October 21, 2026 (5 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.

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

  • Only practice drill 3.

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

9. 🟪 Note Reading Flashcards, Treble and Bass

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

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

  • Only practice drill 3.

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

Repertoire

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

THIS WEEK: Practice with the video, every day.

NFPER focus: expression, rhythm.

🎥 CDE Waltz, page 49 https://youtube.com/shorts/hQPb08fBmr0

  • Say the note names and clap first, then play.

  • Slow down. Most of the mistakes went away as soon as you did.

  • The second E is not a half note. Look at the rhythm before you start.

  • Legato under both slurs.

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

THIS WEEK: Learn the notes, the fingering and the position.

NFPER focus: notes, fingering, position.

  • Say the names of the notes out loud first, then play. That is the whole lesson from today.

  • Don't worry about rhythm on this one yet.

  • Both hands are in treble clef.

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

THIS WEEK: Practice with the metronome. Position and rhythm.

NFPER focus: position, rhythm.

No faster than m.m. 88 per quarter note.

  • Bubble. Curved, round fingers the whole time, every time you touch a key.

  • Stay right with the quarter notes in the right hand, and look ahead.

  • Left hand is G and A. Find bass F on line four, then step up.

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

THIS WEEK: Position, expression and rhythm.

NFPER focus: position, expression, rhythm.

No faster than m.m. 72 per quarter note.

  • A half note gets two beats. Hold them.

  • Look at the rhythm and plan it out before you start.

  • Get your left hand ready before you begin, so there is no pause.

  • Finger one is on D.

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)