Nova
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 per day
What to practice: Scales A minor natural + harmonic, E minor natural + harmonic, Mixed up Song, If I Were a Rich Man
How to practice:
Scales- remember fingering pattern. RH 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 ascending, descending opposite way, LH 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1 ascending, descending opposite way. Natural minor is exactly the same notes as relative major, harmonic minor is with the raised 7th (E minor has D#, A minor has G#)
Mixed up Song- make mezzo forte dynamics (instrumental part) and forte dynamics (lyric part and ending) sound distinct. Also distinguish three articulations: staccato, detached, and legato. Make sure you don’t connect the 2nd and 3rd detached notes in a detached bar, and watch the second staccato note in a staccato bar- do not connect or make it detached.
If I were a Rich Man
-great practice with the eighth notes!
-Practice staccato bits. They should bounce.
-Go over rhythm and articulation in bar 4- measure is divided between the two half notes.
-Remember the accented staccato on the chord in bar 8.
-Bars 15-16: watch fingering change, note sequence, and rit (slow down). End on a 5th interval, accented staccato.
Maya
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 mi per day
What to practice: Autumn song, Hiking
How to practice:
Autumn song- no stopping at hand transitions. Isolate bars 2-3, practice multiple times, then sandwich between bars 1 and 4 and practice until you get it multiple times in a row without stopping. Do not forget to make two-beat notes longer.
Hiking- practice on a steady beat, without stopping at hand switches. Watch rhythms.
How parents can support practice: Supervise, especially provide help with making hand transitions smooth.
See you next week :)