Music Journal 2026
Reigniting My Passion for Piano
Playing the PIano at the End of Time
Cosmos Music Journal 2026 updates
Music Journal 2026
Reigniting My Passion for Piano
Playing the PIano at the End of Time
Over the last year, I’ve reignited my passion for playing the piano. Music has always been a significant part of my life, I started piano lessons in elementary school and continued until I graduated from high school. In fact, when I was a high school student, I wrote two string quartets, a piano sonata for the prepared piano, a flute sonata and the first movement of a symphony. I started out in College as a music composition major at Cal State Hayward and Oberlin, but flunked out and changed my major to political science and Psychology at the University of the Pacific. From 2000 to 2003 i tried my hand at writing music again,. and from 1992 to 2015, I played the piano almost every day, and returned to daily piano playing in 2021.
Returning to it daily has been incredibly rewarding. Here’s a glimpse into my musical journey, goals for the year, and strategies to achieve them.
Goals for 2024:
- Daily Practice: Dedicate one hour per day to piano practice.
- Mastering Sonatas: Work my way through Mozart and Beethoven Sonatas. Purchase new music, including Funk classics, Jazz, and Rock standards.
- Music Education: Take music theory and composition courses.
- Equipment Upgrade: Buy a MIDI cable and download Sibelius to learn music writing.
- Composition: Rewrite music I composed in high school and aim to write one piece per month to post on my blog.
- Piano Access: Buy or rent a piano while in the States.
Strategy:
- Self-Teaching: Utilize YouTube tutorials to learn the fundamentals of music writing and take online music theory courses.
- Piece Analysis: Review each piece before playing, noting high and low notes, key signatures, and changes. Create cheat sheets for ornamentations such as turns and mordents.
- Separate Hand Practice: For Bach pieces, practice each hand separately before playing together.
- Listening and Learning: Listen to the music on YouTube before attempting to play.
- Taking online courses on Music Theory and later compostion
- Resume writing music
Rediscovering Mozart and Beethoven: My journey through the piano books will culminate in conquering Mozart and Beethoven’s Sonatas. I recently played my first Mozart Sonata and, to my surprise, did not do too badly. I plan to revisit it next year after completing my initial piano books.
Ever since I was a young lad,
I dreamt of being a professional piano player.
Though that dream may never come true,
my love for the instrument
remains unwavering.
At 70,
I now play my Roland 88 piano a
almost every day,
delighting in the creative ways
I interpret the classics
.
Ode to My Pianos
Ever since I was a young lad
I wanted to play the piano
Had delusions I could be
A professional piano player.
But alas that was not my fate
I had four pianos in my life
Most recently I bought a Rolland 88 piano
And play it almost every day.
And now at age 70
I am finally getting fairly good
But I know that my dream
Of being a professional piano player.
Will never come true
But that is okay.
As I stumble my way through my music
Mutilating Bach, Beethoven, Blues Standards,
Mozart and so many others
In creative ways never heard before.
I think that their spirits
Will understand
And be amused and laughing
And not be too hurt
By my attempts.
Piano Playing 3-7-5
piano
playing my keyboards daily
I am getting better
An object
Write a poem about any object which you love the most let it be perfume,books,etc.
Playing the Piano Leads to a Career in Music: Buying a new piano and music software allowed me to practice nightly. Angela’s weekly piano lessons helped me master pieces, and I even joined a jazz band, the Diplomatic Jazz Ensemble. We released an album that gained unexpected popularity, leading me to retire from the Foreign Service and pursue a career as a studio musician and composer in San Francisco.
How to Re-Learn to Play the Piano: Returning to piano after a hiatus involves picking a series of beginner to intermediate books, analyzing each piece, and practicing with a structured approach. Concentrating on accuracy and rhythm, I aim to play three to five pieces daily, gradually increasing my speed.
