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 Tools panel below. It logs your practice for you, no comments needed.
Press Start here. It picks up where you stopped last time.
Read the assignment, press Start, practice.
When you are finished, press Done.
Press Next practice item and go again.
Try for five days a week. Fifteen minutes is plenty.
Log only what you really did, on the day you did it.
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]
Piano Rules
Don't speak when someone else is speaking. That means me too.
Don't play the keyboard when someone is speaking. That means me too.
Theory
1. 🟩 Celebrate Theory, Preparatory Level, Unit 1 (RCM), pages 4-11
THIS WEEK: Keep going from where you stopped.
⏱ Max 5 minutes per practice session.
Press Done for the Week when pages 4 to 11 are finished.
2. 🟩 Spooky Lane, page 5
THIS WEEK: Complete page 5.
Practice type: Learning.
Play every C, starting at the top and going down.
Color in a pumpkin each time you finish one.
Press Done for the Week when page 5 is done.
3. 🟩 Spooky Lane, page 6
THIS WEEK: Complete page 6.
Practice type: Learning.
Color in a pumpkin each time you finish one.
Press Done for the Week when page 6 is done.
4. 🟩 Spooky Lane, page 7
THIS WEEK: Complete page 7.
Practice type: Learning.
Draw Candy C, Dangle D and Eek E under their keys.
Color in a pumpkin each time you finish one.
Press Done for the Week when page 7 is done.
Musicianship
5. 🟩 Quarter Notes and Rests, page 3
THIS WEEK: Prepare page 3, the quarter note.
Practice type: Learning.
Clap a steady beat for the x's and say "ta" for each quarter note.
The x marks the start of a beat, so it lines up with the start of the note above it.
Press Done for the Week when page 3 is done.
6. 🟩 Quarter Notes and Rests, page 4
THIS WEEK: Complete page 4, the quarter rest.
Practice type: Learning.
Clap each beat and say ta for the quarter notes. Make sure to be silent for the rests.
Press Done for the Week when page 4 is done.
7. 🟩 Quarter Notes and Rests, page 5
THIS WEEK: Complete page 5, rest practice.
Practice type: Learning.
Clap each beat and say ta for the quarter notes. Be silent for the rests.
Press Done for the Week when page 5 is done.
8. 🟩 Quarter Notes and Rests, page 6
THIS WEEK: Complete page 6, rhythm review.
Practice type: Learning.
Press Done for the Week when page 6 is done.
9. 🟨 Basic Rhythmic Training (Starer), No. 7
THIS WEEK: Pass off No. 7. Three correct in a row, or five correct in total.
NFPER focus: rhythm.
Clap on the final bar line as well.
Set the beat to m.m. 80. Meter: none.
Open Section-Work and it is already set to rhythm for you.
Clap four beats with the beat first. Then start.
Don't stop for a mistake. Go all the way to the end.
Too fast is what makes it hard. Go slower and it works.
Three correct in a row, or five correct in total, and you are done for the day.
10. 🟩 Notespeller, Book 1, page 3
THIS WEEK: Complete page 3.
Practice type: Learning.
Read the instructions with your practice partner.
Press Done for the Week when page 3 is done.
11. 🟩 Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? (McDonough), read to page 25
THIS WEEK: Read up to page 25.
Take turns reading it out loud.
Keep it in your binder.
Repertoire
12. 🟪 Piano Lessons, Book 1, page 4, Feel the Beat
THIS WEEK: We did not get to this one. Keep clapping with the video.
Three speeds: slow, medium, fast. Follow the video.
🎥 Feel the Beat, page 4 https://youtu.be/TY86qhJXd94
13. 🟪 Piano Lessons, Book 1, page 6, finger numbers
THIS WEEK: We did not get to this one. Finish page 6.
Press Done for the Week when page 6 is done.
14. 🟨 Piano Lessons, Book 1, pages 8-9, student part
THIS WEEK: Learn Climbing Up and Climbing Down well enough to play it with me next time.
Bubble position, and keep the third finger round without bracing it.
Up-stem notes are the right hand. Down-stem notes are the left hand.
Say it out loud while you play: right, left, right, left.
Climb up to the next set of black keys, then climb back down. Start the trip back with the left hand.
Aim for no pause when you move up to the next group.
🎥 Pages 8-9, student part https://youtu.be/YTX2YLW6Cno
15. 🟨 Piano Lessons, Book 1, pages 8-9, teacher part
THIS WEEK: Play along with the video, three times each practice session.
Learn it first with the student video, then play with this one.
Next lesson I play this part on the two black keys while you play yours.
🎥 Pages 8-9, teacher part https://youtu.be/7yH5BND-zdw
Next Time
16. 🟧 Your Halloween packet about the staff
I'm bringing it.
17. 🟧 Your video from the lesson
Still uploading. Watch it with mom and dad when it is here.