This week’s micro-challenge: Practice at least twice — even 10–15 minutes counts. When you’ve done it, comment “done” to check in and keep the momentum going. Let’s build steady, quiet progress together.

Just come back from holiday and prior to that had about a week where my job/work load had increased substantially, so in all not touched the piano for best part of two weeks. I did have one opportunity to play the piano at one of Berlin’s train stations on Thursday and struggled to remember the piece “Scarborough Fair” fully. I think it is because I didn’t have the sheet music in front of me, or maybe I just don’t have a good memory. But could it be that I haven’t realised how ingrained in my learning is reading music. I thought I relied on muscle memory but maybe it’s not just that!

Your challenge this week is simple: 📸 Post a photo of your practice notebook — whether it’s neat and detailed or a total work-in-progress! It’s not about perfection; it’s about showing how you think about your practice. What you write down, what you track, and how you keep yourself on course. If you’re not sure where to start, no problem — check out the Workshop Replay Library in the Classroom tab, and look for the Practice Journal section in the “Beating Piano Frustration” workshop. It walks you through exactly how to build a notebook that actually helps you improve. Let’s fill the feed with notebooks this week — they’re one of the best tools for turning random practice into real progress. 👇 Post your photo below or share it as your own post in Progress & Wins!

A big round of applause for this month’s top contributors — our most active, reflective, and consistent pianists in the Circle 👏 🏅 1st — Seamus McQuaid (+15) Always thoughtful, always reflective. Seamus’s steady practice updates and metronome work have set the tone for the whole community this month. 🥈 2nd — Lucia Viola (+8) Lucia continues to share calm progress and insights that resonate with everyone — a model of consistency and musical focus. 🥉 3rd — Justin Cheong (+3) Justin’s thoughtful engagement and curiosity around theory and practice have added real value to our conversations. And a special mention to Olivia Hall (+1) for joining in and keeping her learning active! 🎶 These rankings aren’t just numbers — they reflect musicians who are actively shaping their growth by showing up, asking questions, and supporting others. The more you engage, the more you’ll find your own playing deepening too. 💬 Want to climb the board next month? Post your next win, reflection, or recording in the Progress & Wins section — every contribution helps you and inspires others.

Here’s a simple one for this week — no pressure, no guilt, just a quick check-in: ✅ If you’ve sat at the piano at least twice this week, even for just 10 minutes each time, drop a “done” in the comments below. That’s it. It’s not about perfection — it’s about showing up, even when it’s just for a short burst. Those small, steady moments are what build fluency over time. Let’s see how many of us can tick this off before the weekend 👇