September 28, 2026 (60 min · in-person)

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 logs your practice for you, no comments needed.

  1. Press Start from # whatever number it shows. It picks up where you stopped last time.

  2. Press Start, read the assignment, practice.

  3. Tap the kind of practice, then press Done.

  4. Press Next practice item and go again.

Capped items count down and chime. Keep going if it's going well.

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. Technique and repertoire don't have one; those are every day.

Need the metronome, a recorder or the NFPER colors? They are in Practice Tools, right under the practice types. Tap one and it opens inside your assignment. Tap Close to put it away.

Got something to say about an assignment? Paste the line it gives you into the comments and add your note.

Log only what you actually did, on the day you did it. Five minutes is a real entry.

Log every practice session from today. The competition starts October 1, and practicing and 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

All four, same method

  • Speed building this week, not spotting. Tap Speed-building in Practice Tools.

  • Three speeds: 50, 52, 54.

  • Each speed needs three correct in a row, or five correct in total.

  • Too fast three tries running? Drop back a speed and build up again.

  • No caps on these. Take the time they need.

  • Elbows in front of your body, wrist up, and don't drop the wrist on the thumb.

1. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 1 (RCM), C major, right hand

THIS WEEK: C major, right hand, up the ladder to 54.

Speed building: 50, 52, 54.

2. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 1 (RCM), C major, left hand

THIS WEEK: C major, left hand, up the ladder to 54.

Speed building: 50, 52, 54.

3. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 1 (RCM), A natural minor, right hand

THIS WEEK: A natural minor, right hand, up the ladder to 54.

Speed building: 50, 52, 54.

4. 🟩 Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 1 (RCM), A natural minor, left hand

THIS WEEK: A natural minor, left hand, up the ladder to 54.

Speed building: 50, 52, 54.

Theory

5. 🟨 Celebrate Theory, Preparatory Level, Unit 5 (RCM)

THIS WEEK: Pages 39 to 44.

⏱ Max 5 minutes per practice session.

  • Pages 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44.

  • It is in your white three-ring binder.

  • When the timer goes off, shut the book and move to the next assignment.

  • Finish the pages and press Done for the Week.

Musicianship

6. 🟨 Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests, Level 1 (Berlin and Markow), Set 1

THIS WEEK: Finish Set 1. Days 3, 4 and 5, one day per practice session.

  • Don't stop once you start. A mistake is fine. Keep moving forward.

  • Go slow enough to play it perfectly.

  • Star 1: play the intervals with the fingering that is written.

  • Star 2: clap four beats, then clap the rhythm.

  • Star 3: study it first, then play it once and don't stop.

  • Use the book, not Newzik. The book stays in your binder.

After Day 5 the set is done. Press Done for the Week.

Repertoire

7. 🟨 Andante in G minor, from Fantasia in G minor, TWV 33:17 (Telemann)

THIS WEEK: Four measures at a time: right hand, left hand, then together.

  • Piano Repertoire, Level 1, page 7.

  • Four measures at a time. Right hand alone, left hand alone, then hands together.

  • Follow the music. Eyes on the page.

  • No cap this week. Take the time it needs.

8. 🟩 Heavenly Blue (Gerou)

THIS WEEK: Measures 11 to 19, no pauses. You play it for me next lesson.

  • Measures 11 to 19, straight through with no pauses.

  • No cap this week.

9. 🟩 The Snake (Christopher), mm. 1-8, hands together

THIS WEEK: Hands together, measure 1 to the downbeat of measure 8.

  • Page 41.

  • The four chunks are one assignment now.

  • No cap.

Two new pieces, both on hold

  • You picked these in the lesson. Nothing to practice yet.

  • I print them and bring them next time.

10. ⬛️ Early One Morning (arr. Silvester)

On hold. Don't practice this one yet.

11. ⬛️ This Guy's Disguised (Sowash)

On hold. Don't practice this one yet.

How Many Times Through

Three full rotations of this whole list before your next lesson. Five would be better.

Short day? Make it up the next day or on the weekend.

RCM Certificate Program

Goal: Level 1, May-June 2027 exam session, at the National Opera Center.

Andante is your List A. The Snake is your List C. Heavenly Blue is your etude.

Early One Morning and This Guy's Disguised are both List B pieces. One of them becomes your B.

Level 5 and up also requires a theory exam.

12. 🟧 Print and bring your two new pieces

THIS WEEK: I print Early One Morning and This Guy's Disguised and bring them next lesson.

Nothing for you to do on this one.

Books on Loan

Four studio books. No markings, they come back.

  • Technical Requirements for Piano, Level 1 (RCM)

  • Celebration Series, 6th ed., Piano Repertoire, Level 1

  • Celebration Series, 6th ed., Piano Etudes, Level 1

  • Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests, Level 1 (2015 Edition)

They live in Finn's Piano Binder. Back in the binder after every practice.

Coming Up

This is the last week of testing. Logging counts for the competition from October 1.

Group Class 1, Saturday October 17 or Sunday October 18. Let me know which one.