Abi:
Try to go for some 2 octave scales this week. G, Ab, A or Bb would be a good place to start. Try them tongued and slurred to make them both equally comfortable. This is a good place to work on that smoother tonguing.
All the songs you’ve been playing are coming along nicely. Go for a more refined version of Swan Lake next week. Accentuate the dynamics & articulation (legato tonguing), and make sure you always have beautiful sound while playing. Full easy breaths!! I’ll have some more music for you to read this coming week.
Write out the bottom octave of the G major scale.
Matt:
Thanks for writing out those minor scales; I think that will help you to memorize & understand how they work. For next week I’d love to hear all 4 of those minor scales again.
Spend some time this week reviewing All Through The Night and German Dance. Those ones are just as important as the new ones. Remind yourself about all the articulation, phrasing, dynamics and places to breathe. I always find when I revisit a song, I usually play it much better – I have more attention to detail and patience when working on it again.
Etude in G/D are coming along nicely too. The tempos are settling in and you have a keen eye for all the articulation and dynamics. If you focus on playing both of them a little smoother, I think that’ll take them to another level. That involves a little lighter tongue and more confidence in the fingerings.