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Piano, finally

David Reidy

Piano Finally is a podcast by an old bloke who is learning the piano, finally. I cover the process of learning the piano and music theory as an adult learner. I also review piano books, hardware and other materials from an adult learner's perspective.

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  • 22 episodes
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  • Avg 16 min
  • English

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  • S1 · E104
    Sunday · 19 min

    Episode 104 - On Paper

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to show number one hundred and four of Piano, finally. Let's see if I can get everything right this week! Welcome, I share some thoughts on renewing my Sydney Symphony Orchestra subscription and provide an update on the choir's progress for our December concert. We've got the repertoire sorted, and thankfully Sweet Disposition is reserved for the Perth festival, so I get a pass on that bass part! Also, a quick reminder that early-bird tickets for the 30th Blue Mountains Music Festival are available until mid-November: https://www.bmff.org.au/ What's been playing I have been enjoying Daniel Thrasher's fun classical pieces (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gStpYu84aRQ), a brilliant one-take cover of Pink Floyd's Money by sina-drums at Abbey Road Studios (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMuG3XoOw0l), and Pierre Piscitelli's fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how he makes his videos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYpQPZH43s). Essay - On Paper: This week, I explore my approaches to using sheet music, and whether it is better on paper or digitally.I share my current setup, which involves some very nice Blackwing pencils (https://thesydneyartstore.com.au/collections/graphite/products/palomino-blackwing-soft-graphite) for paper scores, and a 13" iPad Pro running Newzik for digital scores.[cite: 4, 5] While digital is incredibly convenient for syncing finger numbers and annotations across devices, paper still has its place.[cite: 5, 6] Electronics will never replace browsing through Sappho Books (https://www.sapphobooks.com.au/) or DaCapo (https://www.dacapo.com.au/). Let's embrace both! Learning - What's new: I've got the new practice space set up, placing the Yamaha Montage M8x in a spot where it gets played numerous times a day.[cite: 6, 7] I'm slowly but steadily working on Pierre Piscitelli's tutorial for Candle in the Wind. I'm also preparing to dive into Guy Michelmore's new course on Harmony. Closing & Progress I'll be taking the Montage to the repairer to get the broken knob fixed. We also have a choir performance at the Parramatta Pride Picnic coming up. Finally, I share my progress with the Montage, experimenting with the opening of Candle in the Wind and the Trumpet Tune. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E103
    September 27 · 17 min

    Episode 103 - Background Music

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to show number one hundred and three of Piano, finally. I'm on holidays! Term 3 is over, and I'm planning to use the break to get the secondary music spot better organised for some short practice sessions. My new Yamaha Montage M8x keyboard has arrived, though it has a slightly broken knob that I'm getting sorted. I also picked up a hard case for it, which is quite a bit heavier than the case for the MODX M6! Just a quick reminder that early bird tickets for the 30th Blue Mountains Music Festival are now available. You can grab yours here: https://www.bmff.org.au/ What's been playing Last week, ABC Radio's The Music Show covered a fascinating family singing continuously for 400 years, alongside Brian Dessner's new cello concerto, The Trembling Earth. I also had a fantastic workshop with the Luminescence Chamber Singers who travelled up from Canberra to help us with phrasing and timing for our upcoming choir concert. Check out their October concerts and a video of them performing All is Well here: https://www.luminescence.org.au/ On YouTube, I found two great videos. Pierre Piscitelli has a wonderful tutorial on Candle in the Wind, which is definitely on my list to learn. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKFhbSLn-Vs. Also, check out Every Piano Player's Worst Nightmare... (Here's what to play) by Piano with Melanie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfNZ4rvYTsA. I might give her suggested piece a try next time I'm early to choir practice! Background Music This week, I've been pondering a question: is music always meant to be listened to? At a recent school building opening, two brilliant Year 10 students played live background music. They were fantastic, yet mostly ignored as people mingled. It got me thinking about how background music is everywhere—from supermarkets to weddings—and whether having live musicians fade into the background is a good thing for them financially, or just frustrating when their hard work is overlooked. Let me know how you balance live music and paying musicians proper respect! What's New I've started working on the opening bars of Candle in the Wind and slowly navigating the hundred-plus controls on my new Yamaha Montage keyboard. My long-term goal is to learn the process of picking up a lead sheet and producing something decent, rather than just playing the right notes from a full score. Closing I went to see some of my students in a local, cut-down production of Beauty and the Beast by Fantasia Showstoppers, and I was pleasantly surprised by the exceptional singing! Find out more about them here: https://www.fantasiashowstoppers.com.au/ If you'd like to reach out, email me at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. Let me know where you are in your musical journey! The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but that these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E102
    September 13 · 13 min

