Anastasiya
You should have more confidence when you’re learning new pieces, because you are actually quite good at it! For next time, keep working on “Flute of the Andes”, which you learned super quickly today. Remember to use the correct finger to play the first note of both the right and left hand – if you use the wrong finger, even if you play the right note, your hand will be in the wrong position. Remember that 8va means to play the same notes one octave higher. Also, excellent job with “Runaway Rabbit” today. Keep practicing it – you might play it for the next recital!
Madison
Very good job with “Sonatina” – keep practicing it, as you could play it on the next recital! I really liked your dynamics, crescendos, and decrescendos – however, remember to keep the left hand softer than the right hand always. Also, keep the second section in the same tempo, and not faster, as the rest of the piece. Keep working on “When Our Band Goes Marching By”. It will take a bit of time before playing it hands together becomes comfortable. Practice one line at a time (or even just two measures) hands separate, and then hands together, before moving on to the next line. You can also practice by singing the right hand while playing the left hand. Once you get used to the hands together, it will be much easier, but just keep working slowly for now when putting the hands together!
Melody
Much better “Happy Song”. You also mastered using FACE and Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge to find the notes in the right hand. Now, let’s work on the same thing in the left hand. For left hand, the notes in the spaces uses ACEG (All Cows Eat Grass) and for the notes in the lines, you use GBDFA (Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart). You can use these four tricks to find your notes in your pieces. Keep working on “Who’s on 3rd” and if it helps, practice saying the notes while you play them. Work on “Mexican Hat Dance” and the next page with the intervals for next week. If you get confused as to what the notes are, remember to use one of the four tricks you learned to find the notes! Also, keep track of steps and skips and if the notes move up or down, but you are doing a much better job with the reading!
Juliette
Keep working on the A Minor scales. Remember the difference between natural, harmonic (raises the 7th) and melodic (raise the 6th and 7th on the way up only, and lower them on the way down). I’m very impressed with how fast you were able to go through the book! Keep working on “Sonatina” – it was very good and I especially liked your pedaling. Just a couple things to watch for – remember to keep your left hand softer than the right hand at all times. Also, in the second section, three things – watch your rhythm, remember to stay in the same tempo, and also, don’t forget the F-sharps in this section. Also work on “When Our Band Comes Marching By” for next time. Focus especially on the trickier right hand, Remember that there are often rests on the first beat of the measure. When you get comfortable playing hands separately, try putting the hands together. Go slowly until the rests in your right hand start to feel natural.