B.Mus. (U Lethbridge)
B.Ed. (U Calgary)
M.A. (York U)
Jennifer Wakefield has been a vocal coach and music teacher for over fifteen years. A native of Alberta, Jennifer completed a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Lethbridge in 1995 and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary in 2003.
During the final term of her B. Ed. Degree, Jennifer relocated to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for five and a half years, where she held classroom music teaching positions from K-12, conducted an adult community choir, private vocal lessons and participated actively in the local Tanzanian music scene as a soloist. Jennifer’s hands-on exposure to traditional Tanzanian music led her to pursue an MA in Ethnomusicology at York University which she completed in June 2012.
Her recent projects include a vocalist for a Fujiwara piece in the Danceworks 40th Anniversary event, backup vocals for singer-songwriter Melanie Peterson, singer in “Have you seen my sister?” a vocal installation featured at Toronto Nuit Blanche 2017, soprano in “The Christmas Story” pageant a cappella quartet, and arranger/ vocalist and flautist in a Sprig of Rosemary, a Celtic music duo.
Get to know Jennifer…beyond the BIO!
Hobbies: cycling, hiking, choir
Musical influences: Beethoven, Loreena McKennitt, Blackmore’s Night, Karine Polwart
Favourite food: chocolate, cheese
Least favourite food: not enough chocolate, mushrooms
Favourite music: folk rock
Favourite song: Too many to narrow it down! / Both Sides Now (1969) – Joni Mitchell
Favourite movie: Life is Beautiful
Favouirite movie music: Star Wars / Dirty Dancing
Favourite musical theatre/opera: La Boheme – Puccini, Rent
Best quote from your teacher: “Ya gotta love it!”, “Success is 10% talent and 90% hard work.”
Favourite quote: “Life is short, eat dessert first.”, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
Favourite book: The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Meeting great students and making great music!
Latest Homework from Jennifer
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Homework for April 13-19
Hi all,
Keep working hard- success is 10 percent talent and 90 percent hard work! But also, enjoy your long weekend!
Tuesdays
Student 1: Gerardo
Recommended minutes to practice: 30 min per day
What to practice: Technique: C major and A minor scales, 2 octaves (remember fingerings)
Songs: Captain Hook- nice playing, Almost like a dream- use metronome at quarter note = 70
How to practice it most effectively: check your arm position (L-shape) and round hand (like you are holding a ball)
How parents can support practice: help establish a private space and regular schedule, buy a Four Star Sightreading book level 2
Student: Maria
Recommended to practice: 30 min per day
What to practice: Technique: B flat major and G harmonic and natural minor scales and triads- use a metronome, formula pattern- D major
Songs: Funny puppy, We don’t talk about Bruno
How to practice it most effectively: please move your piano, or raise your bench to ensure your arms are in an L-shape
Student: Isabella
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review you tube sol fege and recording of Do a deer
How to practice it most effectively: do a small section at a time
How parents can support practice: help establish a private space and regular schedule
Student: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 30 min per day
What to practice: Technique: E minor- harmonic and melodic, triads in E minor, Four star sightreading level 2
Pieces: Cranky cat- start HT slowly, Etude in C- its coming along well. Work on the few bars that are not as fast as the rest.
How to practice it most effectively: do a small section at a time
Wed students:
Student: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Warmup you tube and Castle on a cloud
How to practice it most effectively: start in the middle to practice the end, work on the words we circled for bringing out the emotion connected to them.
Student: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Keep reviewing note reading and ear training, Fingers crossed
How to practice it most effectively: notice where your breathing originates- is it shallow or low in the belly?
Student: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review of Ode to joy, try any song you played earlier in the book, start at pg. 46
How to practice it most effectively: keep using all your fingers, concentrate for a short time then take a break!
Student: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Runaway rabbit, try playing pop songs that you like
How to practice it most effectively: do a small section at a time, check for louds and softs, even practice for a short time,
Student: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Piano tiles- Faded, songs with chords
How to practice it most effectively: do a small section at a time
Student: Miikwan
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Book: Review pg. 12 and 13, read through 14 and 15
How to practice it most effectively: be sure that you are sitting high enough that your arms make an L shape
How parents can support practice: check posture
Homework for April 7-12, 2022
Hello all,
Good effort in your lessons. It is so satisfying when we put daily time and energy into our playing. When you practice more regularly, you will see how your skills grow!
Tuesdays
Student 1: Isabella- good start!
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Sol fege you tube
Song: Do a deer-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drnBMAEA3AM
https://prim14.discip.accaen.fr/IMG/pdf/doe_a_deer_part_et_paroles.pdf
*Please print this for your next lesson.