Alzheimer’s Prevention: I believe that playing music, learning languages, and engaging in mental games are excellent ways to ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s. Given my increased risk, I’ve committed to daily piano practice, studying Korean, and engaging in creative writing and blogging as part of my prevention strategy.
Encouragement to Aspiring Musicians: To those nearing retirement and considering resuming an instrument, I encourage you to go for it. The rewards are immeasurable.
Embrace the joy of music and make it a part of your daily life!
I decided to take a step back and review where I was before working my way to Beethoven. Beethoven kicked my ass.
Here’s what I have played this year so far
Easy Piano Pieces
Harrold Arlene
I love a parade.
Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach
Piece for right hand or left hand.
Bach, Johann Sebastian,
be there with me.
Gavotte,
March,
Polonaise
Prelude in C major.
Prelude in F major
Bartok,Bella
playing soldiers
ritual dance,
teasing.
Watch your step dance.
.
Beethoven.
Allegerto from Seventh Symphony.
I love thee
Tthree German dances.
Boccheri, Luigi
Minuet.
Borodin, Alexandria.
Plovtasian Dance from Prince Igor.
Bratton, John W Teddy Bears Picnic.
Bergmuller, Frederick,
Pastorale.
Cui, Caesar.
Petite Valse.
Chopin, Frederick.
Mazurka,
Prelude
Cooperin Francis
King’s Chest of Violas.
Rigardon
Dvorjak, Antonio.
Indian legend.
Edward Gus.
In My merry Oldsmobile
Friml, Rudolph.
March of the Musketters,
Rose Marie
Folk music.
Arkansas Traveler. American
Coming Through the Rye. Scottish
Red River Valley. American
Ghys, Henry
Amarylis
Glinka, Michale
Lark
Gluck, Christoph
Air
Gavotte
Guonod, Charles
Ballet scene from Faust
Funeral march of a marionette
Gruber, Brig General
Casisons Go Rolling along
Handel, George Frederick
air from the water music
minuet
Sarabanda
Haydin
Allegretto
Trio
Saint Anthony
Minuet
Minuet and Trio
Scherzo
Karganoff
Pettite Valse
Khachaurian, Aron
Oriental dance
Liadoff, Anatola
Music Box
McDonald, Edward.
Deserted Farm
A Moon Idle.
Mendelson.
Consolation
Nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Mozart, Leopold.
Minuet,
Mozart, Wolfgang.
Minuend
Sonata and C Major.
Nevin, Ethelbert.
Rosary,
Poldino, Edward
Poupe Valante
Waltz Serende
Waltz of the Mice.
Prokofieff, Sergey
Grasshoppers Parade
March.
Rainbows in the Rain.
Ramon, Jean, Philippe,
Little rondo,
Rebikoff, Vladimir.
In the Mill
legends
Wandering musicians
Rimsky-korsakov, Nicholas.
Flight of the Bumblebee
Sherazade
Rose Billy, and Conrad, Con
Barney. Google,
Satte, Eric
Eric Satie Three Gymnopees
Schubert. Franz Waltz.
Waltz.
Schumann, Robert.
Cradle. Song
First Sorrow.
Little Humming Song,
Little Study.
Song of the Reaper.
Sibelius, Jon,
. Prayer from Filanda
Silver,Lewis,
April, Showers,
Smetana, Berich,
Polka and Furiant
Prelude
,
Steiner, Max,
Tara from Gone with the Wind,
Stravinsky, Igor.
Lullaby of the Cat from the Fire. Bird.
Telleman, George Phillip
Gigue,
Tschaikowsky, Peter.
Romeo and Juliet excerpt
Song of the Lark
Verdi, Giuseppi
Grand March from Aida
Villado, AG
Choclo, El
Warren, Henry
September in the Rain.
Intermdiate Piano Piece
Beethoven
Fur Elise
Wagner
Brauctchor Lohegrin
T Badarzewaka
The Maiden’s Prayer.
