The summer has begun, and I'm thinking a lot about what each individual student will be able to accomplish in the next year. I'm trying to give each one a nudge to take them to the next level. Each student will have their own ndividualized assignment and goals. Here are some things I try to incorporate into summer lessons - let's look forward to greater achievement!
1. Next level. I'm encouraging students to be able to reach to the next level in the difficulty of music they are able to play. The best way to do this is to prepare for MMTA Piano Exams. Piano Exams incorporate keyboard skills (scales, cadences, chords and inversions, arpeggios); memorized pieces from various historical periods; sight reading; and oral questions about the music and composers they've played. These are comprehensive - they cover just about every musical area. In doing so, they push a student towards greater achievement as they advance to each new level.
2. Explore a new style. Learning another style can open your musical horizons. In the field of piano alone there are plenty of styles to explore beyond classical, including ragtime, American jazz, contemporary, new age, and popular.
3. Take a theory course. Learning the fundamentals of musical theory can be a fun and stress-free way to deepen your practice during the year. The more you understand how music is put together, the better you will practice. Understanding the music you play makes everything more fun to play.
4. Learn the music you've been dying to learn all year. Summer is a great time to do your own exploration for the repertoire that you're dying to play.
5. Perfect your technique. Without the pressure of upcoming concerts, summer is a fine time to go that extra mile and get a proper handle on your technical facility. Good technique is the basis of expert playing with artistry and solves problems before they begin.
6. Learn to sight read better. Take the time to learn how to sight read something new every single day.
No comments:
Post a Comment