    Episode 102 - Short

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to show number one hundred and two of "Piano, finally", a podcast by an old bloke who is discovering music because he got around to learning the piano. It’s been a relatively quiet week musically, consisting mostly of a voice lesson, choir rehearsal, and some evening practice. However, this week’s show is shorter than usual. With fun events happening after work every day next week and finalising all the marking for the term, there wasn't enough time to write the planned essay on what goes on behind the scenes when putting something big together. The new school building was also opened on Friday, complete with open day events and fantastic background music provided by students to celebrate the school's fortieth birthday. Festivals and Summits This weekend is the AltStrings Practice Summit. While primarily aimed at string players, this free summit for amateur adult musicians has a lot to offer, so I opted for the paid version to access the recordings rather than paying attention at 2:30 in the morning. Also, early bird tickets are now available for the 30th Blue Mountains Music Festival happening next March. Grab them here: https://www.bmff.org.au/. What's been playing The third season of the ABRSM "Start Here" podcast has surprisingly dropped two new episodes covering Punk and House music. The series is comprehensive and an excellent way to expand your musical horizons. You can listen here: https://shows.acast.com/abrsm-start-here. On ABC Radio, "The Music Show" featured a look back at the career of John Farnham, diving deep into "You're the Voice". Check out the episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/musicshow/john-farnham-whispering-jack/107070578. This ties into a new biography and an upcoming musical based on his life premiering in November. Get tickets to the musical here before it sells out: https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/2026/productions/whispering-jack. Other than that, I'm listening to choir practice tracks like "Barefoot" and "The Day You Went Away" to get a proper feel for the music. Learning - What's new I've made a bit of progress in the "How to Write A Great Melody" course by Guy Michelmore. I've been using the motif generator to come up with short, one-bar phrases that will form the basis of my next exercises. To get closer to playing familiar pop music, I've been exploring the types of keyboards used in classic recordings. David Bennett recently released "Top 10 Rhodes Songs of All Time", which covers the development of Rhodes pianos. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CV0Jv1Z0To. Pierre Piscitelli also has his own version of Rhodes intros, which you can check out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CimnsB-IHpk. I’ve been using these videos to play with the settings on the Nord and MODX. Progress at the Keys The Trumpet Tune is coming along nicely, and I finally have the timing of the trills working properly into the next notes. With the right-hand working, I'm starting to bring in the left-hand chords. Excitingly, I'm making a start on a cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". With the Montage M8X arriving this coming week, I've purchased a package of settings based around Pink Floyd's music and am testing them out. Closing Piano practice will take a back seat this week as I attend the 2027 season launches for the Sydney Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare, plus a read performance of Henry VI Pt 2, the annual Astronomy evening at Macquarie University, and a vocal workshop. If you want to reach out, email david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E101
    September 6 · 18 min

    Episode 101 - Listen widely

    Welcome to show number one hundred and one! Thanks to everyone who stuck around, and a special thanks to Bill Hilton for mentioning the milestone in his newsletter. Over the next hundred episodes, I'm introducing two new sections: what I've been looking at and listening to for general musical education, and an in-depth look at something I've learned during the week. I'll still occasionally review equipment like the Yamaha Montage M8X when it arrives to pair with my MODX M6. What's been playing Over the last few weeks, I’ve added new tracks for the upcoming choir concert. Singing in the choir has forced me to learn music I'd never normally consider, like the K-pop Demon Hunters track Golden. I've also been enjoying The Whitlams' Blow Up the Pokies, kd lang's Barefoot, Tainted Love, and Moon River. On the piano side, I attended a brilliant concert in Newtown featuring improvised music by Mark Isaacs and performances by my piano teacher, Devi Mammak. She played her own compositions, along with Beethoven and Chopin, and finished with a wonderful interpretation of the second movement of Beethoven's Pathetique sonata played in the style of Chopin. If you're around Sydney in September, try to catch these Wednesday evening concerts in a great acoustic space: https://events.humanitix.com/host/eight-o-clock-sharp https://www.emus.space/events/2026-09-02-88x8-mark-isaacs-and-devi-mamak/ I also saw Lucas and Arthur Jussen brilliantly perform Francis Poulenc's Concerto for 2 pianos in D minor with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. We also heard selections from Poulenc's Les Animaux Modèles and Ottorino Respighi's Pines of Rome. Conductor Stéphane Denève even brought an original 78rpm record of a nightingale to play on an era-appropriate gramophone during the Respighi piece! (Catch the broadcast on ABC Classic FM on 18 November). Listen widely It’s common to stick to safe, comfortable music, but being adventurous pays off. Whether through choir repertoire, SSO concert series, or podcasts like the ABRSM's Start Here and the ABC's The Music Show, there are countless ways to discover incredible new pieces and artists. For less than the cost of an album each month, you can access almost everything ever recorded, so get out there and listen widely. Learning - What's new I've started a new online course from Thinkspace Education by Guy Michelmore called How to Write a Great Melody. I'm not planning to become a composer, but it’s a fun way to understand the process. So far, we've analyzed melodies like Baby Shark and Schindler's List. Progress I'm working towards the November piano recital. This week, I practiced the right-hand melody for Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here on the synth and worked on the Purcell-based piano piece Trumpet Tune. If you'd like to contact me, email me at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but that these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E100
    August 30 · 17 min

