Thank you, parents, for attending class! In our puppet show we learned about the new terms: introduction, bridge, and coda (read more about them below). Now that your child has been practicing their composition for several weeks, help them experiment with their piece by incorporating some of these variations:
Be sure to send me all of the updated edits for their composition. You can either write out the music, send me a video, or do both! Reminder: Another private lesson is coming up on Lesson #11. Your lesson time is the same as Lesson #6. We will finalize all compositions. Homework: pp. 22–23 Students fill in the chart with the correct notes. Bagatelle Bridges This repertoire piece has all the elements that we've learned about in our puppet shows! It has an introduction, a CODA (special ending) and it has 2 BRIDGES. We will actually learn the theme in C Major and then we will get to show off our transposing skills to play it in F and G. G Major Scale This is the last of the major scales we will learn during our time in Let's Play Music. All of our scales have taught us finger technique and strength, but also allowed us to understand key signatures and scale compositions. Just as our Magic Keys Song will tell us, Do is G because the F# is a ti — so don't forget to play that F# on ti ! Even Disney's Aristocats know how important it is to practice their scales (and arpeggios)! Also, we have attached coloring pages for our Circus Puppet Show for fun!
Parents attend next week. Showtime for next week is the New World Symphony. Please send a video of your child playing the New World Symphony. We will also enjoy playing it in class as an ensemble! We learned the A minor scale and cadence. It's fun to play because it "feels like" the G major scale and cadence but is in the A position. We also practiced drawing a bass clef (F clef). Your child is learning so much! Your child can now unband all of the Orange flashcards. Homework: pp. 18–21 Students draw brackets and repeat signs where appropriate for "Monsters". Russian Sailor Dance This song is ALWAYS a student favorite. Another great repertoire piece that reinforces ABA form, improvisations, and provides a study in legato and staccato themes. But it's the the accelerando at the end that will have your student BEGGING to practice it all the time! Are you looking forward to continuing your child's complete musicianship training with the Presto class? Presto is an accelerated musicianship and piano skills class for children ages 7–12. Presto is a 2-year course that will reinforce concepts and skills learned in Let's Play Music while progressing with additional instruction and skills needed for success in the student's piano and music education going forward. If you aren't considering Presto, have you already found a private teacher for when your student graduates from Let's Play Music? It is best if you can meet in person with the teacher before the summer break to help the new teacher get to know your child's progress while its still fresh. Here is a great post on our Let's Play Music Blog with tips on how to interview and what to look for in a private teacher.
We started playing the blue chord in its inversions today. Remember, the letter names stay the same, the order is just mixed up! Here's a quick demo video to help visualize. Showtime for next week: Cockles and Mussels Please send me a Marco Polo video of your child playing Cockles and Mussels before next class. I handed out printed copies of student compositions in class today. Please send me their composition updates/edits in a video or in a photo if it is written. I will update their composition and send you a new copy to print. We will continue this process a few times until our next private lesson during week 11. Homework: pp. 16–17 Students identify chord colors and numbers using scale degrees. DO is Home
While finding a pitch (out of thin air) through audiation isn't a new thing for our Let's Play Music student, we are now switching it up. We started to find 'FA' and make F home instead of C. Now we will make G home, instead of C and F. We are always doing this relative to Middle C to continually reinforce the sound of Middle C and to teach relative pitch. Scale Degrees Actually numbering the steps of the scale as 'scale degrees' is the first step in transitioning out of calling our primary chords by colors. The Red, Blue, and Yellow chords are respectively the I, IV and V chord (we call em 1, 4, and 5) and they get their chord names because their root is that numbered scale degree within the scale. |
Clara McDonaldAs a music educator of 25 years, my passion is infusing others with music! Archives
May 2023
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