Helen

Practice placing your hands on the keyboard several times before you begin to play. The book will use the same hand position for most of it, so it’ll be helpful to get used to always putting your hands in this default position. Make sure to set up your hands so each finger is over a key. It makes following finger numbers and finding notes a lot easier.

Move your arm and wrist to help your fingers play with power!

Review page 28 in your book. Begin page 29. Try to hold the left hand for all four beats of the bar. Practice hands separately to get used to the notes before trying them together. Always play with strong fingers!

Try to play for 15 minutes every day.

Rachel

In the lesson we worked on Oh I Love Snack Time by clapping the rhythm and reviewing the notes several times. Rachel was beginning to feel comfortable playing it, so I’d like her to review it this week so she feels absolutely comfortable playing it. Mom or Dad can help while she’s practicing by reading out the notes as she plays to make sure she’s playing the correct notes.

Writing Book: we started the Boa Constrictor Activity in the writing book (page 50), which is a review of the notes on the keyboard. I’d like Rachel to complete it this week. We will correct it in the lesson!

Rachel should play for 5 minutes every day.

Chantal

Warm-Up: Chantal should begin by playing A Dozen a Day Group II exercises #10-12 in D major. She can begin by playing them in C major, then playing in D major. She should always be watching the notes so she makes sure she’s playing the notes as written instead of what she might think the notes will be. The composer does throw in a few unexpected tricks here and there!

For the recital, Chantal will be playing This is Not Jingle Bells. I suggest she have a practice recital at home for her family to prepare for playing for an audience. She should play the piece a few times every day!

After the recital, I’d like Chantal to start working on Runaway Rabbit. She should have both hands ready to play, even though the left hand doesn’t come in until much later in the piece.

Chantal should practice for 10-15 minutes every day.

Zoe

Warm-Up: Zoe should begin by playing A Dozen a Day Group III in E major, exercises 4-6. She should be playing with strong fingers!

Technique Book: Floating Balloon exercise. This uses the wrist float-off exercise and we reviewed how to do it in the lesson. Zoe should keep her hand and arm nice and relaxed.

The Lonely Pine in Lesson Book: This song uses a hand shift, which means her hand will move from playing higher on the keyboard back to lower. She should prepare her hand in the bar of rest in the song so she’s ready for the shift!

Lil Liza Jane: if she has more time, she can begin to work on this song too. This features the new dynamic: mezzo piano. This means to play moderately soft!

Zoe should practice for 15 minutes every day!

Julie

Warm-Up: Double 3rds. Review ALL F# minor scales.

Lied: Make sure to keep the 16th notes in the left hand nice and steady (especially on last page). Record yourself to hear the dynamic contrast and assess yourself. Play this several times without stopping.

Pavane: practice LH jumps in bar 23-25. Play last note in one 8th note group and then the first note in the next 8th note group several times. Focus on the first page when the 3rd voice comes in to make sure it’s nice and strong and there’s no hesitations.

Humoresque: Go over big chords several times. Play the piece through all the way several times. It sounded great last night!

After the recital, begin to refresh yourself on the Schumann and Beethoven pieces. We will look at them next week. Try to play for 30-45 minutes every day.