Anna

Warm-Up: Anna should begin by playing the Db major scale, which is written out in her etude “Workout in Db.” She should play with strong fingers, with both connected and detached articulations.

Entry of the Gladiators: This week, the goal is to play with a steady rhythm! We worked in the lesson on playing with the metronome at 92. Anna can find an online metronome here or she can use an iPad app as well.
In Section B, Anna should work on bringing out the left hand melody by playing it with strong fingers a few times by itself. Then, she should add in the right hand, making sure to play a little lighter so she doesn’t drown it out!
She can also start to look at the last two lines hands separately. She should always follow the suggested fingerings, as they will really help her play efficiently!

Workout in Db: I’d like Anna to try and learn the whole thing slowly. Once she gets the hang of playing the Db major scale, the etude has a lot of repetition. She should try not to twist her right hand wrist as she brings her finger over in the scale. Instead, she can just lift it. When her hands are a bit bigger this manoeuvre will be easier to do.

Anna should play for 20 minutes every day!

Megane

This week, we learned about G on the left hand staff! I’d like her to play the songs that feature G: Little River and Evening. She should try to use the fingering suggested – it will help with note naming!

Megane has a few original songs in her head that I’d love for her to try and write down on staff paper. Please print it out so that she can try to write them and we will review the fingers next week.

Megane should play for 5 minutes every day!

Sacha

Warm-Up: Double 3rd exercise. Sacha should use strong fingers and play with the tips of his fingers! The most important thing is that he’s watching his hands to make sure his fingers are curved and aren’t straightening out as he plays.

Intermezzo: During the lesson, we wrapped up the playing of this. Sacha had a few problem bars we were able to make a little easier by slow and careful playing. He should always play slowly and carefully when he’s having trouble, even if he has to go extremely slowly.

The Key of D Minor (page 66): Sacha can work on playing the different types of minor scales. We will go more in depth in the next lesson.

Scarborough Fair: Sacha can start to learn as much of this song as he can.

Sacha should play for 15 minutes every day.