    Episode 100 - A Century

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to show number one hundred of "Piano, finally"! It has taken a while to get here, but things have been pretty busy. Musically, the biggest event was the Belong choir concert. We performed two sold-out shows at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville with a ten-piece band. Despite some early logistical hiccups with the stage setup, it was a spectacular experience. Reflecting on the past hundred episodes, starting the piano wasn't quite a spur-of-the-moment decision. I began with a backup plan, but it has become a pretty important part of what I do. I'm finding that the old saying, "the journey is more important than the destination", is very much holding true. Saying "yes" rather than "no" to joining a vigil choir eventually led to all of this. Where to for the next hundred episodes? I'll be adding lead sheets and popular music to my learning, making my playing more entertaining and accessible. This has given me a reason to explore new stage keyboards. I'm waiting on a Yamaha Montage M8X and am already using a MODX-M6, so expect some different sounds soon! The choir singing will continue, Devi will be back for piano lessons, and the podcast will keep going. I'm also planning to discuss traditional software tools and electronics I use for learning. I've also been enjoying other music recently, seeing the Pink Floyd Experience in Penrith to celebrate fifty years of Wish You Were Here, and performing off-book with the choir at the Blackheath Choir Festival. What have I been practising? I'm working on a lead sheet version of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and The Spice Girls' "Wannabe". If you'd like to contact me, email is best at david@pianofinally.show and the website is www.pianofinally.show. This podcast is produced on the lands of the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples, the first musicians in this place. I pay my respects to their elders, past and present. Until next week, I hope your piano stays in tune, and you enjoy your time at the keys. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E99
    June 14 · 17 min

    Episode 99 - Why music?

    Welcome to show number ninety-nine! In this week's show, I'll review an amazing production at the Sydney Theatre Company, take a musical trip back to the 1960s courtesy of the Blue Mountains Musical Society, and try to prioritise things. First, I must apologise for the unexpected break in the shows. It has been four weeks since episode 98; things just got in the way with visitors, exams, and reports. Progress Update My piano lessons are going well. We have gone back to some of the older pieces to get them up to a performance level, like the Purcell Trumpet Tune. Coincidentally, Paul Fey recently put out a video playing the piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OYOH-KWTGS. The singing lessons are also helping, as I can now hit notes I couldn't hit earlier in the year. Review - Sydney Theatre Company - An Iliad I recently went to see the STC's production of An Iliad, an adaptation of Homer's work. The cast is just two people: cellist and flautist Helen Svoboda, and the storyteller, David Wenham. The staging is simple, black, and empty except for a heavily loaded cart, ensuring the focus is always on the two people on stage. The story is compelling, covering the events of Homer's Iliad, but turning into a tale about war in general. The season is sold out, but you can see a promo here: https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/2026/productions/an-iliad. Essay - Why Music? With so many work-related tasks, social obligations, and hobbies, I've had to start setting priorities. I was wondering why I give so much of my discretionary time to music. While science and teaching are both creative, it is still work. Music is a different kind of creativity. Right now, I'm focusing on the mechanics of playing the piano, relying on others' creativity. The simple sense of victory over a D major scale played hands together is a nice add-on to the day, offering an immediate sense of accomplishment. I'll wrap up these ideas in part two next week. Review - Georgy Girl The Blue Mountains Musical Society recently put on Georgy Girl, a musical based on the career of The Seekers. The production focused mostly on the last five years of the 1960s. The cast did an amazing job, particularly the four stars carrying the show: Isabella Schroder, Tim Gerber, Benjamin Roorda, and Rowan Brown. While this production has closed, they have Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat coming up: https://bmms.org.au/show/georgy-girl-2026/. Closing To get in touch, email me at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E98
    May 17 · 16 min

    Episode 98 - One thing at a time

    Welcome to show number ninety-eight. In this week's show, I'll review Matthew Cawood's latest video, talk about the myth of multi-tasking and let you know how last night's performance went. During my voice lessons on Monday, we found that I can now get to the D# above middle C reasonably consistently, and the E above that occasionally. This week's piano lesson was longer, and we spent a good bit of time on A Mingus Among Us. Thursday night was the choir rehearsal, but the highlight of the week was the performance on Saturday at the International Convention Centre. Review - Matthew Cawood Matthew Cawood's latest video, How to open any piece of music and just play it, looks at sight-reading. Matthew starts by explaining the difference between sight-reading and learning a new piece. He moves on to the two levels of sight-reading: recognising individual notes and then recognising patterns. He provides a list of things you really should know before attempting to play a piece: the key signature, the time signature, the performance markings, dynamics, and articulations. He also suggests that you should be practising just on the edge of failure to get the maximum benefit. Matthew has a new project, The Practice Room, designed as a community for adult learners. Essay - One thing at a time Multitasking is a myth. When most people attempt two complex tasks at the same time, the quality of both suffers. When I started singing with the choir, I found myself much better able to name the bass clef notes. Why? Because using my voice is automatic, so all my attention can go into note reading. If I'm at the piano, moving the right fingers on the right keys is already a complex task, leaving little room for analysing notes. The only way to deal with this is to practise so that you only need to do one complex thing at a time. For the piano, getting the correct fingers on the correct keys moves to automatic, and it's no longer part of the multitasking. Sydney Children's Hospital Charity Ball Performance On Saturday, I was part of the choir performance for the Emerald Ball fundraiser for the Sydney Children's Hospital in the ballroom of the International Convention Centre. The choir's job was to accompany the end of a video presentation detailing the story of a young patient. We sang A Million Dreams over the montage section. After a 4:30 pm sound check and a lot of waiting around, the performance went without a hitch! I even discovered that the choir's event manager, Terry, and I had been in the same production of Oliver back in 1974. Closing & Progress Next week, I won't be at the choir rehearsal on Thursday as I am taking a group of students to Macquarie University for a science lecture. I am continuing progress on A Mingus Among Us. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E97
    May 10 · 16 min

