Happy practicing this week! And make sure you’re finding 20 minutes to practice each day!

Rachel

Technical: This week E minor: remember your 3 minor scales (natural, harmonic, melodic). Please practice with your scale/triad sheets in front of you. We put your finger number knowledge to the test and found your scales were smoother when you knew what fingers you were crossing to!

Repertoire:
Clair de Lune
Continue to focus on the first page this week! Pay close attention to pedal markings and continue working on your finger pedalling (i.e., just because you’re adding pedal this week doesn’t mean you stop finger pedalling!). Practice R.H. with pedal, then L.H. with pedal, then try to put the first two lines (with pedal) hands together.

She’s Like the Swallow
Continue with segment practice. I want to hear this piece H.T. next week from start to finish!

Eliana

Cora Ahrens (Finish last week’s questions)
B.C.: nos. 15, 17, 18
T.C.: nos. 15, 17, 18

Theory (same as last week, again!)
pg. 50, #2 (only questions with stars)
pg. 51, #1 (only questions with stars)

Technical:
Nothing new this week. Keep practicing E minor.

Repertoire:
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Good work with dynamics this week. I’m happy to see and hear that colour coding your dynamics is helpful! This week: mf  at m. 5, remember it’s only a mezzo forte. You have to work up to the at m. 8. Also watch out for finger pedalling in m. 5 and m. 13 (same concept in both measures).

Note: swing doesn’t mean you play your eighth notes staccato. Also, try slow practice this week; this will help you with your transitions between segments (especially on page 2). Set your metronome to quarter note = 55.

Canon in D
Practice with a metronome this week! Let’s say quarter note = 60. Still H.S. this week. Focus on pages 1 and 2 only. I think you could also benefit from writing in finger numbers for every note. Do not fret, some are already filled in for you. This will help your hand position and it’ll help you learn the music quicker.

Claire

Technical:
Same as last week — Continue reviewing A minor scales and triads. Try to practice with your technical sheets in front of you. We’ve written in all the fingering you need to know. Use your technical sheets as a guide until you can memorize your key signatures and fingering. Start E minor this week. Remember you have 3 different minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic. Think about what stays the same and what you have to raise and lower before you start to play.

Repertoire:
This Is My Planet Earth (TIMPE): Sounds good so far! I can tell you’ve been practicing this piece. This week continue with segment practice H.T., but make sure you also practice transitions from one segment to the next. I’ll hear the whole piece next week (including arpeggios!).

Aria: We’ve split up your piece into practice segments. Please make sure you can play the whole piece H.S. by your next lesson. Also, practice clapping your R.H. rhythm. This will help you play the correct rhythm. Also, watch out for your B-flats!

Practice 1:
E minor
TIMPE segments 1-8, then Aria

Practice 2
E minor
TIMPE segments 1-8, then Aria

Practice 3
E minor
TIMPE segments 1-8, then Aria

Practice 4
E minor
TIMPE segments 1-8, then Aria