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!

J. W. MacLeod Elementary School Fri. Jan. 18 2.45-3.45pm

Great class today everyone. We learned many new concepts today.
We practiced our C major scales together at the beginning of class and also did some melody playbacks with my violin. Your new song is Happy Birthday.
Here's an easy checklist for your homework this week.

Level 2:

• C major scales. Memorize the Roman number system for each degree of the scale: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, back to I.
  
• 3-note melody playbacks.
• legato
• Let it be - make sure to count your dotted half notes (worth 3 beats) and your tied notes (joins two notes together, so you play only the first one and then hold for the duration of both).
• Happy Birthday - make sure to hold down notes for their full values with both hands.
  
• When you practice, notice what intervals are being used (distance between 2 notes), and keep a curved finger hand position and a steady beat.

Level 1:

• C major scales. Use the correct fingering: RH. 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 LH. 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1
• Practice finding middle C (group of two, down to C) and naming the keys on your piano at home using the musical alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, back to A.
  
• Practice naming notes on the Grand staff using this tool: Note Trainer
  
• Finger number tunes: Mary had a little lamb, Oh when the Saints go marching in.
  
• Letter name tunes: Twinkle Twinkle, Ode to Joy, Mary had a little lamb (fill in the missing notes).
• When you practice, notice what intervals are being used (distance between 2 notes), and keep a curved finger hand position and steady beat.

Thanks for your good work today everyone. See you next week!

Kingswood School Thurs. Jan. 17 11.40-12.40pm

Welcome to our guests Josh A., Lauren D., and Taylor in class today.

We did a big review for the level 2 students. You will be having your first assessment test next week.
Here's what you need to know:

1) Note naming on the Grand staff. Practice with this site note name trainer
Remember the rhyme for the treble clef, FACE, and for the bass clef, All Cows Eat Grass.
Also, remember Middle C.
2) Note and Rest Values. Quarter, Half, Whole and Eigth. Make sure you know how to draw these. Note/Rest Value Chart
3) Intervals. The distance between two notes. When counting by line and space to see what interval is between two notes make sure you include the stating note and the ending note.
4) You will be asked to play one of the songs we've learned together: Old Grey Goose, Twinkle,
On Top of Old Smokey, Pop Goes the Weasel, and Get Up.
5) Rhythm playbacks. Count 1+2+3+4+

For Laura:
You did the introduction to piano lesson in the Theory Thinker, and tried out some finger number and letter name tunes today. You also played some bongo boy and listened to us review how to read notes on the Grand staff. When you practice the sheet music I gave you, make sure to keep your fingers curved, and always keep a steady beat.

After the test next week, we'll send a certificate to you in the mail. It will say that you've completed Level 1 of MusIQ Club.

Thanks everyone. Good luck next week - I know you'll all do great.

BLT Elementary School Wed. Jan. 16 2.00-3.00pm

Today we had a lot of new students join us, which was wonderful - welcome Alyssa, Billy, Terry, Emma, Jacob F., Brandon and welcome back Cameron.

We now have 2 levels of students in the class.

Level 2:
You completed lessons 11 and 12 today.

We met your new computer teacher Scott Joplin. He was a famous American composer who is known for his piano 'ragtime' music.

Mr. Joplin taught us how to play with five-finger ant tunnels. Keep your wrist up and your fingers curved. Place your thumb on middle C. Each finger has a number. Thumbs are 1, Index fingers are 2, Middle fingers are3, and so on... little fingers are 5. You can practice with your Mom or Dad, calling out finger number patterns to play on the piano. Sing and play at the piano 3-2-1. Or 2-3-4. Or 5-3-1. (etc.)

Practice using both your Right hand and Left hand with the thumb on middle C.

Also, you can practice rhythm playbacks the way we did in class (1+2+3+4+).
If you have the CMJ software at home, please practice Folktunes for the Right Hand on the computer in the Library.

Level 1:
In your first lesson, you learned the five rooms of CMJ. Library, Games room, Lesson room, Practice room and Improvisation room.

You met your first computer teacher Mr. Beethoven. Ludwig van Beethoven is a famous German composer in music history who is known for writing symphonies, even though he was deaf (he could not hear).

