Practicing, Patience, Metronome, Before 1st Concert of 2025 | Beyond Black and White ~ Episode 3

[@PaulIvers]

I have never booked a flight✈ to see a performance before, but you are a unique artist, and I know that it will be a special concert. Safe travels to all who will be there. See you on Saturday!

[@welshwizard55]

Tiffany I have to admire you for playing the same piece over and over again. I'm nearly 70 now and love listening to your pieces. I practice every day, but get bored practicing the same tune over and over. I usually play about 50 different tunes. I'm no where near your class, but love playing keeps me chilled out. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@poo13828]

Ma belle pianiste, what perseverance, patience and perfectionism! For the years that I have been accompanying your journey, I am always impressed by these qualities that never weaken. I was told this old adage at college, hard work = unexpected success. I wish you the greatest success and a river of happiness.

[@amjan]

"Le Coucou" Louis-Claude Daquin - I love it. It's funny, because I learned the piece as a kid playing it on the xylophone, and I feel the "1" in different places than where it really is.

[@vahidgolie9282]

Dear Tiffany Poon, Practice, patience, and deep reflection in music are not merely choices-they are absolute necessities for uncovering the truth of art. Your approach to practice, dear Tiffany, embodies a profound intellectual discipline and unwavering commitment to the essence of music. You demonstrate that practice is not just mechanical repetition but a journey-one that connects the pianist to the hidden layers of sound and meaning. Every moment spent with such precision and introspection at the keyboard is not just a refinement of technique, but a re-creation of the philosophy of music itself. Music is not confined to a sequence of notes; it breathes in the silences between them, in the meaningful pauses, and in the contemplation before each phrase is played. With this approach, you transcend the mere black and white of the keys, stepping into a realm where sound, thought, and emotion intertwine. I eagerly await the moment when this sound resonates gloriously on stage… Practice in Four Dimensions: Strategy, Technique, Tactics, and Philosophy 1. Strategy: You perceive practice as a long-term, patient process where each stage serves a distinct purpose. By structuring your approach-breaking down sections, shaping them progressively, and mastering each element-you methodically pave the way to the final performance. 2. Technique: Your precision in finger control, clarity of sound, refined touch, and dynamic consistency define your practice. Flexibility, coordination between the hands, and sensitivity in key articulation are clearly among your top priorities. 3. Tactics: Your method transcends mere mechanical repetition; it is a conscious refinement of details, deliberate repetition, and intelligent adaptation. By understanding tempo variations, articulation, and tonal shading, you infuse vitality and uniqueness into your interpretation. 4. Philosophy: For you, practice is not just about technical mastery-it is an exploration of meaning and expression. You perceive music not merely as a collection of notes, but as a language of thought and emotion. Your philosophy of practice is the pursuit of musical truth, found in the spaces between the notes, in the subtlety of phrasing, and in a deep, intimate dialogue with the instrument. Doctorate in Musicology, Doctorate in Conducting, Professor of Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art, and Concert Pianist (Music Critic, Interpreter, and Analyst) Vahid Goli Wishing you all the best!

[@vahidgolie9282]

I am an interpreter, analyst, and art critic. All interpretations presented here are exclusively related to the videos and images of the esteemed artist, my dear friend and colleague, Tiffany Poon. Any reproduction, quotation, republication, or use of these interpretations in other contexts, without adherence to the ethical standards of the art world, is contrary to artistic and professional integrity. These interpretations, critiques, and analyses belong solely to Tiffany Poon, and any use of them must be with her explicit permission. All rights to this analysis and interpretation are exclusively reserved for Tiffany Poon.

[@matthodek]

I love how you said that the music is in your hands, your heart, and your mind. I very much believe that. In just these clips I can hear so much more thought and feeling in your playing than other recordings I have found. I am truly excited to hear you play this live, and I consider myself lucky that my transit there will only take about an hour. Take care, and I wish you safe travels this week.

[@snowxcrowe]

Watching someone as great as you practice makes me want to practice. And not just rely on what I already know and am comfortable with. The mind says, "well, I should have this if I play it enough." But there is a loss in detail from the days at least a decade ago when I truly practiced.

[@Rhaef562]

Thanks!

[@StevenDasinger]

As an amateur, I am fascinated by your attention to detail and level of effort in preparation for your concert and recording. Looking forward to your "Nature" album!

[@sheristonerharris]

I can relate to this so much! Thanks for posting!!! See you Feb.8!!

