LESSON PAGE.  STUDENT NAME
​
This is an example of a lesson given to a student live, through Zoom.  I removed the name of the student, but the notes are relevant to a very specific lesson.

Arpeggio practice

Routine of scales and arpeggios related to the pieces you are playing at a given time.  Learning these pieces note by note is a tremendous project, but learning them harmonically is far much easier and faster.

Start by learning arpeggios for all the Major keys.
1- starting on a white key.
2- Starting on a black key.

Diminished chords

12/15
​They are build as a chain of minor thirds.
C to Eb = minor 3rd
Eb to Gb = minor 3rd
Gb to A = minor 3rd
​If you kept going, a minor 3rd from A would bring you back to C and the chord starts the same way again.

NEW: ​INNOCENCE by F. Burgmuller

12/16
​Not difficult to prepare but very beautiful.  I recorded it for you so you can listen as you learn the notes.
burgmuller_etudes._innocence.pdf
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NEW: ​ARIETTA Op12 by E. Grieg

1/5
Practice the notes as written but also as blocks as much as possible, to allow your hands to prepare the position ahead of playing the notes.

Measures 9-10-11-12.  Attention to the notes and the flats.
grieg_arietta_op12.pdf
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In general there are many notes that need to be marked on the score, especially flats that are missed.  Any time you hear something that sounds like it could be wrong, mark it.

NEW: ​WALTZ Op12 by E. Grieg

1/5
Good job with the LH.  Finger #3 works as pivot so your hand can tilt from the bass to the chord easily.

Bass chord chord:  down up, up swinging from left to right smoothly

The notes are generally not difficult to play and you did a god job reading through them.  Now you can focus on obtaining a balance between the hands so that LH is much lighter, softer and discrete, so the RH can sing without effort.

​On page 2, make sure that the RH does't intrude on the sound of the LH.  The LH is now leading and has the principal melody.
Counting could be better.  Your RH quarter notes sound too impatient and they easily become 8th notes.  Keep them lined up in the beat.

Return of the theme.  Attention to m. 62+63.  Notice the common notes and focus your reading effort to the changing notes.
grieg_waltz_op12.pdf
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NEW: ​WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS from Nutcracker -Tchaikovsky-

1/5
INTRO (The first two pages):  Feel free to skip these two pages if they are too difficult.  You can start directly from the theme of the waltz which is on the third page (page 34).

Advice:  The chords that have arpeggio lines are easier to learn if you practice them as block chords, then break them into arpeggios but played fairly quickly, with a sound that is closer to chords than arpeggio.  
waltz_of_the_flowers.pdf
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GERSHWIN. Intermediate arrangements

1/5
Voicing.
The very beginning needs to be practiced purposely to voice the notes carefully:
inner notes and LH all pp
RH melody with more weight so the melody automatically comes out easily.
Practice this repeating the chord several times until you can hear the melody clearly and the inner notes in the background.

12/15
Bess You Is My Woman:  I played it at home and realize that it is very complicated.  I suggest to look at "Love Is Here to Stay".

GERSHWIN Intermediate level arrangements of the following songs:
  • Love Is Here to Stay
  • Nice Work If You Can Get It
  • Summertime
  • They Can't Take That Away from Me
  • Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Love Is Here to Stay

NEW: SCHUMANN Carnaval (selected numbers)
schumann_carnaval_.pdf
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LESSON PRIORITY: CLEMENTI Sonatinas Op. 36

Picture
12/8
​Practice system to obtain flow.
​See each element and section ad try to understand it not by individual notes, but by concept.  LH may be playing a chord in some pattern, then learn it first as a chord, then play it as individual notes.

11/24
We will play Sonatina #2 (and if time allows, also number 1) at the next lesson

SONATINA NUMBER 1
First Movement
11/10
The notes are well read.  the rhythm is good.  The pulse needs work.

Since this piece is not difficult to play and well within your technical range, let's focus on obtaining a very steady count and a precise sense of rhythm.

Then we will be differentiating the layers that have the melody, accompaniment, and when those layers cross over from the RH to the LH, we bring the melody out.

Second Movement
Attention to B-flats!
Very clear format of accompanied melody.  There needs to be a clear difference in sound from the melody and the LH broken chord patterns.
This is a relatively slow movement, easy to play it despite the goal for the final tempo.

Third Movement
This is a fast one, which means that you need to learn the RH melody very well before adding the LH because there will be little time to think.
When you add the LH, it is more efficient to add it as chords.  You learn it faster, you understand it better, and your fingers will be in position, so it will be more efficient.
Attention to this counting:
CLEMENTI Op.36 complete sonatinas
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In general this piece is going to be easy for you to play.

Next lesson I would like to see how much closer you can get to the ideal steady pulse, more balance and differentiation between the hands, and continuity without the pauses, or a very minimum number of pauses.

PIECES ALREADY WORKED ON:

SCHUMANN: Scenes of Childhood 1 - 7 - 12 -​ 13
​GRANADOS Danza Nr. 5
​ALBENIZ Granada
​BACH Prelude Nr 1 WTC 1
​BEETHOVEN Moonlight Sonata. First movement
​CHOPIN Prelude Op 28 #4 E minor
​MOZART. Fantasia in D minor
BRAHMS. Waltz Op 39 Nr. 15 in A-flat Major
​MOZART.  SONATA IN A MAJOR. THEME AND VARIATIONS/Rondo Alla Turca
SATIE.  GYMNOPEDIE in G Major
​GNOSSIENNE in A minor
GERSHWIN.  PRELUDE #2
DEBUSSY.  REVERIE
CHOPIN.  WALTZ IN A minor

FUTURE PIECES: