Jayden

Youtube Playlist

Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxU_OGndc5q-jH26-96g39xF-RLx4hbgc

Google Drive

Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dWwG84LFuyn_X-PD_x9-mioV2YXi1h5-?usp=sharing

Intervals

• 2nd – scale
• 3rd – O when the saints
• 4th – amazing grace
• 5th – twinkle twinkle
• 6th – my bonnie lies over the ocean
• 7th – weird
• 8th – somewhere over the rainbow

Goal for this week

• Improve extra list
• Improve tartan

Long term goal

Grade 4 exam mid-2021

Notes 19 Apr

Excercises

• practice to be correct! Need a bit more care. On the right track though.

Let the good times roll

• on the right track

new extra list today

Tartan

• still some technical issues, but we can fix them ourselves using consistent and careful practice
• start from second page
• push as fast as possible while still being consistent

Allegro

• more soft dynamic
• metronome at 90-100aZ

Notes 7 Apr

4A

• needs phrasing now

4B

• needs phrasing
• correct rhythm
• slower overall

4C

• good

Let the Good Times Roll

• Added on Youtube playlist, listen to find rhythm

Allegro

• needs slow practice for consistency
• start from the middle practice
• LH only practice
• OVERALL can perform

Tartan

• this just needs more practice

Notes 29 Mar

4A

• needs to be better
• practice bar by bar

Tartan

• unacceptable that this is not done

Etude

• all about evenness and coordination
  • slow practice, but perfectly even and coordinated
  • also helps us build mental memory

New song: Let the good times roll (extra list 1)

• learn during holidays, one page

Notes 22 Mar

Please do ex 4A and 4B

Continue with scales

Tartan

• must learn faster
  • don’t start from the start
  • practice in small sections
  • should always have DAILY goal in mind

Allegro

• most ideas are there, must focus on continuity when practicing
  • choose a more medium speed
• also focus on hands together
• also focus on slurs
• once you’ve identified trouble sections, practice slow and in sections

Notes 15 Mar

Ex 4A

• this needs work!

Ex 4B

• improve LH version

Tartan

• staccatos need to be clear, so don’t jump toooo high
• Finish this week

Allegro

• some slurs are not connected
• some dynamics are really wrong
  • for softs, use arm weight, don’t play on the surface. use arm weight to hit the bottom of the keys

Etude

• some coordination is very dodgy
  • and evenness
    • slow practice
    • rhythm practice

Notes 1 Mar

Scales

• generally okay, will improve more closer to the exam.

Tartan

• needs improvement by drilling small sections at full speed
• small sections but fast
• more foucsed practice this week, but still goal bar 32

Allegro

• last section still has lots of gaps. Don’t go faster, just be play stable
• focus on bad parts, DO not start again

Notes 22 Feb

4B

• rhythm
• correct notes
• dynamics

4A

• needs to be faster and more phrasing

Scales

• see goals of the week for which scales to present

Tartan

• LH chords must be solid
• focus on a consistent beat
• same goal bar 32, but increase consistency

Allegro

• aim for CLINICAL precision
• last line no gaps

• slurs pay attention
• consistency in general pay attention

Notes 15 Feb

4A

• second line still needs a bit more work.
• Careful with fingering
• do LOTS of phrasing

Scales

• need to have fingers together
• C# melodic minor, check if everything is right here.
• F# harmonic minor contrary
• In general, contrary needs work

Tartan

• LH needs needs to be broken up between rests
• fadeaway dynamic

• goal is bar 32

Allegro

• bar 3 is messy

• dynamics are great, but technical still needs to be fixed. Go part by part and fix little by little.
• Don’t panic!

Notes 8 Feb

Technical

• Revise in general
• Do ex 4A all
• revise other excercises

Allegro

• in mf, balance towards RH f, LH mp
• do slur in bar 2-3

• consistency in bar 9-12

• entire middle sections is only quavers (ti ti), so it should keep on going. No gaps between
• 2nd page, needs dynamics with consistency, especially if ti ti

Etude

• coordination is a big issue

Notes 14 Dec

Scales: begin arpeggios, perfect contrary motions

4A: finish by 1 Feb

Etude

• louder in 33

• avoid gaps by making the beat go forward.
• bar 17 make sure RH and LH come together
• Curve fingers

Tartan

• needs general work, keep learning notes

Allegro

• funny dynamic contrast is needed for the ending

Notes 7 Dec

Ex 4A: first line pls

Scales

• make sure they are together
• finish all contrary motion by 14 Dec

Allegro

• you need to check which notes are short and which are long

• finish the piece this week

Tartan

• fade on staccato

• bar 9 rests are important in LH

Notes 30 Nov

Technical

• Ex 4A, first line
• chromatics
• revise all scales

Allegro

• Significant work still needs to be done. Aim for finish this week.

Notes 23 Nov

4B

• practice bar by bar, become da master. Rhythm must be correct.

Scale: F# harmonic minor contrary

Allegro

• Articulation and slurs are really important
• dynamics are also really important
• this is all to make it funny
• bar 36 HT, ending hands sep.

Notes 16 Nov

Contrary: F# harmonic minor

Allocate about 5 mins to technical per practice.

Allegro

• LH soft. Don’t jump. This creates the fluffy texture.
• check this LH chord

• this piece is all about whether it is chunky or not

Notes 9 Nov

Excercises

4B

• keep going

Scales

• F melodic minor, watch 4th finger
• A major contrary motion

Allegro

• listen to recording this week
• watch for slurs OR staccatos across the piece
• aim for first page hands together

Etude

• bar 4 LH rhythm, should be consistent

• bar 10 snappy semiquavers

• curve fingers for greater accuracy
• main aim is consistency in rhythm

Notes 2 Nov

Excercises

• PLEASE DO EX 4B
• make sure timing is right, quavers are 2 semis, crotchet is 4 semis. Practice bar by bar

4A

• start if you have time. Remember flats BEAD

Scales

• F melodic minor, fix F harmonic minor using 4th finger rule

Allegro

• bar 9, F#

• get up to 30 this week, mostly the same LH here. Make this a priority

Etude

• bar 1-8, focus on rhythmic consistency
• Bar 17 onwards, focus on ‘evenness’. Curving fingers helps
• check notes in 45-47, make sure there are 4 of them

• check notes 51

Notes 26 Oct

Ex 4B

• please do LH this week
• RH increase speed

Allegro

• even at early learning stage, consider balance between LH and RH, RH needs to be louder
• learning goal: bar 16, hands together

Etude

• bar 1-8, hold LH notes

• start dynamics in bar 17

• check notes bar 51 RH