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

🤗

[@1RiderPale]

What people don't see behind the scenes. Dedication and perseverance to your artistry.

[@Tiffanys_tiffan]

6:10 even started counting in Cantonese 😂

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

😆

[@susanjspaulding]

*Thank you Tiffany* !! *Always LOVE to see you practicing* !! *Praying for your 1st concert of 2025* !! #TiffanyPoon

[@vahidgolie9282]

Tiffany Poon: Where Music Transcends Sound and Becomes a Living Essence of Truth Tiffany Poon’s artistry is neither mere skill nor sheer practice-it is the embodiment of a profound philosophy in playing, thinking, and living within music. Her hands are not just instruments of execution; they are vessels of thought, emotion, and musical logic, seamlessly converging in each moment of performance. She does not merely play notes-she breathes life into them, crafting an interpretation where technique, tactics, strategy, and artistic vision coalesce at the highest level of mastery. To witness her play is to encounter a pianism that surpasses the physical realm, transforming into a metaphysical experience. It is as if music itself flows through her being, and every movement is an extension of a deeply rooted intellectual and emotional process. From childhood to the present, Tiffany Poon has not only played the piano-she has lived the essence of music. In her hands, the instrument is no longer just a tool; it becomes a language-one that speaks with purity, depth, and an unparalleled brilliance, unveiling the very truth of music. Observing her artistry is akin to gazing at a luminous flame of genius-a moment in which music transcends mere auditory perception and evolves into something intuitive, sensory, and profoundly philosophical. Such an experience is a rarity, found only in the presence of the most exceptional and irreplaceable musical minds. Vahid Goli Doctorate in Musicology | Doctorate in Conducting Professor of Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art Concert Pianist | Music Critic, Interpreter, and Analyst

[@sunnyng1645]

Absolutely attention is a must but you can nail it and not worry so much even if you miss a note. No one mind when your expression is real and dedication is poured out from your heart and soul💕 To get familiar with the concert's piano for those notes is a must.

[@J_Valpo]

It is thankfully a cherished experience after many years to be able to be present for one of your performances.

[@ahseng9866]

Simply amazing. I can't stop marveling. 💖

[@stevenmeyer9674]

Doing a deep dive into a practice session is really interesting. Watching how the sausage is made is sometimes more interesting than the finished product. Thanks for 15 minutes well spent.

[@CJP1225]

Good luck milady. You are fantastic.

[@mozarthu]

好喜歡你的氣質，謝謝你的音樂。

[@abbey9428]

Ahh yay I’m learning the Ravel too for my recital!!!! So inspiring to see you practicing it too 😍

[@breakdownof8378]

Happy Chinese New Year Tiffany!

[@PianothShaveck]

Tiffany, there are many apps/websites that automatically increase the speed of metronome gradually. I even made one free one myself, if you can't find any. That may seem unnecessary, but when I use it I truly feel like I'm always playing at the same speed for a very long time yet after just 10 or so minutes of study I reached double the initial speed. It's boring, but it's hella efficient when this kind of study is needed.

[@romanmuller5006]

Good luck, Tiffany! Your "magic fingers" will do it.

[@carlhopkinson]

You can do it !!!!

[@AugustRosemary]

Beautiful playing as always and congrats on the ticket sales for the Grand Rapids show! Sadly cannot attend due to work but I know you are gonna crush it, best of luck! Also, THAT BREAD IS TOO BIG FOR THAT SQUIRREL AWWW!!!!

[@MasadiCeronio]

You are brave to expose your difficulties! Anyway, I know it will all come together in the end!

[@mindtoheartjourney3154]

Wishing the best on your concert. 😊

[@ptg01]

Grand Rapids, Michigan !!!! I will be there if weather cooperates as I am about 2.5 hours away !

[@SeaDrive300]

Same here! Forecast is now for 2-4" of snow on Saturday evening into Sunday. They just upped the expected snow total from 1-2" to 2-4"... 😟

[@semihcesur3605]

I hope one day I would love to hear you playing the piano at the Ataturk Cultural Center Opera Hall in Istanbul. If you come, come not only to play but also to visit, I am sure you will be very pleased. Both the food and the cultural heritage will impress you very much. 💜

[@LegikS]

It would be nice if you can record or broadcast online these concerts.

[@shao-mienlee20]

Listen to your recordings on youtube for a long time, expecting your concert in Taiwan !

