LESSON PAGE.  SHEINBERG

December 5

Jury preparation:

TECHNIQUE:
  • Equivalent to Levine level 6, but following the "Alfred Complete Book of Scales"
  • Key: Bb Major (with Hanon exercise).  If you want to play a different scale, just let the jury know before you start.

REPERTORY:
  • ONE movement from Bach's French Suite. Bourrée
  • Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

Scales.  Levine Curriculum Level 6
​Following the "Alfred Complete Book of Scales"

December 5
If you play Eb Major for the jury, let them know before you start.
Keep your fingers as round as possible.  If you play your scales lightly, your fingers may stay round more easily.
  1. Hanon
  2. Parallel scale
  3. Contrary scale
  4. Scale in 3rds
  5. Scale in 6ths
  6. Triads
  7. Cadences and inversions
  8. Arpeggios and inversions
  9. Dominant 7th arpegios and inversions
ALFRED COMPLETE BOOK OF SCALES
File Size: 2414 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Classical style pieces

IN PROGRESS: Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

December 5
General comment: A little slower in general will help you with the more difficult passages.
Send me a recording at the end of the week, to see progress before the jury.
Intro theme: Tighter counting on quarter notes that carry a dot. m6 and m8 especialy
m19, m21, m23 a bit faster duplets.
m24 last chord, note check
m27 last two 16th notes of the RH faster to match the previous 16th notes
Play page 3 a bit slower to have more time to think and prepare
m33 a bit faster
m35 keep it steady
p4 notes are still very new. Play slowly to have more time to read and process the notes.
m41 very well counted and very good matching of the RH with LH
m43 I like that slower tempo.  Use it for the entire piece
m47 Avoid speeding up suddenly. Stay at the same tempo you established on m43
debussy_claire_de_lune.pdf
File Size: 175 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
claire_de_lune_lesson_november_14.pdf
File Size: 47374 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

IN PROGRESS: French Suite in G Major by J.S. Bach

December 5
​Play at the jury with repeats.  It gives them more opportunity to see details, and more time to write more comments that should be very helpful.
m18 Be sure to count 
LH very well prepared in general.
Last measure: Play all full 3 beats.
Trill.  Start on the upper note for a better fit of the trill.  See written example on the right and a video on how to play it.
m49 Very nice
m51 Keep pedal down for the entire measure
Attention to long lobes (half notes with dots) count and play entire length
m59 Delicate, "pp" not need to play heavier here
​m63 Keep tempo steady. No running away faster and faster
m67 Last RH cord. Note check
​Last chord.  Arpegiato can be faster
bach_french_suite_5_g_-bwv_816.pdf
File Size: 717 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


​Jazz, show tunes and popular styles

Scores from "The Phantom of the Opera"

Think of Me

October 10
Very well played.  page 5, nice inner melody.
Practice with metronome a bit slower 
​Counting is marked in red.  See attached screenshots
think_of_me_leson_9-26-2023.pdf
File Size: 1147 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
PHANTOM score 1 We are using this one
File Size: 2766 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
PHANTOM score 2
File Size: 12274 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
PHANTOM score 3
File Size: 130 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

IN PROGRESS: "My Romance"

April 11
  • Convert LH into arpeggios, based on the notes of the chords.
  • Then adapt the notes of the arpeggios to fit the natural counting of the beats of each measure.  
  • Attention especially to measures where there are more than one chord
my_romance_with_fewer_chords.pdf
File Size: 480 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
MY ROMANCE
File Size: 90 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

IN PROGRESS: "I Could Write a Book"
I COULD WRITE A BOOK
File Size: 1278 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
February 28
  • Played with melody and block chords first
  • Then LH plays bass + chord
  • Then learn to play the bass line, just play the note and hold it for the number of beats necessary
  • Now play the note and repeat it as many times as there are beats 
  • Now link the bass note with the next bass note using one note per beat

ON RESERVE: "Take the A Train", by Duke Ellington

May 23
  1. learn the melody
  2. play RH melody, LH chords
  3. RH melody, LH bass - chords
  4. RH melody, LH chords while someone else (me) plays the bass line
For the 2-5-1 chord progression, see the image below.
take_the_a_train.pdf
File Size: 101 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jazz style -fully written-: GREENSLEEVES

Feb-15
End the piece at the end of the 3rd page.  No need to learn the improvisation.
greensleeves_jazz_gabriel_ruiz-bernal.pdf
File Size: 232 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jazz style -fully written-: 
​LONDONDERRY AIR (Danny Boy)

March 29
Excellent!!!
LONDONDERRY AIR -Danny Boy-
File Size: 242 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jazz style -fully written-: 
MOLLY MALONE

May 10
You can be a little free with this piece, not a classical piece.
gabriel_ruiz-bernal_molly_malone_jazz_arrangement_smp.pdf
File Size: 237 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jazz Fake Book with lyrics

JAZZ FAKE BOOK
File Size: 40185 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Here is a copy of a jazz fake book that includes the lyrics.
Not all titles are included here, for example "Night and Day" is not in this book, but perhaps you can find the lyrics on the internet.