    Episode 97 - Tradition

    G'day, everyone! Welcome to show number ninety-seven. In this week's show, I discuss getting back to learning scales, the changing way society approaches learning music, and last week's pretty special Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert. Progress Update I had my piano and voice lessons on Monday. Finding time to practice the piano has been a bit of a challenge lately, so progress is slow, but the singing is coming along nicely! I can now reach some notes that were previously out of my range. Our choir is more than halfway through the repertoire, and we are now doing full run-throughs of some numbers as we are only two months away from the performances. Review - Scales I have two excellent reference books that list all the piano scales: https://amzn.to/4whjbsm https://amzn.to/48Ms6ln Instead of reviewing them, I wanted to share the approach Devi, has suggested for my practice. Playing scales straight up and down is pretty boring, so adding variety makes the repetition much more bearable. I'm focusing on C major and G major across two octaves. Aside from getting the fingering right, the main focus is on keeping a strictly even tempo and getting exactly the same loudness for each note. I'm also practising them staccato in both hands, using contrary motion, and—quite trickily—playing staccato in one hand and legato in the other. Essay - Tradition There is a long tradition of learning and playing music, stretching back thousands of years—from the songlines of Indigenous Australians to the singing bards in Homer's Odyssey. But times and traditions are changing. I used to buy a new CD every week and chat with the staff at the local classical music shop. Today, for less than the cost of one CD, I have access to almost everything ever recorded via Apple's classical catalogue. I am curious to see what new traditions will emerge around modern music listening. SSO Concert: The Planets Last weekend, I attended the Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert at the Opera House with Nigel Westlake's percussion concerto, When the clock strikes me, performed brilliantly by Rebecca Lagos. We also heard Charles Ives' Unanswered Question, followed by Holst's The Planets. The Holst piece was particularly interesting because it was a "Symphonic Cinema" performance. You can find out more here: https://www.sydneysymphony.com/events/symphonic-cinema-the-planets Closing We have an extra rehearsal for a charity event next Saturday, where we will be singing A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman. I'm also hoping to check out a second-hand music score shop I found in Sydney. Contact me at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E96
    May 3 · 13 min

    Episode 96 - In it for the money

    Welcome to show number ninety-six! In this week's show, I'll discuss money and music, and let you know about an amazing free resource I've found on YouTube. You may have noticed that the last show came out a day early, and the week before that, there wasn't an episode at all. That was because I was called out to help with the St Vincent de Paul van. Sometimes, other things just have to take priority! In it for the money I was listening to the Music Show on the weekend, where a quote by Stephen Sondheim was mentioned. When asked what the difference between a musical and an opera is, he answered, "A musical is a way of making money and an opera is a way of spending it." This got me thinking about the influence money has on how we approach music. Comparing productions like Opera Australia's Turandot and the musical The Book of Morman, the audience experience is very similar, but the financials are not. The opera relies heavily on government funding to stay afloat, while the musical breaks box office records. Opera is marketed as elite entertainment, meaning it doesn't really have to go out and sell itself to a wider audience. How does this affect us as piano learners? It is likely the reason why exam syllabus books almost exclusively feature classical or classical adjacent pieces. Piano learning relies heavily on hundreds of years of musical tradition instead of having to promote itself from the ground up. Hal Leonard Choral My SATB (Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses) choir encourages practising outside of sessions, but finding a proper SATB score for a song can be tough. Luckily, the music publisher Hal Leonard has six different YouTube channels where they show the score of a piece of music perfectly synced with a high-quality performance. The choral section has genre playlists containing hundreds of videos, making it very easy to follow along with the score and learn the music. It is an amazing resource! https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hal+leonardhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f37Uf5Apj9w Progress and Closing It is going to be a busy week with voice and piano lessons, school debates, and choir rehearsals. Because of this, very little piano practice got done this week. This week I'm including Daniel McFarlaine's Titans, recorded using the Kawai NV10, with the Kontact Claire Piano emulating a Fazioli grand piano in concert mode, via Cubase 15 and a Mac Mini Pro. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E95
    April 18 · 14 min