[@Leila-ui2ci]

❤️

[@bobansak2583]

I enjoyed this post

[@BlackHermit]

I use the same metronome app!

[@ashleylim2954]

Nice sweater

[@ludicroussealanimations3643]

that ostinato section that you're practicing in this video gave me a lot of trouble too xD

[@onemanfran]

See you in London 🫡

[@williamgreen1512]

Those virtuous things that take patience are so interesting to me .

[@Zhinarkos]

I've been practicing a lot of Bach's WTC I and II. I recently noticed a little jump of improvement to my overall confidence and technique. I'm not half as good as Tiffany and I'll never be but I have been playing for over twenty years. I spend genuine effort and time to analyze what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing right in the hopes to get better. I spent 2024 sight-reading a lot of kids' music and other basic sheet music and I notice real improvement to my sight-reading and blind playing. I really do try to take this craft seriously to get better. But it seems that getting into that flow state where I am utterly immersed in what I'm doing and everything feels more relaxed is *still* a game of chance. Don't get me wrong, I do get into flow from time to time, I just don't know how to manifest it at will. Meditation and overall technical prowess help but it's more than that. It's like an attitude problem for me and I don't know how to fix it. You'd think after years of meditating I would have gotten substantially better at emptying my mind at will when it counts. Maybe it's less a busy mind and more an unwilling mind problem. The inability to connect, to listen, to drop my guard and let the music take control. Oh, and I wish you a good concert!

[@terroir225]

Amateur pianists like you working hard on your craft is as inspiring as seeing professionals like Tiffany work! Getting into the flow is something that everyone has a hard time controlling, even top athletes. I think everybody agrees that the key is enjoyment. The flow isn't the goal, but merely a function of our enjoyment and passion. It seems like you're a hard worker, and perhaps you let your hard work guide you too much sometimes, instead of simply appreciating what you can already to on the piano? Best of luck

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

Hi and thank you! It's really cool to hear how dedicated you are and how much effort you are putting into improving your skills. If it makes you feel any better, I completely understand what you mean... The psychology of playing is something I'm learning a lot only in the recent months while working on the new album. What I'm learning is, you have to trust yourself spiritually, mentally and physically in every muscle and bone while at the piano. It's a lot of meditation at the piano and with the piano. The more you recognize a problem and try to fix something while wanting to play in a flow, the worse it is. Hope some of this makes sense and best wishes to you!

[@Zhinarkos]

@@TiffanyPoonpianist I think I do understand what you mean! It makes me think of something I was talking about in a reddit thread. I was essentially saying that for me, practicing has different modes - 1 when you are dealing with a technical problem and you know what's wrong and how to go about fixing it (hopefully) through repetition and 2 when you are "playing through" and can't really stop for mistakes all the time because it messes up with the mental space and the flow you are trying to maintain. The latter is part of performing which is a skill onto its own. This state of connection is then part attitude, part practiced switching of modes. Letting things be can be so hard at times because you know there are some things you want to adjust. For me meditation has brought about a lot of peace and acceptance - being ok or even happy with what is. The irony here is that once I stop resisting and trying to fix things and simply allow myself to connect I feel more in control, relaxed, accurate and therefore play better. Playing better results in fewer mistakes! I'm sitting here thinking that this is a paradox. How can I accept what is if I want to get better and then when I do so it *still* makes things better? This definitely sounds like something the yogis or maybe Sūnzǐ would say. "If you just sit by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by you". I'm paraphrasing of course. Anyhow, I'm getting long-winded. Thank you for listening. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for your music.

[@shevinka]

what was the piece Tiffani was practicing?

[@normalizedaudio2481]

That reach is such a pain. I work on that too.

[@ronl7131]

Get ‘er done, fine Lady~Artist

[@r2d2224]

Gracias Tiffany por tus vídeos. Desde la C.D.M.X.

[@r2d2224]

Es hermosa la combinación que haces con imágenes de la Naturaleza.

[@nic5833]

❤

[@rid.912]

I wish I could attend one of ur concerts but that could be hard for me, anyway I'll always support u and i hope that i can do it

[@manueladevilliers5301]

same here

[@YaniiiArianiii_PianoVocalMusic]

Yes, learning by heart, and especially calculating the duration of notes, is the most unpleasant thing.) Always a test of willpower)))

[@kathysaleeba3397]

At a level that may not be considered playing the piano in comparison to you, I struggle with repetitions of much shorter, easier stretches. Good luck!