Chords with 7th (four-note chords), open and close voicings

3/23
Most of the chords we may have used were three-note chords.  These chords were formed by the root (1st), 3rd and 5th.  Some were four-note chords, which feature 1, 3, 5 and now the 7th, which can also be major or minor.

Here are the pages of a book that explains very methodically the basic concepts of the four-note chords.  Read through these pages slowly and take as many notes as necessary.  I will explain further at our next lesson and we will place all these concepts to practice with some of the songs we are playing, like "If Ever I Would Leave You", or if you find it easier, we could choose instead some of the older songs you played before, which you may find more familiar and easier to play with the new concept.  Whatever works best for you.
BASIC CHORDS AND VOICINGS. 7th chords
File Size: 1864 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
To listen to the examples mentioned in the book, login to:
www.halleonard.com/mylibrary
Enter code:
​6133-3573-1227-6632

NEW: Jazz -chart: IF EVER I WOULD LEAVE YOU
If Ever I Would Leave You
File Size: 112 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
3/23
Following the chart included in the pages form the book I sent, extract how you would create the chords that appear in this song.

Mainly focus on major and minor chords, and chords with 7ths.  Notice some will be:
Major chord, major 7th
Major chord, minor 7th
Minor chord, major 7th, 
Minor chord, minor 7th
Chords without 7th, just major or minor.

​After you read the pages from the book you will learn about open shell position and closed shell position.  Ok to start with all chords in closed position if you feel more comfortable, and we will work on how to alternate open/close shell positions for a very efficient left hand accompaniment.

NEW: MUSICAL THEATRE STYLE
PURE IMAGINATION 
pure-imagination.pdf
File Size: 58 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
3/23
​Preparing this one with the score in D-flat , but if the key signature is too difficult, check the one you are using with the choir, the piano accompaniment may be easier to read.

PREVIOUS REPERTORY

NEXT REPERTORY
ANDY LA VERNE Shoah
COLE PORTER Night and Day
​SAM POST Mournful Rag
ALBENIZ Granada
​GRANADOS. DANZA Nr. 5
BOLCOM. Graceful Ghost Rag
MOZART. Fantasy in D minor
FRENCH SUITE IN D MINOR
ALLEMANDE
COURANTE
​SARABANDE
MENUET 1 Bach/Pezold
MENUET 2 Bach/Pezold
​GIGUE
GRANADOS Danza Nr.5
File Size: 7475 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
graceful_ghost_rag_by_william_bolcom.pdf
File Size: 7810 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
ALBENIZ - GRANADA. 8/25/2020
File Size: 4250 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
mournful_rag.pdf
File Size: 101 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

PASSED: Chart reading and Improvisation.  Autumn Leaves 

12/1
Focused on the first two lines.
1- play through the melody
2- improvise based on the melody
3- improvise completely independent from the melody.  Don't overplay too many notes on the RH, or it will become too difficult.  Create nice melodies that are easy to remember

You can improvise using notes from the G Major scale and other time, notes from the E Minor scale.  Attached here below is a chart with the indications on when to use G Major and when to use E Minor.
autumn_leaves_-analysis-.pdf
File Size: 2152 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
AUTUMN LEAVES blank chart
File Size: 100 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
AUTUMN LEAVES melody-bass-chords
File Size: 2182 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

PASSED: Replacement piece in jazz style: Night and Day by Cole Porter

12/1
JURY PIECE CANDIDATE 
NIGHT AND DAY score for piano
File Size: 4014 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

PASSED but not polished enough for jury: Take Five, by Paul Desmond
take_five_blank.pdf
File Size: 5551 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

PASSED: JAZZ STYLE -fully written piece-
​SHOAH by Andy LaVerne
shoah_andy_laverne.pdf
File Size: 435 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
4/20
Counting is the main aspect to be reviewed.  notes are fine.
Counting loudly while you play.
Before you start, make sure you understand the counting for the first two measures.  Even play them separate hands until you are ready to start.

PASSED: SAM POST. Humidity

3/9
​m2 triplet
m10 and on: clarity
m20 beats 3-4 count
m24-25 counting

Send me the very best recording you can, so we can call it passed and add it to our jury list for the spring juries.

