my chamber music gym buddy
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5881edf-3cfa-4b4c-9269-8cd2865a63f2_320x240.jpeg)
This is a current picture of my office piano. Normally the music stand is empty, or it's occupied with a theory textbook or workbook, mainly so I can bumble through musical examples for my students who see me. Now it has a copy of my latest tape piece (I have to record the toy piano, celesta, and muted piano parts SOON) and Brahms!
Here's a confession: I used to play piano a little more frequently, but I don't anymore because I don't practice. Or I switched to composing. Or I've been doing too much schoolwork, or grading, or wasting my time doing other frivolous things.
I knew this was a problem when one of my former students was talking to me after a concert and she said she wasn't quite sure what my main instrument is. I think something inside me died that day. (I mean, is my playing *that bad* when I play the piano for my theory classes?)
To rectify this, I've decided to start playing again, but I need an incentive. I need a chamber music gym buddy to encourage me to practice and atte…
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