[@Milverton5432]

Chopin competition time in Warszawa. Greetings to the US Tiffany Poon. Wont make it on tge 8th due to that. but... later.

[@markaprill6501]

I’m an amateur but I wonder if there is an alternative fingering for that section? Either way it sounds good…looking to hearing you in Seattle.

[@neovxr]

So hard work this time! You will make it. What if you play a cute auxiliary melody with the other hand, different every time, to entertain your inner being, while the hand does the routine task more and more subconsciously?

[@culturehorse]

😍

[@tomaslaskovsky722]

I'm really looking forward to the new album. I've been listening to Schumann for a year straight and always discovering something new. Maybe it's also because, unlike Beethoven or Chopin, I'm not that familiar with Schumann as far as piano pieces are concerned.

[@I.amthatrealJuan]

Going through so many arpeggios while maintaining evenness is so tedious it's like counting a flock of sheep. No wonder why it's so easy to drift off.

[@nicholasscott686]

wbat us the provinence of your piano. how did you come by it. why did you choose it.

[@peppipeppi51]

What happened to your Steinway of your older videos? Did you have to give it back?

[@rinardman]

She didn't have to, but she bought her own Steinway, and returned the one they had loaned her.

[@rherman9085]

Tiffany - Still waiting on my CD. Ordered it when it came out. LAst update was January 07th that is is on the way. IT is absolute BS one has to use their phone to check status. That needed to be in the purchase agreement. Won't be doing this again.

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

Hi, I am very sorry. If I were you, I would have the same reaction. To be honest, I've been very stressed out behind the scenes in the past weeks, trying to get the people in charge of shipping to sort this out ASAP. I completely understand your frustration and I've been very disappointed with the situation also. Please send me your order number and I will personally refund you. I wish I could have done this sooner, but I have no idea which orders are still missing despite my many attempts to fight the logistics team on this. Many apologies.

[@mohammadalinajm-zade1477]

This Phenomenon occurs when The musician Wants to fly But The instrument says: Oh, so interesting but under only One condition which is: You are going to fly but just through me & then; There is the musician & there is the instrument ... On & on & on ... Until they become One .

[@Ben777World]

Charming music. Could Ravel play this difficult piece as well as anyone?

[@tomkim1017]

I’m doing something similar for Debussy images mouvement in the middle section. Takes a lot of grunt work and drilling…practice is not sexy

[@PianothShaveck]

As much as I know you'd probably never consider it, I'd say... At least when the right hand is completely alone, it would be wise to redistribute a little. Ravel wrote the idea he wanted, but if you can realize the same idea in an easier way, I see no good justification for playing it the harder way. More control = more likely better sound, both during the passage and after it, and you should prioritize sound, not "following the score exactly as written". Even if you manage to play the whole passage as written with the right hand alone, you'll be mentally drained by the end of it. It's just not worth the effort imho. If I struggled to keep the same sound, at the very least I'd try giving just the bottom F# to the left hand, so for the most part it's still RH only, but at least it's ever so slightly easier. But that's just my 2 cents.

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. However, the sound is the same shape as ripples of water, the same shape as how the right hand moves, as the score is written. Separating into two hands would not create the same sound effect. It's like painting one stroke with 2 brushes connecting from opposite directions. Ravel was a particularly strict composer and intentional with every mark, so out of respect for him, I will play as he wished and wrote. It is absolutely worth the effort 💚

[@jannis11]

Noice

[@jonathane2710]

ou lili boulanger

[@fredranger7385]

1 e & a 2 e & a

[@Joe_Peroni]

Tiffany is a brilliant pianist. I wish I was! And as for reading MUSIC, what I know about THIS you could write on a pin head with a paint brush.

[@JM-vh7oc]

I say if you aren't going to play with an orchestra, cut those repeated notes in half, lol. Pretty sure no one would notice.

[@edvinportuly1398]

Without words and.. understand .?? But no understand ( as it ,(metodic) learned play harmonic melody two hand togeder??(early melody no was in head but to increase temp, implying normal,are year.. can ona,two in far aheade. Secret why???stamina was from own ., pianists than erfaren but mere not(not erstt no second no...why(know but replace can 't but I would!!!!

[@martinopipino]

Michigan where?

[@TiffanyPoonpianist]

Grand Rapids :)

[@martinopipino]

@ come to play in Ann Arbor, university of Michigan!!!!