What I'm playing this week

Bach Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major: I decided I'm going to try to record these for an online recital on the Adult Beginner's Forum at Piano World. I spent most of my practice time on them this weekend. I got the best results from slow practice (of course!) -- I set the metronome to the approximate tempo I want and then played at half of that. I'm trying to make bringing out the theme more natural instead of, "Whoops, forgot to bring out the theme again!" I am happy that I have been able to learn these at all -- this is one of the pieces that I would always skip over when sight-reading -- but I would like to be able to play them with more of a refined interpretation.

Dvorak Silent Wood: I'm learning the piano part along with the cello part. I still haven't explored the options for recording both parts, but I'm sure it can be done.

Brahms Op. 118: I decided to start learning all six of these pieces. I learned No. 1 last year, and have of course played at No. 2 for years. They are all beautiful, and they make a nice group, almost like playing a sonata.

Gershwin Prelude No. 1: Spent some time with this over the past week, and again, slow practice is the most productive.

Chopin, Prelude No. 8: I am determined to get this. It's improved from extremely halting to merely slow, but I have not been able to memorize it yet. Chopin is not hard to memorize, though. I'm not sure why.

Beethoven "Tempest" sonata: I would like to finish learning all three movements. I have the first movement from memory and dusted it off this past week but haven't gotten back to it again.

As usual, too much music, not enough time.

I was asked to play in an orchestra concert next Saturday, for pay. I considered it, but then thought about how tired and stressed out I would be from doing two evening rehearsals downtown during the week, after working all day, plus the evening concert, how I probably wouldn't have the energy to practice at all, and I turned it down. I have an almost superstitious belief that I shouldn't turn down paying gigs, but if it's something I really don't want to do and the money is not going to change my life appreciably, why can't I refuse?