August 21, 2025 (Lesson 4 of 8)

Lesson Assignments

Focus Tracker:

💚💚💛💛💚💛💜❤️💚💚💜❤️💚💜❤️🖤❤️

❤️= 4 POINTS

💚= 3 POINTS

💛= 2 POINTS

💜= 1 POINT

🖤= 0 POINTS

Theory Level 1

🟥Unit 6, Page 1:

  • Please be able to teach me about an Interval, Unison, Second, and Third

  • Remember, and “interval” is the distance between two letter names (notes).

  • Please tell me about a harmonic and melodic interval

🟩Unit 6, Pages 5-7:

  • Please prepare these pages

🖤Rhythms

🟩German Dance in D Major Hob. IX:22, no. 2 by Franz Jospeh Haydn (1732-1809) (L. 1, List A)

  1. Expression was great today!

  2. Rhythm:

    1. Practice on and off with m.m. 126.

    2. Rhythm is the only thing you have left with this piece in order for it to be very well polished! Nice work!

🟩RCM Technical Requirements: Level 1

  1. F Major was excellent!

  2. Prepare items in the purple highlights on pages 6

🟪This Guy’s Disguised by Bradley Sowash (L. 1, B)

  1. Measure 6

    1. Watch the practice video inside newzik and practice this hands alone and together, 5 times each day.

  2. Measure 11

    1. Please play all notes in the LH (missing the G in the second chord).

🟪Far Away by Teresa Richert (b. 1864) (L. 1 Etude)

  1. Review with and without music, once per week.

  2. Have one focus from NFPER

  3. Record yourself in Newzik

  4. Listen back and mark the music and correct anything.

🟪Four Star 01_01

  1. Finish Set 2 and…

    1. Practice with the “Four Clap backs 8/21” in the Four_Star_01_Tests PDF

🟪Minuet in D Major by Leopold Mozart (L. 1, List A)

  1. Rhythm

    1. Focus on rhythm practice (metronome 60) entire piece.

    2. The “swing” issue is much better! Now let’s focus on having a steady pusle through the entire piece.

🟩Cranky Cat by Teresa Richert (b. 1964) (L. 1, C)

  1. Expression

    1. Measures 15-16 and the last two measures of the piece - please do the rit. a bit more.

    2. Listen to the audio in Newzik titled “Measures 13 To End”

🎨 Color-Focus Practice (NFPER)

At the top of your music, write NFPER using the following color system:

  • N – Notes – correct pitches and accidentals (🟥 Red)

  • F – Fingering – consistent, effective finger choices (🟨 Yellow)

  • P – Position – hand shape, posture, and keyboard geography (🟧 Orange)

  • E – Expression – phrasing, dynamics, articulation, tone, etc. (🟪 Purple)

  • R – Rhythm – steady pulse, accurate timing, and rests (🟦 Blue)

✅ If you're only recording audio, just use NER.

Step-by-Step Practice Flow

  1. Record your section once — video is best, but audio is fine too.

  2. Listen back with one color/goal in mind.

  3. As you listen, mark your music using that color anywhere it needs improvement.

  4. Repeat for each remaining color, one at a time, until all five have been addressed.

  5. Choose a small “spot” section from your markings — just a few measures or a tricky passage.

“Spot” until it’s solid — meaning:

  • ✅ 3 times in a row correctly, or

  • ✅ 5 total correct repetitions, then move on.

  1. Focus on one or two colors at a time while practicing that spot.

  2. Use the troubleshooting checklist below if you're stuck.

🔧 Troubleshooting Tips

🎯 If you’ve tried to fix something three times in-a-row and it’s still not working, don’t just repeat it — troubleshoot:

  • Do you need to slow down?

  • Should you practice hands alone?

  • Could you make the spot even smaller?

  • Would technical exercises help (staccato, accents, etc.)?

  • Do you need to think ahead more clearly?

Ukrainian Folk Song, Op. 107, No. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven (L. 1, List A)

Lunar Eclipse by Nancy & Randall Faber (L. 1, B)

Melody in F Major op. 218, no. 36 by Christian Louis Heinrich Kohler (L. 1, Etude)

REVIEW LIST

Review the pieces on this list, with your music, one time each week.

💜Looking-Glass River by Nancy & Randall Faber (Prep. B)

💚Raptors by Kevin Olson (Prep. B)

💚New Shoes by Linda Niamath (Prep B)

  1. The Lively Boy (Prep A)

  2. Leaping the Waves with Dolphins (Prep B)

  3. Curious Cat

  4. Marching by Kabalevsky