NOTE TO ALL PARENTS: There will be a substitute teacher next week. The teacher is aware of each student’s progress and needs, so the lessons should be as any lesson with me would.

Rachel

This week, we began the lesson by doing some stretches and playing Twinkle Twinkle as a warm-up. We then reviewed “Dinosaur Music Night.” After some reminders on how to play it, Rachel was able to play the whole thing by herself! We then looked at “Paw Prints,” an activity that helped Rachel review where C, D, and E were on the keyboard.

Over the holidays, if Rachel has the opportunity, she can review her previous songs in the book. She can also work on some activities in her writing book.

Chloe

We began the lesson by doing some stretches and reviewing the hand position. Chloe then played “Oh I Love Snack Time” and “Eensie Weensie Spider” for me. She did a great job on both of these! She even kept her fingers in the claw-like hand position for the majority of the time!

This week, at home I want Chloe to learn “Graduation Party.” It’s the last song in her book, so if possible, she will need the next book for next week. It can be found here. https://www.amazon.ca/My-First-Piano-Adventure-Lesson/dp/1616776218/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512245877&sr=1-1&keywords=my+first+piano+adventure+lesson+book+b

If she can’t find it before the lesson, there are still things she can work on next week with the substitute teacher in the back of her book.

Chloe should practice for 5-10 minutes every day. After she runs through her song, she can play whatever she’d like!

Chantal

We began the lesson by reviewing the Dozen a Day Group V exercises 9 and 10. Chantal did a great job with these and played them confidently! We also looked a little bit at exercise 11 and 12.

Afterwards, we looked at “Mozart’s Five Names.” Chantal played both hands separately really well! We then tried to play a little of the piece hands together. I think with some practice this week, Chantal will be able to play it really confidently hands together.

This week at home, I want Chantal to play Dozen a Day exercises 11 and 12. She should always use her strong fingers and count out loud. Then, she should practice Mozart’s Five Names hands together. If she has extra time, she can start to look at the next song: Paper Airplane. This is optional.

Chantal should play for 15 minutes every day.

Tanishq

Warm-Ups: Double 3rds, review Eb major scale. Always use strong fingers! Try to connect the notes while playing the scale.

Dragonfly Scherzo: Try to play nice and light during the introduction of the piece, and add more weight during the middle section. Practice all the way through without stopping a few times, and then do more stopping and starting while practicing.

Clair de Lune: Practice the 1st page hands separately. Always double check the notes! Some of the “wrong” sounding notes are actually right! If a chord is too awkward to play (your hand isn’t big enough to play it all at once), roll the chord!

Menuet in E: Great work on this, this week! Work on adding in the ornaments this week. First, start by practicing the ornaments by themselves, then practice them by adding in the notes before. Continue to practice hands together.

Find a study you want to start working on for next week! Practice for 30 mins every day.

Zoe

We began the lesson by reviewing the Dozen a Day exercises 1-3, played in G major. Zoe did really well with this! We started to look at exercises 4-6 in G major during the lesson as well. Zoe sensed musically that she needed to play a F# to make the exercise sound major in the new key! This was awesome to see!

Afterwards, we looked at All the Raindrops! Zoe did really well playing it, and even transposed the right hand into G major. Afterwards, we reviewed the G 5-finger scale.

This week at home: Zoe should practice Dozen a Day exercises 4-6 in G major. If Zoe has trouble at home remembering how to play the exercises in the new key, I suggest she place her hands as if she’d play in C, and then shift both of them up to the G!
Afterwards she should practice Let’s Go Play in her lesson book. It’s the last song in her book, so she’ll need the new one for the next lesson. It can be found here. https://www.amazon.ca/Level-Lesson-Book-Piano-Adventures/dp/1616770783/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512246551&sr=8-2&keywords=faber+piano+adventures

Zoe should practice for 10 minutes every day!

Julie

Warm-Ups: Double 3rds.
B natural minor scale: start by playing this hands separately. Then try to play it hands together. Double check your left hand fingerings!

Dedication: Start by practicing b. 9-12. Work on the cresc and dim.
In the cresc, go to the highest point of the passage, then stop. Then try the second half (dim). Afterwards, try to play the whole passage.
Continue to practice the melody alone with the left hand, then add in the middle voices.

Sunset in Rio: continue to review this hands together.
Focus on bar 28-33. Play one note at a time, adding a new note with every repetition.

Sonatina: Focus on the 16th note groups, especially the beginning. Practice them with dotted rhythms several times, then try them as written. Add the left hand after this. If the left hand causes new problems, try to play the passage bar by bar. Then try to connect the bars.

Lied: Watch out for the grace notes! Make sure they’re faster than the 16th notes. Try to sing the grace notes while playing them, so you can hear where they should fit into the bar.
Try to add in the pedal this week. Pedal each beat (or each time the melody moves).

Practice for 30 mins every day!