with my own two hands...

A blog on practice & process by pianist Eunbi Kim. #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #happypianist #100daysofpractice #ek100days

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I’m performing a release concert for “A House of Many Rooms: New Concert Music by Fred Hersch” in #Chicago next Saturday at #PianoForteFoundation & also plan to eat a ton of pizza (please give me your recommendations 🍕). #houseofmanyrooms • #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #pianorecital #pianist #happypianist #pianistlife #pianista #concertpianist #music #musician #artist (at PianoForte Foundation)

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Currently reading: “Effortless Mastery” by Kenny Werner based on many musicians’ recommendations but most recently, @rebecca_hass (whose weekly email newsletter I always look forward to getting- check her out!). • I’m on Chapter 5 right now which talks about fear-based playing. The book so far has been dealing a lot with ego-driven playing in our practice and the obsessive need to sound good which hinders our best playing potential. Werner brings up a good point- “A person who is not afraid to die, knows how to live. A person who is not afraid to fail, succeeds. And a person who is not afraid to sound terrible may sound great.” It makes sense. Anybody else read this book? Thoughts? • #effortlessmastery #kennywerner #currentlyreading #musicians #music #pianist #piano #books #musicbooks #readingcorner #reading #readingbreak

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Figuring out the puzzle that is the program order for my CD release party. Brainstorming using post-its as the puzzle pieces on my wall. 💡💡💡 • #houseofmanyrooms #program #process #bts #behindthescenes #order #postit #postitnotes #brainstorming #creative #puzzlepieces

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“Inspiration comes of working.” 💪 There is no secret. No magical answer except hard work. What’s on my piano- Schubert, file folder, composition homework. #mondaymotivation • #pianist #piano #music #score #musicstand #composition #inspiration #inspirationalquotes #motivationalquote #mondaymotivation #onmypiano

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Practicing “Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky” by Fred Hersch from #houseofmanyrooms (👉 link in bio) 🎹 #100daysofpractice #ek100days • #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #fredhersch #houseofmanyrooms #happypianist #piano #pianist #pianista #pianistlife #performer #classicalpianist #concertpianist #concert #recital #pianorecital #music #musician #classicialmusician #artist #indiemusician #independentmusician #independentartist #practicepracticepractice #practicemakesperfect #octaves #contemporarymusic

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Okay. I have to start the #100daysofpractice challenge again. Made it to Day 30 until 2 days ago. Now back to Day 1. Womp womp 😒. I have to be better about not scheduling too many things if I can avoid it or find ways to work around it. A book I’m glancing through right now- “Reflections from the Keyboard” by David Dubal. • #piano #pianist #pianistlife #score #music #musician #artist #pianopractice

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This was the best I could do to capture a delightful & intellectually stimulating afternoon w/ pianist, composer, radio host, & writer Jed Distler who interviewed me for his show “Between the Keys” on WWFM Classical Network. 🎹🎧🎤 • We talked about my album #HouseofManyRooms, Fred Hersch, and working w/ composers. Then we did a segment called Blindfold Test where we listened & made comments on historical classical recordings of the same piece performed by different pianists without knowing ahead of time who they were. In this case, I was relieved it was a piece that I’d already played before, Debussy’s “la serenade interrompue.” • #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #jeddistler #composer #radio #radioshow #radiointerview #wwfm #interview #piano #pianist #pianista #pianistlife #performer #classicalpianist #music #musician #classicialmusician #artist (at WWFM - The Classical Network)

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Day 9, #100daysofpractice How the hell am I supposed to get the practicing I need done when there are a million things going on all the time?

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Day 8, #100daysofpractice

Comparing myself to others is my greatest demon.

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Day 7, #100daysofpractice

I am especially proud of myself today. Had a very long teaching day, practiced when I got home, and then finished and submitted an application for a summer festival.

I’m realizing how many excuses I make for not practicing that I can fight against. This challenge helps.

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Day 6, #100daysofpractice

For the past 5 years, I focused a lot on my career. For the next 3 years, I want to devote myself to just playing my best and learning. Time to hunker down.

One thing I have to practice is patience (never been good at it). Mastering an instrument is a lifelong practice.

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Day 5 of #100daysofpractice. Practiced from 10-11pm when I got home from being at the CMA conference all day. Hair & makeup still on from tonight’s event.

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Day 4 of #100daysofpractice

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Day 3 of #100daysofpractice

These past few days of practicing have been really unproductive. My mind is scattered, and I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to find scores that I now think disappeared into thin air. 

Tonight, I had to make a special effort to practice. I’d been out all day at a conference and wanted to just head to dinner with Austin but I didn’t want to break this challenge on only the third day so I forced myself to go home and practice sort of haphazardly and unfocused. But I did it. 

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An oldie but goodie. If you think Mozart is “easy,” you’ve a lot to learn about music 🙃. I’ve performed this sonata many times this since learning it 10 years ago, and I’m always discovering new things. In actuality, all music is kind of this way- nothing is truly “easy.” Do you agree or disagree? • Day 2 of #100daysofpractice. I’ll be performing the entire sonata this month on Sunday Jan 21 at Roerich Museum (NYC). • #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #mozart #piano #pianist #performer #classicalmusic #classicalmusician #classicalpiano #classicalpianist #sheetmusic #pianosonata #mozartsonata #sonata

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Day 1 of my #100daysofpractice challenge 🙌. Back at home & back to work. Committed to practicing everyday for 100 days- no excuses. It’ll be fun in my new pom pom house slippers that Austin gave me for Christmas 🎹😜. #ek100days • Today, I was pretty tired after coming in really late last night and decided to try out some new ways of practicing scales like using only fingers 3-4-5 playing major & chromatic scales. Found this tip via @nahresol YouTube channel. Follow her! • I probably won’t document all 100 days here on instagram- you can follow me on tumblr (owntwohands) for an update everyday. • #eunbikim #eunbikimpiano #piano #pianist #pianopractice #practicemakesperfect #pompom #pompomshoes #pompoms #slippers #music #musician #musicianlife #scales # (at New York, New York)