sound of the piano, it gives joy that i cannot explain, to be able to play for those less able to and yet enjoy the sound of the piano…beautiful esp. to the ailing, cos i believe the sound of the piano brings a smile to ones face and everything within just wakes up!!! There’s something soooo beautiful about this musical instrument.
Thank you Lisa.
Caroline
[...] First Place goes to: Steve Andrews [...]
[...] First Place goes to: Steve Andrews [...]