August 21, 2025 (Lesson 2 of 8)

PRACTICE PLAN!

  • ❤️FIRST PRIORITY

  • 💛SECOND PRIORITY

  • 💜THIRD PRIORITY

  • 💚FOURTH PRIORITY

💚RCM Technical Requirements Level 03

  1. Position

    1. Please make sure back in straight and feet are flat on the ground. Remember your posture trophy!

  2. New Items

    1. See the items in the green highlighted area.

    2. D Major formula pattern

      1. Practice this hands alone first.

💚Four Star: Level 3

  1. Clap Backs

    1. Please listen and practice with the audio in Newzik titled “Four Clab Backs 8/21”

    2. Left off on Set 3. No need to prepare another right now.

💚Prelude No. 4 in F Major by Elvina Pearce (L. 3, Etude)

  1. Notes

    1. Please see the audio in Newzik titled “8/21 Lesson Measures 25-30” and follow the instructions.

  2. Rhythm

    1. Please see the audio in Newzik titled “8/21 Lesson Practice Plan” and follow the instructions.

💚Arabesque, op. 100, no. 2 by Burgmuller (L. 3, Etude)

  1. Notes

    1. Please see the new video in Newzik titled “8/21 Lesson Last Two Measures”

💜Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114 by Christian Petzold (1677-1733) (L. 3, A)

  1. Review

    1. Always have at least one focus from NFPER when reviewing any piece.

💜Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5, no. 1. II. Romanze, attr. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (L. 3, B)

  1. Fix all colored markings! See the color-focused practice guide above.

💜THEORY_03_03 Rhythm

  1. Prepare pages 24-28

🖤Musette in D Major, BWV Anh. 126, attr. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) (L. 3, A)

🖤Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5, no. 1. Moderato, attr. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (L. 3, B)

🖤“Sight-Reading 2B”

(Approx. 3-5 min each day)

  1. Continue from page 37 of 90 (of the PDF)

  2. Be sure to move forward through mistakes - don’t correct them until you finish the exercise - then fix them in your MIND first before you try the entire thing again.

  3. PRACTICE SIGHT-READING NO FASTER THAN M.M. 50 PER QUARTER NOTE.

🎨 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 (🟧 Orange)

  • P – Position – hand shape, posture, and keyboard geography (🟨 Yellow)

  • E – Expression – phrasing, dynamics, articulation, tone, etc. (🟩 Green)

  • 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

  • ✅ 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?

REVIEW PIECES:

💚Bird in the Bebop by Wynn-Anne Rossi (L. 2, Etude)

  1. O Christmas Tree

  2. Etude in F Major, Op. 190, No. 27 by Christian Louis Heinrich Köhler (L. 2, Etude)

  3. 💚A Ditty of Yimeng Mountain (2. C)

  4. 💚Minuet in A Minor by Purcell (2, A)

  5. 💚Rhyme Time (2. B)

  6. 💚The Snake by Renée Christopher (L. 1, C)

  7. 💚Andante in G Minor by Georg Philip Telemann (L. 1, A)

  8. 💚Detectives by Christine Donkin (L. 1, Etude)

  9. 💚💜Angelfish (L. 1, B)

  10. 💚Celebration by Ann Crosby Gaudet (L. 1, Etude)

  11. 💜💚💚 The Calico Cat by Helen Marlais (b. 1966) (Prep B)

  12. 💚💚💚Freddie the Frog by Anne Crosby-Gaudet (b. 1968) (Prep B)

  13. 💚💚💚Allegro in C Major op. 1 no. 4 by Alexander Reinagle (1756-1809) (L. A)

  14. 💚💚💚A Skating Waltz by Boris Berlin (1907-2001) (L. A)

  15. 💚💚💚What’s That Noise by Martha Mier (b. 1936) L. A)

RCM LEVEL 1 EXAM: May 29th 11:01 am

List A: Andante

List B: Angelfish

List C: The Snake

Etude: Detectives

Recital May 19th: 3 pm (or 1 pm if possible)

Angelfish

Detectives

The Snake

Andante

Celebration