Lesson 10

This week we played broken chords with the LH. It is imperative that we play all chords with correct fingerings as this transfers over to every chord in all 15 major and 15 minor keys!

P.S. I have openings in Sound Beginnings (ages 0–4) and my 1st year Let’s Play Music classes for the Fall. If you know of anyone who is interested, please send them my contact information or direct them to the studio website: http://www.infusingmusicstudios.com/group-classes.html.

Celebrate Connection
A few ideas to bring playfulness to practice time!

• One day this week, have Mom or Dad be the student. Show them where to place their hands, what chord/note to play, how to look up at the notes, and YOU point to each note as they play. Watch for nice bubble hands! Sometimes being a teacher is the best way to prove that you've learned something!
• Play through your piece replacing Mr. Rests with a "shh".

Homework pp. 24–25: Students identify the bugs used and the solfege patterns. They are reading challenging music notation now!

The Wheels on the Bus sing Melodic Patterns
Melodic patterns are found in every song. How many Sol-Mi-Do’s and Sol-Sol-Do’s can you hear in this version of a favorite childhood song?

I Gotta Shake
Get ready to play the rests in this silly song! Our fingers must rest from playing or holding down the note when we see a quarter rest sign. First say ‘sh’ or ‘rest’ while playing. Then play again hearing the rest inside while hearing the silence in the song.

How to Skip
Keep skipping with fingers 1-3-5 in the RH saying the middle anchor notes. Play the LH separate while singing the chord color and then the melody with this favorite song. We will put hands together soon!

Tinga Layo
Duet time with shakers! Invite your child to play the chords on the piano while you or a sibling play shoot-the-bug-bug rhythm with a shaker. Switch! Make your own shaker with rice, beans, pennies, small beads, etc. in a plastic egg, empty spice container, or baby food jar. Shake away!

Our current puppet show, March of the Gnomes (actually called Funeral March for a Marionette, was written by Charles Gounod. He was born in 1818 in Paris, France. His mom was a piano teacher and his father was an artist, so he started receiving music instruction very early in his life. He attended excellent musical schools. By the time he was 21, he was receiving awards and prizes for his compositions. He also taught other musicians, most notably, Georges Bizet. Can you hear the kings heavy down beat in this recording?