    Episode 95 - It's not a race

    Welcome to episode 95! I'm David Reidy, an old bloke getting around to learning the piano, finally. In this week's show, I review a new book about scales and arpeggios, discuss piano racing, and suggest one of my favourite YouTube creators who is back from a break. Listener Feedback & Progress I received an email from Chris, an adult piano learner, with some great suggestions for my learning and the podcast. It is genuinely gratifying to hear from listeners, as it's usually just me in the room when recording. In terms of my own progress, choir rehearsals are going well for our July performance. The singing has unexpectedly helped me translate my treble clef reading to the bass clef. Review: The Piano Scale Book I recently picked up The Piano Scale Book by Ben Andrew, a new release from Hal Leonard. It simplifies conventional classical scale learning using practical, colour-coded keyboard illustrations for fingerings. The book includes digital resources with 87 Synthesia-style videos. If you need to brush up on scales, it's worth a look. Grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/48twBrh. Essay: It's not a race After watching a Rick Beato video on Spotify's top downloaded tracks, I was reminded how lucky we are as hobbyist learners to not have pressure to meet others' expectations. We don't have strict deadlines, just the goal to get better as time passes. Music for enjoyment shouldn't be turned into a race with no meaningful finish line—a lesson we should keep in mind for both ourselves and younger learners. YouTube Recommendation: Tom Scott Tom Scott, one of my favourite educational creators, is back with a new series called England. The first episode is a fascinating look at a traditional bell foundry. His videos retain that great low-tech feel and are not AI-generated. Check out his channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TomScottGo. Progress SegmentThis week features a selection of scales to help with my choir singing, recorded on the Kawai NV10 with Pianoteq 9 emulating a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX grand piano. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • April 12 · 15 min

    Episode 94 - Let's do that again

    Welcome to show number 94 of Piano, finally! I'm David Reidy, an old bloke getting around to learning the piano. This week, it's school holidays, so we're busy tidying up the house to make a proper music room. I'm also putting in some extra choir practice to learn the bass part for A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman for an upcoming charity event in May. Megalong Music Festival, Day Two I'm finishing my review of the Megalong Music Festival, set in the beautiful Blue Mountains. Day two showcased an incredible "Folk and Fancy" program featuring the five festival fellows: Ellen Chuong, Rueben Johnson, Maggie Zeng, Arjun Singh, and Daniel Casey. We also enjoyed performances by talented local musicians Jeremy and Leon Spikmans. The weekend wrapped up with Joaquín Turina’s Escena Andaluza sextet and Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet. The festival is entirely funded by tickets and donations, so if you have corporate connections, the organisers would love to hear from you! Learn more about the festival here: https://www.megalongmusicfestival.com.au/. Let's do that again At a recent sound check for the Counting Crows at the Enmore Theatre, I watched lead singer Adam Duritz actively tweak how the band performed a song they've played for decades. It got me thinking about how contemporary musicians constantly evolve their work, whereas classical pieces generally sound identical to recordings from fifty years ago. A rare exception is Australian guitarist John Williams and his band Sky—check out their unique take on classical music here: https://music.apple.com/au/album/toccata/1503012912?i=1503012925. Ryan Abshier and the Moonlight Sonata I review an encouraging video by Ryan Abshier about tackling Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. When the sheet music suddenly looks overly complex, Ryan explains how those intimidating chords can be broken down into simple, repeating numerical patterns, like 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2. Watch Ryan’s breakdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-4sjhQWKPI. Progress My new scales and arpeggios book finally arrived from the UK! Devi is overseas, so there are no formal lessons this week. However, I'm making progress on Titans by Daniel McFarlane, practising the opening of the Moonlight Sonata, and singing along to my arpeggios. Have a listen to the practice piece here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phHuD-3bREY. If there is something you'd like me to talk about, drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E93
    April 5 · 12 min

    Episode 93 - Consistently distracting

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to Piano, finally, a podcast by an old bloke who is getting around to learning the piano, finally. Review: Megalong Music Festival, Day One In this week's show, I start reviewing the Megalong Music Festival. The concerts take place in the Megalong Valley Community Centre, a concrete block, metal-roofed building which is used by the local scouts, the pony club and for other community events. It was definitely not built as a concert venue, but the hall is small, seating a bit over a hundred people, so the lack of concert hall acoustics doesn't matter. This year, the professional musicians included Jacqui Cronin, Frank Celata, Timothy Nankervis, Asmira Woodward-Page, and leva Jokubaviciute. The concert was named A moment in time and consisted of seven works. The selections were made to complement Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour le fin du Temps. Other pieces included Alex Turley's Zero Sum Game, Arvo Pärt's Fratres, Jessica Meyer's I only speak of the Sun, Miriam Hyde's Toccata for two, and Caroline Shaw's Entr'acte. Quartet for the End of Time was written during the Second World War and had its first performance in a German prisoner of war camp. It is written for clarinet, violin, cello and piano. Listen to the Messiaen recording: https://music.apple.com/au/album/messiaen-quatuor-pour-la-fin-du-temps/1452201290 Megalong Music Festival Website: https://www.megalongmusicfestival.com.au/ Essay: Consistently distracting Taking a day off from the swimming pool on Good Friday made Saturday's swim a little harder than usual, which got me thinking about how advantageous it is to consistently stick to a routine. I consistently swim just over a kilometre each morning. So, why can't I do the same for piano practice? At the pool, there is nothing to do other than swim, but when I sit down at the piano, I can always see that there is something else that needs doing, like dusting the Kawai. My idea for a solution is to move the piano so I can't see the other jobs. My medium-term plan is to turn the smallest bedroom back into a piano room and consistently shut the door. Progress & Coming Up We spent most of the lesson on Monday concentrating on Titans by Daniel McFarlane once again. The music was recorded using the Nord Stage 4 with settings based around the Astoria Grand piano, inspired by a video by Douglas of dsoundman. +Watch the dsoundman video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phHuD-3bREY The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E92
    March 29 · 14 min

