Primer Level

Setting up the ending is a good way to prepare for a performance of this piece. Philip follows the teacher’s model, then moves on to his own. It’s important to remember that as the left hand descends, the dynamics need to reflect the departing buglers. The piccolos announce the start…

“Hey diddle diddle, D’s in the middle!” This piece, “Magic Rhyme for Bass,” not only helps the student remember where Bass D lives on the staff, but also packs in six other learning points in its six short measures. Watch as Charlotte and Soleil practice the use of arm weight,…

This piece introduces Middle C and reading on the Grand Staff. From the start, Kai learns that any finger in either hand can play Middle C. After the teacher’s dynamic performance, Kai tries out the piece, feeling the rhythm and checking the music and her hands. Alexis first practices changing…

Tapping on the fallboard helps Philip establish a 4/4 meter presented on this page. By tapping softer and faster he hears and feels rhythmic patterns, not just single pulses. Learning to tap on the off beats happens naturally, without fuss or explanation. He discovers how to learn a piece by…

When little hands learn how to play the octave interval, Nancy prompts the student to “leap” and do a little bounce. Instead of stretching or overextending the hand, the leaping gesture helps avoid tension. From Primer Level Lesson Book, Pg. 59, “Octavius the Octopus.”

Primer Level Lesson Book, Pg. 58, Football Game First there’s a warm-up to the warm-up! Philip practices the left-hand trick (skipping up and down from the new bass C), then the right-hand trick (playing the broken fifth). That reinforces the skipping finger feel and prepares him for those measures in…

Primer Level Lesson Book, Pg. 45, Frogs on Logs Jumping frogs might land in different places. The first test of finger 2 moving to other keys sets up the action. By circling the repeated notes, Vivian sees that these frogs are really hopping! After she learns the pattern in the…