2026-2027 Events
October 17-18, 2026 — Group Classes
December 5-6, 2026 — Group Classes
January 24, 2027 — Performance Class & Guest Artist Workshop
February 27-28, 2027 — Group Classes
April 10-11, 2027 — Group Classes
May 22, 2027 — Student Final Recital
How to Practice
Use the Practice Guide below. It writes your practice down for you, no comments needed.
Tap the first assignment on your list.
The timer starts by itself. Read it and practice.
When you are finished, press Done. It saves your time and opens the next one.
Need to stop for a minute? Press Pause.
Lost? Press My Assignment List at the top to go back.
Log only what you actually did, on the day you did it. Five minutes is a real entry.
Some assignments finish. Those carry a Done for the Week button. Press it when the job is done and the assignment comes off your list.
Need the metronome, a recorder or the Section-Work colors? They are in Practice Tools. Tap one and it opens inside your assignment. Tap Close to put it away.
Log every practice session from today. Official tracking starts Monday, October 19, the Monday after our first group class. Logging now is how we get the kinks out.
🟩 on track · 🟨 needs extra attention · 🟪 didn't get to it at the lesson · 🟥 priority · ⬛️ on hold, don't practice this one · 🟧 mine, not yours
[PRACTICE TOOLS]
Technique
1. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 4 (RCM), G melodic minor
THIS WEEK: G melodic minor.
New this week. B-flat major and G harmonic minor are passed off.
Melodic minor raises the sixth and the seventh going up, and lowers them both coming down.
Left hand alone, then right hand alone, then hands together.
Listen for tiny attacks on the way up. That is where they hide.
2. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 4 (RCM), E-flat major scale
THIS WEEK: E-flat major scale.
New this week. It is on page 8.
Left hand alone, then right hand alone, then hands together.
Three flats. Watch the thumb crossings.
Musicianship
3. 🟩 Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests, Level 4 (Berlin and Markow)
THIS WEEK: Set 3. One day per practice session.
Set 2 is finished. This is Set 3.
Days 1 through 5, one per practice session.
You prepare the set at home. I test you on it at the lesson.
In 6/8 the beat comes in groups of three. Count one and two, not six.
On the clap backs, listen for the pattern before you clap.
On the play backs you don't have to keep a steady beat. Pause, recall the notes, then play. Closing your eyes helps.
Your ear is already better at finding its way when you get stuck. Keep going and it keeps improving.
On the sight-playing test, keep going instead of stopping to fix.
Press Done for the Week when the set is finished.
4. 🟧 Your next sight reading book
I am bringing Piano Adventures Sightreading Book, Level 3A to your next lesson.
Level 2B is finished. Nothing more to do in that one.
Repertoire
5. 🟩 Gavotte in F major (Graupner), mm. 1-8
THIS WEEK: Measures 1 to 8, very slowly, with the exaggerated wrist movements.
The four small chunks are one assignment now.
Right hand alone, then left hand alone, then hands together.
Exaggerate every wrist movement. Bigger than feels normal.
Follow all the arrow markings on the page.
Land into the key from the air. Don't sit on the key and then play it.
Go as slowly as you need to get the movement right. Slow is what made last week work.
Be tense for as little time as possible. Off the key, then drop.
The first two chords release into the air. The third one is where you land.
6. 🟩 Gavotte in F major (Graupner), mm. 9-20, hands alone
THIS WEEK: A bonus if you want it. Measures 9 to 20, hands alone.
Do measures 1 to 8 first. This one is extra.
Hands alone only. Not hands together yet.
No tempo on this one. Slow is fine.
The same arrow markings apply here. Work out which arrow each one is before you play it.
7. 🟩 Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1, I. Moderato cantabile (Diabelli), mm. 8-12
THIS WEEK: Measures 8 to 12, with the wrist movements.
They are all staccato: up, then pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, then down.
Work out which arrow each one is before you play it.
Same wrist movements as the Gavotte. Think about them in every piece you play.
8. 🟩 Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1, I. Moderato cantabile (Diabelli), mm. 1-7
THIS WEEK: Measures 1 to 7, slowly, with good wrist movements.
Three lessons ago this was rough. The position changes are smooth now.
Keep them smooth: slowly, with the wrist movements.
Right hand above the left. Left hand muffled, like it is playing through a pillow.
9. 🟩 Solitude, No. 9 for right hand alone (Grill)
THIS WEEK: Start from random measures. Then the last two measures on their own, for position.
NFPER focus: position.
Pick a measure at random and start there. That is your favourite game.
Then the last two measures by themselves, for position.
Sit back a little on the bench and give your arm more room. The shoulder relaxes when you do.
Check the flat near the end.
At the group class you went all the way through without stopping. That is exactly the job.
10. ⬛️ Sonatina in B-flat major, Op. 29, I. Andante (Schmitt)
Not started. On deck. The sooner the Gavotte is done, the sooner we start.
11. ⬛️ Cool Cat Waltz (Pine)
Not started. On deck. A completely different vibe from anything you have played.
12. ⬛️ The Avalanche, Op. 45 No. 2 (Heller)
Not started. On deck. Dramatic and fast.
13. ⬛️ Celebrate Theory, Level 4 (RCM)
On hold.
RCM Level 4, where the program stands
Started
Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1, I. Moderato cantabile (Diabelli)
Solitude, No. 9 for right hand alone (Grill)
Gavotte in F major (Graupner)
Not started yet
Sonatina in B-flat major, Op. 29, I. Andante (Schmitt)
Cool Cat Waltz (Pine)
The Avalanche, Op. 45 No. 2 (Heller)
Celebrate Theory, Level 4 (RCM)
About Sight Reading
The Piano Adventures level numbers do not match the RCM levels. Level 2B is about an RCM Level 3 sight reading, and 3A and 3B are closer to Level 4.
We are going to move faster through these than one book per level.
If something is not a little bit difficult, it is not building anything. A little resistance is the point.