You learned about high bird notes and low whale notes with Beethoven. You learned where middle C is on the piano, and that there are 7 letters in the musical alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, back to A. Practice naming the keys on your piano, repeating the 7 letters all the way up. You your left hand for low notes and right hand for high notes.

You also got to try out some rhythm playbacks with the level 2 kids.

Thanks for a really productive and fun class everyone.
Excellent work - see you next week!

Westmount Elementary School Tues. Jan. 15 12.15-1.15pm

We had an exciting class again today.
Let's welcome newcomers Hannah and Sam to our group. That makes 12 of us - we grew a lot since last term!

We have 2 levels going on in the class now.

Level 1:
You learned about high bird notes and low whale notes today. Make sure to play your high bird notes with your right hand and your low whale notes with your left hand. To keep a perfect piano hand position pretend to hold an orange between your 2 hands and make your fingers perfectly round. Then place your fingertips on the keys, and keep your fingers curved.
Now you're ready to play.
When you play, keep a steady beat. All music is experienced in time - the beat is what links each moment to the next. It stays the same length, like a pulse - a heartbeat.

You learned where Middle C is, and met your computer teacher Mr. Beethoven.
Well done. See if you can name all the notes of the piano using the musical alphabet, at home: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Notice that after G, the musical alphabet starts over at A.

Level 2:
You finished your first level of MusIQ Club officially today in class. Every 12 lessons you will receive a certificate in the mail saying that you completed a level.

In your 12th lesson, you practiced left hand ant tunnels with Mr. Joplin. We did some rhythm playbacks and talked about all the things that we've learned over the course of level 1. Try practicing finger number playbacks at home on your piano. Place your thumb on middle C and play like you do in the leapfrog game. 1-2-1-2-1-2. Or 1-2-3-4-3-2-1. Or 1-2-3-2-3-4-3. Try different combinations with your right hand and then your left hand.
If you have the CMJ software at home, you can practice the Folk Tunes for the Right Hand in the computer, in the Library.


Finally, we all spent some time in the Improvisation room, and each of you recorded a song to show me. All of you did some wonderful playing today. I was especially impressed with the many songs Sophia and Ryan created together. Great sense of rhythm and melody you two.

Thanks for all your hard work today. See you next week.

Fleming Tower Elementary School Mon. Jan. 14 2.15-3.15pm

Great work today everyone.

We had Max, Vinny and Lauren join us today for their first lesson in MusIQ Club.
That means there are 2 levels in the class. Level 1 at the front of the room, and level 2 at the back.

Level 1:
You learned about high bird notes and low whale notes today. Make sure to play your high bird notes with your right hand and your low whale notes with your left hand. To keep a perfect piano hand position pretend to hold an orange between your 2 hands and make your fingers perfectly round. Then place your fingertips on the keys, and keep your fingers curved.
Now you're ready to play.
When you play, keep a steady beat. All music is experienced in time - the beat is what links each moment to the next. It stays the same length, like a pulse - a heartbeat.

You learned where Middle C is, and met your computer teacher Mr. Beethoven.
Well done. See if you can name all the notes of the piano using the musical alphabet, at home: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Notice that after G, the musical alphabet starts over at A.

Level 2:
You finished your first level of MusIQ Club officially today in class. Every 12 lessons you will receive a certificate in the mail saying that you completed a level. We talked about Mr. Beethoven, Mr. Bach and Mr. Joplin. You answered lots of questions I had for you about all the things you learned in level 1.
Then we did our first lesson of level 2 (lesson 13).

You learned about the Blue Danube Waltz. Sometimes music is grouped in 3 beats, especially for dance music. We practiced some rhythm playbacks that use 3 beat groups, as well as 4 beat groups.
You learned more about five-finger ant tunnels with Mr. Joplin. Remember that thumbs are 1, index fingers are 2, middle fingers are 3... and so on - pinky fingers are 5. You're now playing with 2 hands at the same time. Practice doing finger number playbacks at home on your piano. Place your thumb on middle C and play like you do in the leapfrog game. 1-2-1-2-1-2. Or 1-2-3-4-3-2-1. Or 1-2-3-2-3-4-3. Try different combinations with your right hand and then your left hand.

Thanks for an excellent class today. See you next week.