A Dvorjack,
Humoresque,
Chopin,
Petite Chien
Beethoven. Turkish March.
JE Jonatsson
Cuckoo, Waltz,
G Lange,
Blumenlied
,G Anderson,
The Battle of Waterloo
Chopin,
Chason D’iedeu
F Schubert
March Miltarie
F Mendelson
Hochzeishmarch
C Czersky
Weiner March
AP Wyaman woodland Echoes
R Schuman
Traumerei
T Michalis
Die Schmied im Walde
AP Wyman Silvert waves
- Ivanoveikrei
the waves of the Danube.
J Brahms
Hungarian Dance #5
CME Weber
invitation to the dance.
A Poncevilli
Dance of the Clocks
E Grieg theme concerto
L Beethoven,
Bagatelle
E Greig
Norwegian Dances
E Grieg
Soveeig’s Song.
Chopin
Mazurka.
Chopin
Nocturne,
G Marie
La Cinquantaine
F Browoski
Valsette
G Bizet
Habanera, Carmen
Martini, L Tedesco,
Plaise D’Amour
JS Bach
Gavotee
Wagner.
Sigmund’s love song.
Tchaikovsky Polka.
Clementi
Six Sonatinas
Jazz Solos Goerge Winston
Take My Breath Away
Why Wory
Bach
Polonaise
Swan Lake
La Bamba
Mozart
Just When I Need You the Most
Tonight I Celebrate My Love
Die Fiderman Overture
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Interlude,
Trauma
From a sidewalk cafe,
the friendship theme
Through My Everything
Jane
World is Waiting for the Sunrise,
Classic Medley,
Casablanca,
Time in a Bottle,
Academic Festival Overture,
Up Where We Belong.
Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree
Stand by me
great escape
March
water music
Cassee Noisette Valse Des Fleurs
Main title from Return of the Jedi
Three Times A lady
Hungarian dance #5
sunrise sunset
serenade
La Chanson D’Oprhe
The saddest thing,
Flashdance.
What a feeling
Biizet L’arlensienne Suite Number One Minuet
Can’t help falling in love.
The End
Audio Clip
Over the last year, I’ve reignited my passion for playing the piano. Music has always been a significant part of my life, I started piano lessons in elementary school and continued until I graduated from high school. In fact, when I was a high school student, I wrote two string quartets, a piano sonata for the prepared piano, a flute sonata and the first movement of a symphony. I started out in college as a music composition major at Cal State Hayward and Oberlin but flunked out and changed my major to political science and psychology at the University of the Pacific. From 2000 to 2003 i tried my hand at writing music again. And from 1992 to 2015, I played the piano almost every day, and returned to daily piano playing in 2021.
Returning to it daily has been incredibly rewarding. Here’s a glimpse into my musical journey, goals for the year, and strategies to achieve them.
Goals for 2026:
- Daily Practice: Dedicate one hour per day to piano practice.
- Mastering Sonatas: Work my way through Mozart and Beethoven sonatas. Purchase new music, including funk classics, jazz, and Rock standards.
- Music Education: Take music theory and composition courses.
- Equipment Upgrade: Buy a MIDI cable and download Sibelius to learn music writing.
- Composition: Rewrite music I composed in high school and aim to write one piece per month to post on my blog.
- Piano Access: Buy or rent a piano while in the States.
Strategy:
- Self-Teaching: Utilize YouTube tutorials to learn the fundamentals of music writing and take online music theory courses.
- Piece Analysis: Review each piece before playing, noting high and low notes, key signatures, and changes. Create cheat sheets for ornamentations such as turns and mordents.
- Separate Hand Practice: For Bach pieces, practice each hand separately before playing together.
- Listening and Learning: Listen to the music on YouTube before attempting to play.
- Taking online courses on Music Theory and later composition
- Resume writing, music
Rediscovering Mozart and Beethoven: My journey through the piano books will culminate in conquering Mozart and Beethoven’s Sonatas. I recently played my first Mozart Sonata and, to my surprise, did not do too badly. I plan to revisit it next year after completing my initial piano books.
