Sara

Technique – Scales, Triads, Arpeggios

-Continue with E Major, focusing on staying relaxed all exercises (checking in with the entire hand, the wrist, and the forearm)

-Especially with solid triads – thinking in a similar way to RH octaves in “The Entertainer” – not letting wrist get too high, or letting the hand “set” into position.

 

The Entertainer: Getting things overall more physically comfortable and automatic. Break into small chunks and work HS as we did in lesson.

-For RH, breaking octaves/chords apart into their pieces and playing through as an exercise (only finger 1/finger 5, repeating each chord before moving onto the next)

-For LH, focusing on jumps between hand positions: making sure you are able to jump back and forth quickly and comfortably (practicing repeating chords similar to RH, make the jumps more difficult by jumping an extra octave)

 

Pierrot & Pierrette: Breaking apart into small chunks (approximately 4 measure groups) and isolating any problem notes/tricky spots. Making sure that we can confidently and loudly play to the end of each small chunk.

-For LH, focusing on STRONG weak weak rhythm – emphasizing a STRONG beat 1 in each measure.

-For RH, not allowing for any shy playing! Ignore the “p” dynamic for now, playing confidently and strongly in the RH to get settled. When practicing HT, making sure that our RH is louder than LH (remember! RH is our melody in this case, LH is creating atmosphere and supporting)

 

Bartok: Continuing on with #9-10; focusing on reading ahead and looking at the entire shape of a musical phrase, not just looking a note ahead. Try to imagine how it will sound based on the shape before you play.

-Reviewing #1-8 throughout the week for your own purposes, focusing on reading the entire shape as we tried in lesson (don’t be afraid to draw out the shape into your score to help visually to “connect the dots”)

 

Clara

Lesson book pages 25-31, practicing speaking note names and finger numbers out loud.

Faber scans for Clara 25-31

Practicing 5 finger scales hands separately, ascending and descending in a C 5 finger position. Speaking finger numbers and note names out loud while playing detached, staccato (like popcorn), and legato (smooth and connected).

C-1, D2, E3, F4, G5