J. W. MacLeod Elementary School Fri. Jan. 25 2.45-3.45pm

Today was an ok class.
At times you were a little too noisy, and getting out of your seat too much was a problem for some of you - we're going to work on this. I know next week will be better.

Level 2:

• C scales in Contrary Motion with both hands. Keep a steady beat and correct fingering.
  
• Practice Let it be and Happy Birthday if you have the Piano Suite software at home.
• Try playing with a metronome holding all the notes for their correct values. Watch out especially for dotted half notes and ties.
• Watch out for steps and skips when you play. The musical term for a step is an interval of a second, and the musical term for a skip is an interval of a third.
  
• Melody playbacks starting on C, using skips and steps.
  
• We learned a little bit of history on the Beatles today: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Level 1:

• C major scales, each hand separately going up and down.
• The sheet music I gave you, plus Old Grey Goose and Twinkle, Twinkle in the Piano Suite software.
• Review note and rest values: quarter, half, whole and eighth beats.
• You played some Grand Staff note placement, and Grand Staff spelling games at the end of class. You can practice doing this at home using the Note Trainer.
  

Thanks everyone. Have a good week!

Kingswood School Thurs. Jan. 24 11.40-12.40pm

Most of you forgot about your class today because of the beautiful weather outside today.
Thanks to Josh, Max and Micheal for remembering about the test, and showing up on time. Ben, Lauren, Renee, Laura and Aidan remembered too, but not until around 12:30, so some of you didn't get to finish your tests.
That's ok though, you'll know what to expect for next time.

Josh, Max, Micheal and Ben:
You did the written part of your test for 15 minutes. From what I could tell, watching you, you all did fine.
Then, you each played 2 pieces for me. This portion went very well.
Then, you each did a rhythm playback, and for this section you all scored 100%.
Excellent work.

Laura:
We didn't get a chance to look over your pieces this week.
Try to arrive on time for next class!

Renee, Lauren, Aidan:
You'll finish the second half of your test, and do the performance and rhythm playback sections next week.

See you then.
You can always Email me if you need extra-help with what we're working on in class.

BLT Elementary School Wed. Jan. 23 2.00-3.00pm

We had an excellent class today.

Level 1:

• Find Middle C on your piano at home.
• Right hand for high notes, Left hand for low notes. Either hand for middle C.
  
• You are now using 'circle notes', instead of birds and whales. Notes above the line are high, notes below the line are low. Notes on the line are middle C.
• Short/long rhythms. As in music, language has a rhythm. You can hear short sounds and long sounds when you talk. See if you can make up some word rhythms the way we did in class: "I like kitty cats", "Today is Wednesday", "My sister eats cupcakes" - and clap along.
• You can also play four-beat rhythms on your piano at home. Try playing some on low C, middle C and high C.
  
• Fur Elise, 5th Symphony and Minuet in G by Beethoven.

Level 2:

• Two hands together! You can review Lesson 13 with Scott Joplin at home if you have the CMJ software for practice.
  
• Hands seperately: practice playing different finger number patterns at home: 1-2-3-5, or 3-4-5-1, or 3-2-1-5, etc. Mom or Dad can call out examples for you to play.
  
• 3-beat groups. We learned about the Blue Danube waltz. Dance music is often grouped in 3 beat measures, where the first beat is the strongest.
• Practice improvising to the waltz in the improvisation room of your CMJ software at home. Feel the beat!
  

We also did some melody playbacks (notes getting higher and lower) and some rhythm playbacks together in class.
You're playing new games and learning so much each week.

Good job! See you next time.

Westmount Elementary School Tues. Jan. 22 12.15-1.15pm

We had a very good class today.

I'd like to welcome our new friend Iris to MusIQ club. It's great that all the spots have been filled in this class now, we can have the same stations and partners every week - this routine will definitely help you to learn and have more fun.

For Aoiffe, Maddie, Morgan, Lidya, Josie and Sophia:

• If you have the CMJ software at home, practice Folk tunes for the Right hand.
  
• Practice your C major scale. Notice how stepping up the keyboard the notes are in the order of the alphabet. C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, back to C.
• Use your five-finger ant tunnel to play the C major scale. Curved fingers. The finger pattern is 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5, for the right hand.
  
• Play legato when you practice, and keep a steady beat.
• Some music is in 4-beat groups, like in bongo boy, 1+2+3+4+. But, some music is in 3-beat groups, like in the blue danube waltz, 1+2+3+.
• Notice how the beats are grouped when you listen to music this week.

For Hannah, Sam, Ryan, Iris, Sean and Evan:

• Right hand for high notes, and left hand for low notes. You can use your right or left hand for middle C.
• Circle notes - now you are starting to see real 'grown-up' notes in the music you play. Notes above the line are high notes, note below the line are low notes. Notes on the line mean you play middle C.
• Bongo boy! See if you can feel groups of 4 beats.
  
• Like in music, language has a rhythm. Try making up some word-rhythms at home. "I like water melon". "Today is Monday". "My dog has fleas".

We did some melody playbacks on my violin today. I would play 3 or 4 notes, stepping up or stepping down from Middle C. You would play back, using your five fingers and moving higher or lower, listening closely.

Excellent work today. See you all next time - we will be having class in the Library, not on the stage.

Fleming Tower Elementary School Mon. Jan. 21 2.15-3.15pm

Great work today everyone.

Here's what we covered today, and what you can practice at home.

Level 2:

• The musical alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, back to A.
• Name the notes, stepping up, higher and higher on your pianos at home.
• Five-finger ant tunnel exercises. Practice playing different finger patterns: 1-2-3, or 3-4-5, or 2-1-2-3-4.
  
• Play legato: smoothly connecting the notes.
  
• Three beat groups and four beat groups.
  
• When you listen to music, see if you can tell if the beats are in groups of 3 or 4.

Level 1:

• Right hand for high notes, and left hand for low notes. You can use your right or left hand for middle C.
• Circle notes - now you are starting to see real 'grown-up' notes in the music you play. Notes above the line are high notes, note below the line are low notes. Notes on the line mean you play middle C.
• Bongo boy! See if you can feel groups of 4 beats.
  
• Like in music, language has a rhythm. Try making up some word-rhythms at home. "I like water melon". "Today is Monday". "My dog has fleas".

We played games and spent some time in the improvisation room.
Thanks for being so good this piano lesson. You're all getting a little bit better with every week.
See you next time!