Ever since I was a young lad,
I dreamt of being a professional piano player.
Though that dream may never come true,
my love for the instrument
remains unwavering.
At 70,
I now play my Roland 88 piano a
almost every day,
delighting in the creative ways
I interpret the classics
.
Ode to My Pianos
Ever since I was a young lad
I wanted to play the piano
Had delusions I could be
A professional piano player.
But alas that was not my fate
I had four pianos in my life
Most recently I bought a Rolland 88 piano
And play it almost every day.
And now at age 70
I am finally getting fairly good
But I know that my dream
Of being a professional piano player.
Will never come true
But that is okay.
As I stumble my way through my music
Mutilating Bach, Beethoven, Blues Standards,
Mozart and so many others
In creative ways never heard before.
I think that their spirits
Will understand
And be amused and laughing
And not be too hurt
By my attempts.
Piano Playing 3-7-5
piano
playing my keyboards daily
I am getting better
An object
Write a poem about any object which you love the most let it be perfume,books,etc.
Playing the Piano Leads to a Career in Music: Buying a new piano and music software allowed me to practice nightly. Angela’s weekly piano lessons helped me master pieces, and I even joined a jazz band, the Diplomatic Jazz Ensemble. We released an album that gained unexpected popularity, leading me to retire from the Foreign Service and pursue a career as a studio musician and composer in San Francisco.
How to Re-Learn to Play the Piano: Returning to piano after a hiatus involves picking a series of beginner to intermediate books, analyzing each piece, and practicing with a structured approach. Concentrating on accuracy and rhythm, I aim to play three to five pieces daily, gradually increasing my speed.
Alzheimer’s Prevention: I believe that playing music, learning languages, and engaging in mental games are excellent ways to ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s. Given my increased risk, I’ve committed to daily piano practice, studying Korean, and engaging in creative writing and blogging as part of my prevention strategy.
Encouragement to Aspiring Musicians: To those nearing retirement and considering resuming an instrument, I encourage you to go for it. The rewards are immeasurable.
Embrace the joy of music and make it a part of your daily life!
I decided to take a step back and review where I was before working my way to Beethoven. Beethoven kicked my ass.
Here’s what I have played this year so far
Easy Piano Pieces
Harrold Arlene
I love a parade.
Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach
Piece for right hand or left hand.
Bach, Johann Sebastian,
be there with me.
Gavotte,
March,
Polonaise
Prelude in C major.
Prelude in F major
Bartok,Bella
playing soldiers
ritual dance,
teasing.
Watch your step dance.
.
Beethoven.
Allegerto from Seventh Symphony.
I love thee
Tthree German dances.
Boccheri, Luigi
Minuet.
Borodin, Alexandria.
Plovtasian Dance from Prince Igor.
Bratton, John W Teddy Bears Picnic.
Bergmuller, Frederick,
Pastorale.
Cui, Caesar.
Petite Valse.
Chopin, Frederick.
Mazurka,
Prelude
Cooperin Francis
King’s Chest of Violas.
Rigardon
Dvorjak, Antonio.
Indian legend.
Edward Gus.
In My merry Oldsmobile
Friml, Rudolph.
March of the Musketters,
Rose Marie
Folk music.
Arkansas Traveler. American
Coming Through the Rye. Scottish
Red River Valley. American
Ghys, Henry
Amarylis
Glinka, Michale
Lark
Gluck, Christoph
Air
Gavotte
Guonod, Charles
Ballet scene from Faust
Funeral march of a marionette
Gruber, Brig General
Casisons Go Rolling along
Handel, George Frederick
air from the water music
minuet
Sarabanda
Haydin
Allegretto
Trio
Saint Anthony
Minuet
Minuet and Trio
Scherzo
Karganoff
Pettite Valse
Khachaurian, Aron
Oriental dance
Liadoff, Anatola
Music Box
McDonald, Edward.
