I started interest in piano in the year 1984. During this time, the nice songs of Richard Clayderman, like Ballade Pour Adeline, Mariage D'amour, Coup De Coeur and Souvenirs D'enfance attracted me much because of its romantic melody. Back then, the Delphine recording on the LP was great ! I guess this were called pop-piano. classical piano didn't interest me then. I didn't have a piano yet. I would go to church on Saturdays before youth fellowship meeting and experiment with the piano. My friend would teach me by ear and I begin to learn what is alternating left had chords and harmonic right hand melody - not very high tech. Some, I started to bug my mom ....

Start piano lessons, theory Grade 3, practical Grade 0. Progress not too good. lost interest along the way to bicycle , motorcycle, catching fish and Radio Control cars...basically wasting precious time-now I realize, but not too late.

First German piano (Gerald)... It was really Big and economical price at $850. It had off yellow keys which I didn't mind at that time. I stay at Ang Mo Kio. Poor guys have to sling carry it from 11th floor lift level to 9th floor. And again from 9th to 6th floor lift level again when I sold it off at $600!!

Mom and I when to Golden Mile complex to shop for another piano. It was an Indonesia made piano. I didn't think much about country of origin at that time. Didn't know about yamaha and kawai too (wish i did). I think the brand is Steiner, price $2300. Mom sold off while moving house to Yishun. Too young to have feelings for leaving my pianos. Perhap I didn't develop much in music abilities to get too attached to them.

So, I stop playing totally from 1987. When I shift to CCK in 1997, I became interested again. I though why not get a low price piano? So I bought a M.I.China Blessing $1100 . Again, why didn't I get a better piano, like the Yamaha U5???. I friend Mark used to tell in "buy cheap, buy twice". But that was R/C cars... Anyway. the tone was a little on the bright side. I endured it for a while. Still haven't got a piano teacher yet... too busy at work to practice for grading exams, I thought..

When to a friend friend's house one day and discovered that Clavinova makes good sound and can practice with headphones!!! So, guess what's next? Bought a Yamaha Clavinova CVP-69 at the Yahama annual warehouse sale in 1998. Time to say bye bye to Blessings. I think it is a very well built digital piano with rings and bells like a organ. I still practice on it today and enjoy the ABC accompaniment style.

Just bought a Reuben & Sons in August 2005. The tone is mellow and strong in fundemental tone. Some note need to re-voice as the tonal character at the tenor to low treble was uneven. After some minor adjustment, I am pleased with the result. I put a thin mattress behind the piano and practice with the middle pedal so that I would disturb my neighbor too much. Recently, I bought a old Kawai K8. It sounds maverlous!

Presently, I'm still in grade 3 level.... Brain and fingers aren't so efficient anymore you know.... I frequently practice and polish Mozart Turkish March, Sonate No.15 K.545 (1st mov. only lah), Fur Elise, some improvisal stuff.... Bb scale, Eb scale, haven't practice minor scale yet. Now and then, I'd try to "refresh" my memory and relearn songs written by Paul de Senneville. http://www.clayderman.co.uk/

Updates: After practising very hard, i can play some JS Bach, French suite Gavotte, Invention no.1, Invention no.3, Invention no.8 and Invention no.13, Gigue from French Suite no 5! Part 2.

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