    Episode 92 - Cover Stories

    G'day, everyone. Welcome to show number ninety-two of Piano, finally, a podcast by an old bloke who is getting around to learning the piano, finally. In this week's show, I review the Sydney Theatre Company's latest musical, muse about cover versions, and review a really handy pocket device for practising note recognition and copying. Theatre Review: My Brilliant Career On Saturday, I went to see the Sydney Theatre Company's production of My Brilliant Career. If you want the short recommendation for this show, get a ticket if you can; it is a great, fun production. The story was written by Australian Author Miles Franklin, telling the story of Sybilla, a young woman living in outback Australia in the 1890s. There is no band; the music throughout was performed by the cast of ten actors, all of whom do an excellent job. The lead performer is Kala Gare who plays Sybilla. Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ts08hNxCOE Tickets: https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2026/my-brilliant-career Essay: Cover Stories This week, I look at the fundamental difference between the two different ways we approach music. In classical music and examinations, strict adherence to the score is required. In contrast, big names in pop or rock concerts don't follow their own written music. Shouldn't we be encouraging students to build their skills, but then to take them in new directions?. Should we be asking them to write their own musical stories rather than just more cover stories?. Review: Korg VPT-1 During the week, a small piece of equipment arrived: the Korg VPT-1 or Vocal Pitch Tuner. It costs AUD59. It can play a tone at any of the notes in its range and listen to what it hears to display the pitch of the note. I've been using it to check that I'm staying on pitch when I do vocal exercises from my voice teacher, Sussanne. Mannys: https://www.mannys.com.au/products/korg-vpt-1-vocal-pitch-trainer Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/KORG-VPT-1-Vocal-Pitch-Trainer/dp/B083ZTJYWF?th=1 Coming Up & Progress The Piano has returned to ABC TV in Australia. The Bell Shakespeare Company's production of Julius Caesar was excellent. Tickets: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/julius-caesar In my piano progress, I'm working on Titans by Daniel McFarlane. If you'd like to contact me, email is the best way at david@pianofinally.show or visit the website at www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E91
    March 22 · 15 min

    Episode 91 - Musical Support

    Welcome to show number ninety-one of Piano, finally, a podcast by an old bloke who is getting around to learning the piano, finally. In this week's show, I'm going to think a bit about how we all should support our local music scene, review a collection of music by Stephen Sondheim, and share some progress recordings. Progress Update: The voice lessons are working! Two of the choir pieces are All By Myself and Alone, and I was able to handle the middle Cs in the bass part reasonably well. I'm also working on a new piano piece, Titans by Daniel McFarlane, which has to be from memory because the chords in the right hand jump an octave each time. Moonlight Sonata and Sea Song are still coming along slowly. Podcast Recommendation: Start Here. I highly recommend the third season of the Start Here podcast. It is produced by the ABRSM (the Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music) in the United Kingdom and presented by Alexis Ffrench. Each of the ten episodes looks at a different genre of music, from Grime to heavy metal, providing intelligent conversation and insights. https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/listen/podcast Essay: Musical Support Spending the weekend at the Blue Mountains Music Festival got me thinking about the people who support performers. Because very few musicians get meaningful support from business and government once they finish their initial training, it should be the audiences that are providing the support. Getting out to see your local musicians is a great way of ensuring that there will still be original music that means something, rather than cheap to produce AI-generated silence filler sounds. Review: Sondheim for Singers - Baritone/Bass I found out that my unauditioned choir likes to do a bit of a musical audit, which includes singing a song. I found the Sondheim for Singers - Baritone/Bass book, which features forty pieces ranging from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to Into the Woods (though nothing from Assassins). If you are looking to sing some Sondheim, it is a great place to start. Link: https://www.halleonard.com/search/search.action?keywords=sondheim+for+singers&searchcategory=00&dt=item#product Coming Up this week are voice and piano lessons, choir, Julius Caesar with the Bell Shakespeare Company, and My Brilliant Career with the Sydney Theatre Company. If you'd like to contact me, email is the best way at david@pianofinally.show or via the website at www.pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E90
    March 15 · 14 min

    Episode 90 - The Blue Mountains Music Festival

    Welcome to show number 90! This week, we are taking a look at the 29th edition of the Blue Mountains Music Festival.If this is your first time listening, I hope you find the show interesting and consider subscribing. If you're a regular listener, thank you for your ongoing support. In This Episode: The Making of Synthesiser V's Choir Voices: I discuss the AI voice tool, Synthesiser V 2 Pro by Dreamtonics,which I’ve been using to create isolated practice tracks for the choir. I share my thoughts on ethical AI training in the arts and review a video showcasing the small team—including Kanru, Junko, and Yongxin—who ethically recorded and built these choir voices. Watch the video here: The Making of Synthesiser V's Choir Voices. Backstage Support: A short essay on the support networks we all rely on as musicians. While touring professionals might have massive crews providing electricity to stadium events like Taylor Swift's Eras tour,amateur musicians rely heavily on the forbearance and support of their families and friends while practising those repetitive scales. Festival Review: A roundup of the fantastic acts I managed to see at the Blue Mountains Music Festival, including: The Ocelots: Twin brothers from Ireland playing guitar, harmonica, keyboard, and flute. Visit their YouTube Channel. Mary Coughlan: Described as Ireland's greatest female vocalist, who played songs from her new album.Check out her channel. Sunday Lemonade: An incredibly energetic local singer-songwriter duo. Visit their website. The Spooky Men's Chorale: A hilarious 17-piece a capella group that had the audience singing along to Taylor Swift/Tina Turner mashups. Visit their YouTube Channel. To learn more about the festival, visit: https://www.bmff.org.au/. Progress: A quick reality check on finding the time to practice this week, plus a short snippet from my recent vocal lesson. Get in Touch: If you're learning an instrument or singing, I’d love to hear how you are managing your practice time and what challenges you are facing. Contact me at david@pianofinally.show or visit www.pianofinally.show. The contents of this podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E89
    March 8 · 16 min