Deserted Farm
A Moon Idle.
Mendelson.
Consolation
Nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Mozart, Leopold.
Minuet,
Mozart, Wolfgang.
Minuend
Sonata and C Major.
Nevin, Ethelbert.
Rosary,
Poldino, Edward
Poupe Valante
Waltz Serende
Waltz of the Mice.
Prokofieff, Sergey
Grasshoppers Parade
March.
Rainbows in the Rain.
Ramon, Jean, Philippe,
Little rondo,
Rebikoff, Vladimir.
In the Mill
legends
Wandering musicians
Rimsky-korsakov, Nicholas.
Flight of the Bumblebee
Sherazade
Rose Billy, and Conrad, Con
Barney. Google,
Satte, Eric
Eric Satie Three Gymnopees
Schubert. Franz Waltz.
Waltz.
Schumann, Robert.
Cradle. Song
First Sorrow.
Little Humming Song,
Little Study.
Song of the Reaper.
Sibelius, Jon,
. Prayer from Filanda
Silver,Lewis,
April, Showers,
Smetana, Berich,
Polka and Furiant
Prelude
,
Steiner, Max,
Tara from Gone with the Wind,
Stravinsky, Igor.
Lullaby of the Cat from the Fire. Bird.
Telleman, George Phillip
Gigue,
Tschaikowsky, Peter.
Romeo and Juliet excerpt
Song of the Lark
Verdi, Giuseppi
Grand March from Aida
Villado, AG
Choclo, El
Warren, Henry
September in the Rain.
Intermdiate Piano Piece
Beethoven
Fur Elise
Wagner
Brauctchor Lohegrin
T Badarzewaka
The Maiden’s Prayer.
A Dvorjack,
Humoresque,
Chopin,
Petite Chien
Beethoven. Turkish March.
JE Jonatsson
Cuckoo, Waltz,
G Lange,
Blumenlied
,G Anderson,
The Battle of Waterloo
Chopin,
Chason D’iedeu
F Schubert
March Miltarie
F Mendelson
Hochzeishmarch
C Czersky
Weiner March
AP Wyaman woodland Echoes
R Schuman
Traumerei
T Michalis
Die Schmied im Walde
AP Wyman Silvert waves
- Ivanoveikrei
the waves of the Danube.
J Brahms
Hungarian Dance #5
CME Weber
invitation to the dance.
A Poncevilli
Dance of the Clocks
E Grieg theme concerto
L Beethoven,
Bagatelle
E Greig
Norwegian Dances
E Grieg
Soveeig’s Song.
Chopin
Mazurka.
Chopin
Nocturne,
G Marie
La Cinquantaine
F Browoski
Valsette
G Bizet
Habanera, Carmen
Martini, L Tedesco,
Plaise D’Amour
JS Bach
Gavotee
Wagner.
Sigmund’s love song.
Tchaikovsky Polka.
Clementi
Six Sonatinas
Jazz Solos Goerge Winston
Take My Breath Away
Why Wory
Bach
Polonaise
Swan Lake
La Bamba
Mozart
Just When I Need You the Most
Tonight I Celebrate My Love
Die Fiderman Overture
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Interlude,
Trauma
From a sidewalk cafe,
the friendship theme
Through My Everything
Jane
World is Waiting for the Sunrise,
Classic Medley,
Casablanca,
Time in a Bottle,
Academic Festival Overture,
Up Where We Belong.
Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree
Stand by me
great escape
March
water music
Cassee Noisette Valse Des Fleurs
Main title from Return of the Jedi
Three Times A lady
Hungarian dance #5
sunrise sunset
serenade
La Chanson D’Oprhe
The saddest thing,
Flashdance.
What a feeling
Biizet L’arlensienne Suite Number One Minuet
Can’t help falling in love.
The End