February 20, 2024

Spring Milestones:

1. January Recording Session for Competition

2. Level 3 and 4 RCM Theory

3. Level 3 or Practical RCM assessment: May 29, 2024

4. Expressive Focus in Performance

RCMCP Scores:

Level 1: Score of 84

Level 2: Score of 96

Level 3:

Practice Journal

Write down in the comment section below every item you practice and for how long.

💚RCM Technical Requirements Level 3 in Newzik

1. Focus on tidy attacks.

   1. Hanon No. 2 (m.m. 60 per 8th note)

💜Celebrate Theory, Level 3

1. Prepare Unit 7

💚Sight-reading: Burgmuller, 25 Etudes, Op. 100

1. Left off at No. 15 - continue to sight-read until you can make sense of the music.

2. Sight-reading daily: at least 8 measures at a time, per session. These will be harder than your normal sight-reading material. So please study closely, look at chords and try to connect the dots with your theory assignments. Repeat the 8 measures until you can play it without too many errors.

💚Four Star Sightreading and Ear Tests Level 3 (tests PDF)

1. Listen to the “clap backs 1-4” recording and do the four examples each day.

💚Arabesque op. 100 no. 2 by Johann Friedrich Burgmüller (1806-1874) (L. 3, Etude)

1. Focus on expression, paying close attention to staccatos and accents.

💚Clowns by Kabalevsky (L. 3, C)

1. Focus on expression

💜Choose another L. 3, C or Level 4 next week

🖤Beethoven Sonatina

🖤Czerny Op. 299 No. 1 in C Major

1. Speed-building:

   1. One measure at a time, starting at m.m. 50 and going up in increments of 4. Goal is 88.

   2. Complete at least mm. 9-12 and more if possible over the next week.

   3. If you get to a speed that is not working after three tries, STOP, and ask yourself what technical work you need.

      1. Use “accent practice” as needed: Accent every four 16th notes. Rotate them.

2. Review mm. 9 to the end with a very slow pace.

🖤Czerny Op. 299 No. 2 in C Major

1. Measures 5-8

   1. get rid of any pauses

   2. Speed-build

   3. Do technical work as needed

🖤Hanon No. 4 (start with this assignment every day)

1. Rhythms:

   1. Long, Long, Short, Short

   2. Long, Short, Short, Long

   3. Short, Short, Long, Long

   4. Short, Long, Long, Short

2. LEGATO: m.m. 100 two notes per tic. Your goal here it to play with a smooth, bump-free hand position.

🖤Basic Rhythmic Training by Robert Starer No. 95 (slower)

1. Prepare nos. 108 and 110

2. Remember to clap the pulse for one measure before you begin.

3. Tidy up the beat’s subdivisions. They’re almost clear! :)

🖤Bartok Microkosmos:

1. Left off on no. 61

1. 💚Left Alone by Joyce Grill (L. 3, Etude)

   1. Continue to focus on tidy attacks for the chords

   2. Gradually release the hand from the keyboard as well as your pedal. Match the mood of the piece in your ending.

2. 💚Sonatina in A Minor op. 94 no. 4 (L. 3, B)

3. 💜💚Sonatina in C Major op. 36 no. 1 by Clementi (L. 3, B)

4. 💚Musette in D Major BWV Anh. 126, attr. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (L. 3, A)

   1. Please focus on dynamics when you review.

5. 💚Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114 by Christian Petzold (1677-1733) (L. 3, A)

6. 💚Minuet in G Minor, BWV Anh. 115 by Christian Petzold (1677-1733) (L. 3, A)

7. 💚Etude in F Major, Op. 190, NMo. 27 by Köhler (L. 2, Etude)

8. 💚Impertinence, HWV 494 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) (L. 2, A)

9. 💚I Spy by Melody Bober (L. 2, B)

10. 💜💚Canon in A Minor by Cornelius Gurlitt (L. 2, C)

11. 💚Etude in D Minor op. 82 No. 65 by Cornelius Gurlitt (L. 2, Etude)

12. 💚Celebration by Anne Crosby-Gaudet (L. 1, Etude)

13. 💚Mist by Clifford Poole (1916-2003) (L. 1, B)

14. 💚Aria in F Major, BWV Anh. 131 by Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) (L. 1, A)

15. 💚Waltz Op. 39 No. 13 by Dmitri Kabalevsky (1904-1987) (L. 1, B)

Spring Milestones

1. Record 1-2 pieces for competition submission.