I Just Can’t Wait to Be… the Improviser! Charlotte begins playing a steady two-chord riff pulled from, “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” As Nancy improvises above the riff, her modeling sparks excitement and eagerness in Charlotte as she enthusiastically asks for a turn to improvise. “Can I try…
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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.”
In keeping with the Year of Technique and Artistry, Nancy and Randall Faber are pleased to present Hanon-Faber, The New Virtuoso Pianist—a fresh, new approach to the 150-year-old keyboard exercises of Charles-Louis Hanon. Why This Edition? Concert artists recognize that finger strength is subordinate to the coordinated use of fingers, wrist…
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Before playing, “Giddy-up, Pony,” Nancy prepares her students by having them sing the letter names and finger numbers. As they sing, the twins also point to each note in the music. Singing and pointing strengthens the ear and eye connection in the young pianist. This helps the student walk, trot, and…
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Level 2B ChordTime Rock, Pg. 4, Surfin’ Safari Watch these two jam it out! In a simple lesson on tonic and dominant, throw in a “wacky” lowered 3rd scale degree and what do you get? The Surfin’ Safari Blues! Calvin gets a lesson in improvisation based on tonic and dominant.…
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Technique Secrets are the essential pianistic movements, gestures and touches — a scaffold of progressing skill development. We see wide variety in students in the type of music they wish to play, in the level of commitment they bring to practice, and in coordination and listening abilities. However, one thing…
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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…
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Level 3A-3B, FunTime Jazz and Blues, Love Potion No. 9 Who doesn’t like to have fun playing pop tunes with crazy lyrics and zippy syncopations? Sam clearly enjoys the modal flavors and bouncy rhythms that are served up in this love potion concocted by “that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth.”…
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Level 2B Performance Book, Pg. 28-29, Horseman’s Night Ride This horse knows where he’s going! The right hand keeps a steady hold on the rein while the left hand hoof beats gallop with softer “clops” over the leaves in the forest. The piece can be learned in an andante 3/4 until the…
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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…
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