2/23
Goal:  beginning to end in the same level of accomplishment.
m5 triplet more like a triplet and less like a 16th-16th-8th.  Think of it as a lazy triplet and it will sound right.
m9. Same feeling.  relax the triplet.
m26-27 Clarity on the rhythm and pulse
humidity.pdf
File Size: 47 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

JURY PIECES: ENRIQUE GRANADOS.  Vals Noble 1 through 6.

November 30
1
Very good feeling.
Watch to control the sound of the notes, so that you don't have some notes unintentionally playing very loud and others very soft.

The theme from the LH needs timing accuracy.  The rhythm is identical to the rhythm of the main melody

3
Notes sound very good.  Now they need more phrasing and more expression.  Help the notes by emphasizing the written dynamics.  When dynamics are not written, give shape to the phrase adding crescendo when they go up and decrescendo on the way down.

4
First section.  Very good.
Second section: you play it with a tempo that is very different to the first section, much slower.  We may need to speed it up a little, or slow the beginning.

6
Nice mood.
Sometimes you need to be a bit more careful to separate the harmonies with the pedal so chords don't mix.

​Second section.  More right hand. Don't be shy, otherwise the LH covers it up.
GRANADOS valses poeticos
File Size: 820 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
GRANADOS valses poéticos
File Size: 12215 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

LISTZ.  Consolation No. 3

November 16
Most of the 2 against 3 are ok, sometimes you will need to record yourself and listen because there are instances when the sync is not there.
When you have 4 against 3, that is far more difficult and we are approaching it by approximation.

In general the piece sounds like it has lost some of the ability it used to have, so probably you had not played it in a long time and may take a few practice days to return to the way it used to sound.

Don't be in a hurry to play it fast, it gives you not enough time to read the notes on the page.
listz_consolations_-ricordi-.pdf
File Size: 7036 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
listz_grb_notes.pdf
File Size: 6052 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

4 agains 3 exercise

ON RESERVE: LISTZ.  Consolation No. 4

PASSED: McDOWELL to a Wild Rose

November 16
Since the notes are not difficult to read and play, go ahead and shape the phrases.
Every time you have two identical notes, be sure not to play them with the same intensity, either grows louder or softer.
Mark your score to be consistent with your interpretation from one practice session to the next.
Remember to voice chords by bringing up the top note.
to_a_wild_rose.pdf
File Size: 79 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

JURY:  Jazz style:
ANYTHING GOES by George Gershwin

November 30
Very good feel, it flows better.  
There are a few spots where you may need focused practice.
anything_goes.pdf
File Size: 519 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jazz style -chart-: ALL OF ME
all_of_me_-real_book-.pdf
File Size: 106 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
March 1

Today we played the song as it would be in a jazz jury:
1- main theme for the entire page
2- one round of improvisation
3- alternating lines
4- playing the theme of the song for the last time 

To practice, go through each one of the chords and doodle around creating little melodies with the notes of each chord.  When you feel secure, play the video recording and play along me on the video.

JURY PIECE: BACH from Well-Tempered Klavier Vol.1
Prelude #9  in E Major

Feb-15
Excellent playing.  Sounds very solid and secure.
Ready to replace with a new one: Chopin Mazurka in A minor.
​(See below)
bach_prelude_9_in_e_major.pdf
File Size: 213 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

PASSED: CHOPIN: Mazurka in A minor, Op. 67, No. 4 (Posthumous)

May 17
Very good flow on the main theme.  The notes feel like you have already learned them very well.
The triplets still need work, they still precipitate the first two notes and wait at the third note.
"Ritardando" can be more gradual, rather than a sudden stop.
Very well prepared, ready to play when you have an opportunity to play for a public.
chopin_mazurkas_op_67_4.pdf
File Size: 389 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

PASSED: SERENITY

PASSED: AWAY
You can find audio files of these two pieces at this link. Scroll down once you get to the page.
Link to audio files

New version of the score
​with DMajor key signature

AWAY with D Major key signature
File Size: 351 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Jury preparation:
Sign-up period:  April 17 to 24
Performance week: May 15 to 20

TECHNIQUE:
  • Equivalent to Levine level 6, but following the "Alfred Complete Book of Scales"
  • Key of C Major

REPERTORY:
  • J.S.BACH. Gavotte (from French Suite)
  • DEBUSSY. Réverie

PASSED: DEBUSSY.  Reverie  (JURY PIECE)
ATTENTION: A new marked copy of the piece below

DEBUSSY marking from lesson 4/25/2023
File Size: 1942 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
DEBUSSY reverie with measure numbers
File Size: 825 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File