How to practice it most effectively: warm-up with the sol fege video, then practice the song singing along with the you tube
How parents can support practice: Schedule the same time and place every day for practice
Student 2: Christian
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review PDF pages in the Accelerated piano book
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_5CXPkWBonA2r5e8OOY2HsdJNBLK13cZ
How to practice it most effectively: check your arm position (L-shape) and round hand (like you are holding a ball), use all our fingers
How parents can support practice: check for posture and hand position
Student 3: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 min per day
What to practice: Technique: E minor- harmonic and melodic and G major scales- 2 octaves, F major triads- broken and solid, major and minor chord identification
Repertoire: Minuet in A minor- Good job on this one!
Etude: well played, keep working on increasing the tempo with metronome
Cranky cat: once you are comfortable with HS, try HT slowly
Wed students
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: warmup with you tube, ear training http://www.howtosingsmarter.com/solfege/
Castle on a cloud- good progress- start on page 2 and practice the ending, good support for the high notes
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: warmup http://www.howtosingsmarter.com/solfege/
Practice learning to sight sing use you tube below, Fingers crossed- make it your own performance
Student 3: Caedan- well done on your March song
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Continue with pg. 43, try playing twinkle twinkle by ear- start on middle c
Student: 4: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: c, f major scales, warmups, All through the night
How to practice it most effectively: write the notes in if you need to, start in the middle so you practice the ending, sing along to your piano melody
How parents can support practice: work out the notes for the melody together, check if written notes are correct
Miikwan: loved your compostion!
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review book pages 9-11, continue with 12 and 13, keep composing, explore online games for learning piano notes
http://musicards.net/
How to practice it most effectively: check your hand position- round hand (like you are holding a ball), use all your fingers
How parents can support practice: double check fingerings and hand position, encourage use of all fingers
Homework for March 31 to April 5
Hi all,
Welcome to April! Good work on being musical! Please find your name in the list below and see the homework given.
Student 1: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 min
What to practice: Technique: Scales- e minor, F+ and E minor triads 1 octave broken and solid
Repertoire: Cranky Cat, Etude, Theory unit 1
How to practice it most effectively: 10 min on technique, 20 min repertoire
Student 2: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: 1-2 warmups on youtube, castle on a cloud
How to practice it most effectively: start with a short physical warmup to be relaxed in your body, listen closely to the melody line and emotion behind the words
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space
Student 3: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: 1-2 warmups on youtube, fingers crossed
How to practice it most effectively: start with a short physical warmup to be relaxed in your body, practice with the singer, then try the karaoke, listen for her emotion behind the words, keep space in the back of your throat
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space
Student 4: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: warmup your fingers with a C scale
How to practice it most effectively: Focus for a short time and once you make some progress, give yourself a reward
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space
Student 5: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: choose a song that you can play on the piano as warmup, then try something harder
How to practice it most effectively: prepare all your music before you start
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space
Student 6: Miikwan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: Review the PDF to page 10, try the next pages
How to practice it most effectively: warmup your fingers by playing your own thing, think about what notes you are playing
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space, watch for posture and round hand position
Student 7: Christian
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min
What to practice: Warmup all your fingers by playing your own thing, once you get the book review pages 8-10 (Recommend Book: Accelerated Piano Adventures for the older beginner- Faber book 1 )
How parents can support practice: set up a regular schedule and private space
Homework for March 24-29, 2022
Hi all,
Keep up the good music making! Find your name below for your specific homework notes.
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Warm-up with the you tube link, sing along with you tube- Castle on a cloud
How to practice it most effectively: Follow along with the sheet music
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Warm-up with the you tube link, Fingers crossed
How to practice it most effectively: Prepare your keyboard and part, and/or karaoke track to sing along with. Start by imitating her emotions, exaggerate them in your voice
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 3: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Start on page 42, review any previous pages to solidify
How to practice it most effectively: Double check which hand is starting, look through the song first to be ready for anything.
How parents can support practice: Keep encouraging good posture and regular practice.
Student 4: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Technique- c scale, HS 2 octaves, Runaway Rabbit
How to practice it most effectively: Give yourself a goal to play through a song before you go to dinner/ your next activity. Think about how you can make it musical.
How parents can support practice: Review note reading using previous songs in the book.
Student 5: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 minutes per day
What to practice: Start with technique- c major scale, HS, Musette- hands separately
How to practice it most effectively: Write in some note names, listen to a recording of it, give yourself a goal to work for 20 min then get a small reward
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 6: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Technique: F major, E minor, C major contrary motion, C, F major triads broken and solid.
Repertoire: Cranky Cat, Etude in C
How to practice it most effectively: Use metronome, keep the scales and triads steady and smooth, keep yourself focused on making it beautiful
Student 7: Miikwan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Review PDF, start book on page 11, continue from there
How to practice it most effectively: Keep your fingers round, like you are holding a ball. Be patient while you are learning to read music.
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time and help to focus the practice to one goal.
Homework for the week of March 10-15
Hi all! I hope you are having a good week. Remember to set aside some time to make music! Enjoy your March break!
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min
What to practice: 5 min vocal warmups, Scarborough Fair and choose a new song for March 23.
How to practice it most effectively: Talk through the lyrics and then prepare when you will breathe. Use all your air on one line of lyrics.
How parents can support practice: Set aside a private place and listen for accurate pitch.
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min
What to practice: 5 min vocal warmups, Scarborough Fair and prepare your new song for March 23.
How to practice it most effectively: Talk through the lyrics and then prepare when you will breathe. Use all your air on one line of lyrics.
How parents can support practice: Set aside a private place and encourage them to sing out.
Student 3: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: Start on pg 41, Mary had a little lamb on the black keys
How to practice it most effectively: Think about the rhythms, notes you are playing, keep your hands round and thumb above the keyboard.
How parents can support practice: Encourage music making not just note playing.
Student 4: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: C major scale- HS, test yourself on intervals, Songs: Runaway Rabbit
How to practice it most effectively: Think about the rhythms, notes you are playing, making it musical not only playing notes.
How parents can support practice: Regular time for practice.
Student 5: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: C major scale- HS, Musette (Piano), All through the night (Voice)
How to practice it most effectively: Musette- right hand only to start, then start left hand, hands separately.
Review music theory https://www.musictheory.net/lessons
How parents can support practice: Establish a regular time for practice.
Student 6: Miikwan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min
What to practice: Please get a book asap: it will be easier to carry on (Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Complete, Bk 1: For the Later Beginner or https://pianoadventures.com/publications/accelerated-piano-adventures-lesson-book-1/)
How to practice it most effectively: Step by step
Start music theory https://www.musictheory.net/lessons
How parents can support practice: Establish a regular time for practice.
Homework for March 2-8
Hi all,
Good work this week. Keep up the effort. Beethoven said “to play a wrong note is insignificant, to play without passion is inexcusable.” Please see your specific homework below.
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min
What to practice: 5 min you tube warmup, 10 minutes Scarborough Fair
How to practice it most effectively: Get comfortable with the lyrics slowly by speaking them, singing without the accompaniment, and then add the piano. Consider how you can express each verse differently.
How parents can support practice: If possible, encourage regular practice by helping to create a specific time each day for practice and establishing a place that is private and without distraction.
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min
What to practice: 5 min you tube warmup, 10 minutes Scarborough Fair
How to practice it most effectively: Get comfortable with the lyrics slowly by speaking them, singing without the accompaniment, and then add the piano. Consider how you can express each verse differently.
How parents can support practice: If possible, encourage regular practice by helping to create a specific time each day for practice and establishing a place that is private and without distraction.
Student 3: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min- 20 min
What to practice: Review note names, and note lenghts, continue from page 41
How to practice it most effectively: Get comfortable with the new notes, say them out loud, make up new songs with your new notes.
How parents can support practice: Keep encouraging good posture and round hand position, and counting and saying notes out loud.
Student 4: Naira
Recommended minutes to practice: 30 min
What to practice: 10 min you tube warmup, 20 minutes song: All through the night
How to practice it most effectively: Get comfortable with the lyrics slowly by speaking them in rhythm, then singing without the accompaniment, and then add the piano accompaniment.
How parents can support practice: If possible, encourage regular practice by helping to create a specific time each day for practice and establishing a place that is private and without distraction.
Student 5: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 30 min
What to practice: 10 min technique: scales, triads (bpm=50), ear training- (app? RCM website?)
20 minutes songs
How to practice it most effectively: Push the tempo in small sections, don’t worry about not playing it perfectly, go for it!
Student 6: Miikwan
Happy birthday!
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Buy the book- Accelerated Piano Adventures for the older beginner Lesson book 1- Faber
How to practice it most effectively: Start looking through it before we meet next week.
Preferred Books for Jennifer’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Belting - A
Written for ages 5 and 6, My First Piano Adventure captures the child’s playful spirit. Fun-filled songs, rhythm games and technique activities develop beginning keyboard skills.
26 Italian Songs and Arias
This authoritative edition of the world’s most loved songs and arias draws on original manuscripts, historical first editions, and recent research by prominent musicologists to meet a high standard of accuracy and authenticity. Includes fascinating background information about the arias and their composers, as well as a singable rhymed translation, a readable prose translation, and a literal translation of every single word. This title is available in SmartMusic.
Folk Songs for Solo Singers
Selected for contests and adjudications around the country, this incredible volume includes 11 favorite folk songs expertly crafted for solo voice and piano. Arranged by Alfred Music’s finest writers, such as Philip Kern, Jay Althouse, Don Besig, Ruth Elaine Schram, and Carl Strommen.
Easy Songs for the Beginning Soprano
This series was designed to supplement traditional vocal instruction and works perfectly as preparatory literature for The First Book of Solos and The First Book of Solos Part II . Each piece is in English and has a limited vocal range as well as a piano accompaniment that is playable by a student pianist. The pieces include art songs, folksongs, humorous songs, and suitable vintage popular songs and are all appropriate for contest solos. The audio tracks include professionally-recorded accompaniments.
