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  • 15 Apr

    On Eagle’s Wings

    I usually write stories that get no immediate feedback.

    Sure, some people comment right after they read something here, or an editor might say something after going over one of my scripts. I’ve also spoken to many fine residents of Jacksonville, Florida, who wanted to lodge some complaint about one of the news shows I produced.

    But that’s not the same as having people react in the moment — to see their faces and sense them as you’re reading something.

    Last week, I actually did that, presenting a short piece at a “coffee house” event held at my church. As I may have suspected, it was an odd experience having a crowd instead of just sending my story off as a bunch of anonymous electronic signals.

    But at least they applauded at the end. My normal audience may do that, but not loud enough for me to hear.

    In case you weren’t in attendance, I recorded a version here (3.5 mins). Brace yourself for the part where I made the questionable decision to sing, letting what I thought the story needed at that point supersede my total lack of ability to adequately provide it.

    By cjhannas audio family piano Poppop Uncategorized
  • 08 Apr

    Waiting for Shutdown

    I have done a lot of video projects in the past, most of which have had a very concrete purpose.

    Today, I have one for you that really was meant to be nothing more than learning more about ways to embed video on this site without having to use YouTube.

    After work on Thursday I went down to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., to shoot some video of the cherry blossom trees. On the way there I grabbed some shots of the Capitol, White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

    I didn’t spend a ton of time editing the montage, and did it before creating the background music, so it’s far from my best work. I also intended the music to be more in the “soothing” category than “ominous” (my apologies to anyone with actual musical training).

    But the overall result could pass as a film school piece about the possible government shutdown.



    What do you think? Do we like this player? More video on the site? Step away from the piano?

    By cjhannas piano Uncategorized video
  • 25 Jun

    Tickling the (Plastic) Ivories

    For a long time the “about me” section on my Facebook and MySpace (remember MySpace?) profiles included something along the lines of “teaching myself to play piano.”

    That prompted more than one person to ask the obvious–did I eventually learn how to play?

    The answer I guess is in the ear of the beholder. I can punch the keys in an order that makes songs. I have retained a small bit of my ability to read music from my elementary school foray into playing the violin. So in short, I can kind of play the piano.

    In fact, I know one complete song that can be found on a commercially successful album. I’ll give you a second to try to guess which song it is. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

    Think you know it? Well, you’re wrong. It’s Vanessa Carlton’s “Twilight” and it is ridiculously easy to play. Here’s her version, with a little help from some additional instruments.

    Now my international music debut, which only includes the piano part (she wouldn’t come over and sing for you):

    Wow, that was amazing. Of course, I am no one-trick pony. As I said that is the only complete song that I know. But my repertoire includes a number of song beginnings that for one reason or another were never followed by learning the rest of the song. For your enjoyment, I made a medley of such songs:

    In order, that was:

    -Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” in some sort of key
    -Missy Higgins’ “They Weren’t There“
    -Delta Goodrem’s “Not Me, Not I“
    -Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”
    -Norah Jones’ “Not Too Late“
    -Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” (with extra joy!)

    A standing ovation is not necessary, though if you want to politely applaud I think that might be appropriate.

    By cjhannas Norah Jones piano Uncategorized video
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