October 14, 2026 (4 of 12)

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

Binder on the music stand, iPad to the right. That is the setup.

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.

30 minutes a day. At least 100 minutes a week.

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]

Setup

1. 🟧 Binder dividers

  • Dividers for your three ring binder. I am bringing them.

2. 🟧 Your sight reading book

  • I still need to bring this to you.

3. 🟧 Your note speller worksheets

  • Treble clef, bass clef and grand staff. I still need to bring these.

Theory

4. ⬛️ Theory Unit 7: Triads

  • Not yet. This is where we left off and we will come back to it.

Musicianship

5. ⬛️ RCM Online Ear Training

  • Not yet.

6. ⬛️ Rhythm: Basic Rhythmic Training (Newzik)

  • Not yet.

7. ⬛️ Piano Adventures Sightreading Book, Primer Level (Faber)

  • We are stopping this one for now and doing more in your Lesson and Musicianship book instead. We left off at pages 9 to 13.

8. 🟩 Note Reading Flashcards, Bass Clef

THIS WEEK: Pass off drill 3 with no mistakes. Set the video to 0.75 speed.

  • Only practice drill 3.

  • Gear icon, top right. Press Speed. Set it to 0.75.

  • You passed off drill 2 today.

🎥 Flash Card Video, Bass Clef https://youtu.be/TCL1EjHcLQQ

9. 🟩 Note Reading Flashcards, Treble and Bass

THIS WEEK: Pass off drill 3. Set the video to half speed.

  • Only practice drill 3.

  • Gear icon, top right. Press Speed. Set it to 0.5.

  • You passed off drill 2 today.

  • Same as the bass clef one, but with both clefs together.

🎥 Flash Card Video, Treble & Bass https://youtu.be/bPHgfe9bZ6Q

Repertoire

10. 🟨 CDE Waltz, from Celebrate Piano! Lesson and Musicianship 1A, page 49

THIS WEEK: Position, expression and rhythm. One focus at a time.

NFPER focus: position, expression, rhythm.

  • You passed off notes and fingering today.

  • Position: fingers curved and round the whole time.

  • Expression: the piano marking in measure 1 and the forte marking in measure 5.

  • There are two slurs, over measures 1 to 4 and measures 5 to 8. Play legato under both.

  • Use the Section-Work tool. One color at a time, the way we did it today.

11. 🟨 Fairy Tale, from Celebrate Piano! Solos 1, page 13

THIS WEEK: Notes, fingering and position, with the Section-Work tool.

NFPER focus: notes, fingering, position.

  • Say the name of the note before you play it. Read, don't guess.

  • Look at the notes in relation to each other. Find the one you know, then step up or down from it.

  • Both hands are in treble clef here.

  • Every day.

12. 🟥 FGAB Polka, from Celebrate Piano! Lesson and Musicianship 1A, page 59

THIS WEEK: Notes, fingering and position, with the Section-Work tool.

NFPER focus: notes, fingering, position.

  • Brand new piece.

  • Use the Section-Work tool.

13. 🟥 Fuzzy Caterpillar, from Celebrate Piano! Lesson and Musicianship 1A, page 62

THIS WEEK: Notes, fingering and position, with the Section-Work tool.

NFPER focus: notes, fingering, position.

  • Brand new piece.

  • Use the Section-Work tool.

14. ⬛️ New Shoes (Niamath)

  • Still on hold. We come back to this when you can find middle C on the page quickly. Pass off your other assignments and we start it again.

Goals This Year

  • Look ahead to the next note, the way you look ahead crossing the street. Eyes stay on the music.

  • Finish your piece before you get off the bench or look at the audience.

  • Loud and soft — make a difference.

  • Speak loudly. Hold still while you speak. Eyes on one or two spots.

Review List

RCM Preparatory A

  • 💚 The Haunted Mouse (List A)

  • 💚 The Juggler (Nancy and Randall Faber) (List A)