Do I Hear a Rhapsody? Yes, with Help
A music lover with hearing loss describes her experiences, both good and bad, with using assistive listening devices at the theater, and calls for theater managers to focus on quality. »
Articles by Guest Writers at Grand Piano Passion™
An Inside Look at the Life of a Professional Musician
These excerpts from Marcia Butler's memoir The Skin Above My Knee show that even for a professional musician, preparing a new piece can be frightening and all-encompassing. »
The Piano Speaks, a Poem
In this poem bursting with nature imagery, Sandra Beasley channels the perspective of an old piano that is woken back to life by a master like Erik Satie. »
How Flow Enhances Piano Practice
The author of The Positive Pianist explores the idea of flow, or how finding a state of peak joy and concentration helps us get more out of piano practice. »
Develop a Seeing Hand at the Piano
Train yourself to sight-read fluently, without looking down at your hands or the keyboard, using these examples from piano repertoire at different levels. »
Thanking My Mother for Piano Lessons
In this poem for her mother, Diane Wakoski expresses gratitude for her childhood piano lessons that provided a respite from the ugliness of life. »
Picking Up a Beethoven Sonata After 50 Years
Starting up piano lessons again in retirement, this student dives right back into a Beethoven sonata and learns the benefits of studying music as an adult. »
Seeking Expert Piano Tuner
In this piece of short creative nonfiction, the author’s out-of-tune piano brings up everything from the elephants’ ivory to her current family dynamics. »
The Gift of Arranging
Although she didn’t have typical classical piano lessons, Gail Fischler learned chords. She went on to arrange music, including a book of Christmas carols. »
Memory, Music, and the Cochlear Implant
A former amateur musician with total hearing loss decided to get a cochlear implant; efforts to hear music again are intertwined with her auditory memory. »
Putting the Piano at the Center of My Life
Twenty-something Priscilla Rodgers felt like a failure until she decided to reclaim her passion by enrolling in piano lessons, while pursuing a new career. »
Playing Scared: Getting Over Stage Fright
An adult pianist who suffered from stage fright since childhood, Sara Solovitch, author of Playing Scared, decides to take her performance anxiety head on. »
American Grand, PBS Documentary, Created by Amateur Pianist
A film director and amateur pianist describes the making of American Grand, a documentary depicting the drama of taking apart and rebuilding a grand piano. »
The Wurlitzer
In this literary short story by Christi Craig, a piano tuner reluctantly turns up at the house of a flighty woman who has no appreciation for her Wurlitzer. »
Inaugural Conference for Musicians with Hearing Loss
As the Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss announces its first conference, the founder recounts growing up as a hearing-impaired music student. »
Creating the Layers of an Intricate Painting
Contributing Artist Annika Connor uncovers the process of how her painting Augustus was created, from outline to filling in negative space to adding color. »
Debussy’s Sarabande from Pour le Piano in Video
Playing the Sarabande from Debussy's Pour le piano is like losing yourself in an Impressionist painting. Shirley Gruenhut performs the piece in this video. »
Grandpa’s Gift
This amateur pianist received a valuable life lesson from her concert pianist grandfather, but his words didn't sink in until many years after his death. »
Ode to the Piano, a Poem
Mary Jo Balistreri, who has a hearing loss, writes of the piano as an honest friend and lifelong teacher in this uplifting poem dedicated to Nancy Williams. »
Music On My Mind
Cochlear implants plus auditory memory restored music to Barbara Chertok, who studied voice and piano before sudden hearing loss in her twenties. »
![[from left to right] Gertie (Amy Forsyth), Ruby's best friend; Leo Rossi (Daniel Durant), Ruby's brother; Jackie Rossie (Marlee Matlin), Ruby's mother; Frank Rossi (Troy Kotsur), Ruby's father. Still from the film CODA, copwright by Apple Inc. 2022](https://grandpianopassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/coda-1-scaled-50x50.jpg)