    Episode 89 - Practise Together

    G'day everyone! I'm David Reidy, and welcome to show number 89 of Piano, finally. This week, I'm exploring the reliability of practising with others, reviewing a YouTube progress video, and diving into some fascinating AI vocal software. Recording Under the Storm This episode comes to you amidst some local connectivity challenges. A large electrical storm recently knocked out both my landline and 5G internet, which might delay the posting of this show until I can reach a stable connection. Community and Music Lessons Despite a busy week adjudicating the Year 7 public speaking semi-finals, I managed to attend my regular singing and piano lessons. Working with Sussane, my voice teacher, I’ve successfully moved up another full tone—eyeing a specific E in an upcoming piece. I’ve found that having others involved, like my teachers Devi and Sussane, makes me much more likely to block out practice time and follow through on my plans. YouTube Review: Matthew Cawood I took a look at a video by Matthew Cawood where he reacts to a beginner pianist named Dinky. Dinky documented her seven-month journey from zero, and while her playing is technically entertaining, Matthew suggests she may be learning by rote rather than building a long-term foundation. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZxQY4uskVc Software Review: Synthesiser V Studio 2 Pro I’ve been having a lot of fun with Synthesiser V Studio 2 Pro from Dreamtonics. This AI voice tool uses machine learning and properly licensed samples of real people to generate vocal tracks from music scores. I’ve been using it to create practice audio for my community choir, specifically generating choir voices for Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen". Explore Synthesiser V: https://dreamtonics.com/ Progress Report It was another difficult week to fit in as much practice as I wanted. I am still working on chord progressions, now playing octaves in the left hand with chords higher up in the right. The Fmaj7 chord remains a particular hurdle. I’m also trying an idea from Tom Donald: Tom Donald Video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbL IFFNWHO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbL IFFNWHO) The Blue Mountains Music Festival is coming up next weekend, and I hope to share some reviews from the event soon! The contents of this podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by me, Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E88
    March 1 · 17 min

    Episode 88 - Fast Car

    G'day everyone! I'm David Reidy, and welcome to show number 88 of Piano, finally. In this episode, I'm branching out into some new musical territory while navigating the usual challenges of finding practice time. Singing Lessons and Choir Progress I've officially started singing lessons with Sussanne to help with my new choir. We're working on Tracey Chapman’s "Fast Car," which fits comfortably in my range. Our upcoming concert features 24 songs performed "off book," so I’ve been using my commute to learn lyrics via an Apple Music playlist. TwoSet Violin Returns The Australian violin duo, TwoSet Violin, is back from their break and has announced a world tour. I’ve secured tickets for their Sydney show. You can check out their tour dates here: https://worldtour.twosetviolin.com/. Rick Beato: Guitar Classics on Piano I recently enjoyed a video from Rick Beato featuring Pierre Piscitelli playing piano versions of legendary guitar songs by artists like Guns N' Roses and Metallica. It’s a great watch for anyone looking to adapt songs from other instruments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqgQamc0iXI. Rethinking Practice Habits With a busy schedule, I’m rearranging my home setup. I'm moving my Roland FP-90X into a more high-traffic area so I can squeeze in short bursts of practice throughout the day. Theatre Review: "Purpose" I attended the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Purpose at the Wharf Theatre. It’s a gripping family drama set against the backdrop of the US Civil Rights movement. Despite a few staging questions, it was a thoroughly entertaining three hours. You can find more about STC's season here: https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2026/purpose. Progress Update This week’s practice focused on chord progressions—moving from root positions to inversions and experimenting with octaves in the left hand. I’m also continuing work on "Sea Song" and the opening of Beethoven’s "Moonlight" Sonata. The contents of this podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by me, Google Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E87
    February 22 · 17 min

