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Piano Tuition now
offered
I have recently incorporated piano lessons into my classes so that students can further build on the musical
understanding gained in the pre-school and recorder program.
My students know how to play the recorder over much of the descant range, they are able to sustain a part in an
ensemble and they are able to read Treble Clef notation. Many are keen to move onto other instruments (piano in particular) and it seems sensible to weave this new skill into the existing program.
The students are still very young and they have been enjoying the company of other children in an ensemble setting. It is advantageous to incorporate their instrumental knowledge into a familiar,
music-making environment.
The students have individual attention at the piano, but they are also encouraged to play together and explore the
keyboard. They play chords, improvise and accompany. They can link their recorder knowledge to their piano knowledge and play their old recorder pieces on the piano – in different places (or keys)!
Their musical knowledge should not be limited by their technical proficiency on any one instrument and they can still learn complex rhythms and ostinato patterns on tuned and un-tuned percussion
instruments and work on ensemble pieces which have greater breadth and complexity than the beginner piano repertoire.
There should always be a musical context when learning an instrument and an understanding and excitement about what
the future holds. Once this is in place the students are ‘hooked on music’ for life.
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