Anastasiya
Much better with the flash cards! You are very quick to find your notes now – our next goal should be to take this new skill, and apply it to your pieces. For example, if you don’t remember one of the notes in your pieces, you can use your tricks to find the note in your piece like you do on the flash cards. “Kites in the Sky” is sounding very good – I’m glad you like this piece so much! Work on “A Mixed Up Song” for next week. Remember your hands stay in C Position for the whole piece. To find your first note in the left hand, ask yourself if the note is on a line or space – you should be able to figure out the note from there (hint – it’s not a C!). You can also practice by saying the note names out loud, and also – always be aware which hand is supposed to be playing (right hand, left hand or both?)
Madison
Much better with “Sonatina”! Keep practicing this for next week. For your left hand, don’t lift your fingers too high – remember to keep them on the keys always. Also, no rushing in your left hand. Also work on adding pedal for next week. In the second section, where the right hand is in G Position, practice this hands separate and hands together – one line at a time. Two things to focus on are changing your right hand from C Position to G Position, and then going back from G Position to C position. Last thing – make sure your second section and first section are in the same tempo, so don’t get faster or slower between the sections.
Melody
You’ve shown a lot of improvement with finding your notes! For next week, you have three pieces to prepare – “Happy Song”, “See Saws and “Balloons” (“Just a Second” was very good today). Remember with all three of these songs, to practice looking up at the music so you know exactly when the notes go up or down. You can practice these by saying the note names out loud – this will help you get comfortable with knowing exactly where all the notes are on the keyboard too. When you’re doing this kind of practice, it’s important to practice little chunks at a time (2 measures to one line at a time) – if you try to do the whole piece each time, it can seem like a lot. Of course, practice also without saying the note names – good work this week!
Juliette
Excellent work this week – especially on “Whirwind” and “Cowboy Song”. This week when you are practicing, pay extra close attention to your hand position. Put your hands on your knees to find your perfect hand position. Keep practicing “Greatest Show on Earth” – practice one phrase at a time, hands separate, before putting the hands together. You did excellent with playing the left hand louder than the right hand! “Planets” was also very good – check your right hand notes in the 3rd line. Remember that this piece should be slow and quiet, to really sound like you’re on another planet. For new material this week, practice your scales ( C major and g major, which have the same fingerings). Also, practice “Carol in G Major” and “Carol in C Major”. If you forget the hand positions for this piece, check on the previous page (Page 41) and play “G Major Scale Piece” and “C Major Scale Piece” as a warmup. Great job – we’ve gone through the book very quickly, and in a few weeks, you will need the new book!