    Episode 87 - All By Myself

    Welcome to show eighty-seven! It’s a busy week catching up with an ex-student launching a music career and managing a packed choir schedule. YouTube: Bardcore I explore "Bardcore" this week! Hildegard von Blingin' orchestrates modern songs with medieval instruments, while The Miracle Aligner translates hits into ancient languages like Latin and Attic Greek. https://www.youtube.com/@Hildegardvonblingin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7jOobdrdGohttps://www.youtube.com/@the_miracle_aligner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtt78SW-mgg Essay: All By Myself I contrast the intense, solitary focus of Yunchan Lim performing Bach with the collaborative joy of Clyde Lawrence learning a Toto song on YouTube. It made me realise how much more enjoyable practice is when shared, as I've recently discovered in my three-hour choir rehearsals. https://www.stage-plus.com/video/vod_concert_APNM8GRFDPHMASJKBSS3ICG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q105dgG2720 Review: All These Pretty Things I caught Tracey Yarad's fantastic one-woman show at the Blue Mountains Theatre. She weaves her inspiring life story with original piano music, supported by a great jazz and blues opening act from Mataya Young. https://www.bluemountainstheatre.com.au/what-s-on/past-events/2020-events/all-these-pretty-things-tracey-yarad/ Progress I'm refining chord progressions, "Sea Song," and "Moonlight" Sonata. I've also added Monday voice lessons to my routine! Contact me at david@pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E86
    February 15 · 14 min

    Episode 86 - The Entertainer

    G'day everyone. Welcome to show number eighty-six. If you're a regular listener, thanks for your support, and if you're new here, I hope you enjoy the show. This week, things have taken a vocal turn. Following my enjoyment of the Belong choir, I've signed up for another community choir—one that didn't require an audition! I've found myself in the bass section, managing up to middle C for now. It's proving to be great fun and an unexpected detour on my musical journey. YouTube - Stefan Wyatt - How to play ornaments on the piano Ornaments seem to be in the air lately. Stefan Wyatt recently posted a video on his "Piano Tips" channel that is distinct from Matthew Cawood's recent coverage. Stefan’s approach is practical, based on his beginner's course, and offers clear explanations of grace notes (appoggiaturas vs.acciaccaturas), mordents, turns, and trills. He also clarifies a point about accidentals and trills that was new to me. It is a great introduction for beginner and intermediate players.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxXgEUE5xm0 Essay - The Entertainer My new choir is rehearsing for a full concert in July. While listening to practice tracks for "Pink Pony Club" by Chappell Roan, I fell down a YouTube rabbit hole of cover versions.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR3Liudev18 Despite the lack of financial incentive in covering songs, people do it for the sheer joy of performing and sharing. This reinforces my belief that live performance has nothing to fear from AI. Whether it’s 120 people in a choir entertaining each other or a solo pianist, the goal is to be the entertainer. That desire to share our love of music is what gets us through the endless Czerny exercises and scales. Review - Sydney Theatre Company - The Normal Heart Theatre is back for 2026! I caught Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart" at the Sydney Theatre Company. Set in mid-1980s New York, this production in the Drama Theatre was excellent. It featured live musicians on stage—Michael Griffiths on piano and Rowena McNeish on cello—which was a lovely touch. It is an important story and a great production well worth seeing.https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2026/the-normal-heart Closing Things are settling into a rhythm with lessons and rehearsals. If you are learning an instrument, I'd love to hear how you are managing your time and what pieces you are enjoying. You can contact me at david@pianofinally.show or visit the website at www.pianofinally.show. Until next week, I hope your piano stays in tune, and you enjoy your time at the keys. The contents of this podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy. These show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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  • S1 · E85
    February 8 · 15 min

    Episode 85 - Year Two

    G'day, everyone! Welcome to show number eighty-five. It was in January 2024 that I finally picked up a keyboard to start learning the piano. That means I've officially passed the two-year mark! I’m not organised enough to know the exact date,but looking back, deciding to learn the piano after sixty was undoubtedly a great decision. Podcast Review: The Music Show I recently rediscovered "The Music Show" on ABC Radio National, hosted by Dr Andrew Ford. I was reminded of it after hearing Andrew on another podcast discussing Stravinsky’s "The Rite of Spring." "The Music Show" is a fantastic program that covers every conceivable genre. Recent episodes have featured guests ranging from Neil and Tim Finn of "Split Enz" to Ursula Yovich singing Nina Simone, and topics like the role of the bazouki in Irish Folk Music. Andrew’s relaxed and informed style makes it a permanent part of my listening rotation.https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/musicshow Essay: Year Two Reflecting on two years of learning, I realised that while my technical progress is roughly where I expected—moving into Grade One pieces and passing theory exams—the real value has been the experiences along the way. Deciding to learn the piano has opened doors I didn't anticipate. It led to a subscription to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, attending jazz concerts with my teacher Devi, and even singing in front of a thousand people with the Belong choir. For Year Three, I’m planning more theatre, more concerts, and perhaps joining a choir permanently. Review: David Bennett's new channel Just as I was finalising this week's show, I saw that David Bennett has launched a new interview channel and podcast called "How do you do?". He speaks with other creators, and given the quality of his existing work, this is definitely worth checking out.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVDanqrFSHgX-hlqFs4AZ7w Progress In my lessons with Devi, we are shifting focus slightly towards modern and pop music. I’ve started working on a chord progression in A minor, practicing smooth transitions between root position chords. It’s a new challenge,especially the sevenths in the left hand! I’m also continuing with "Sea Song" and the "Moonlight" Sonata. The music was recorded using the Kawai NV10, Cubase 15 on a Mac Mini, and Pianoteq 9 emulating a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX grand piano. If you'd like to get in touch, email me at david@pianofinally.show. The contents of the podcast were entirely generated by David Reidy, but these show notes were created by Gemini. Send me a text message. You can contact me: via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

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Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes