Excited about Tuesday Lesson

This morning 's student is taking his grade 3 practical examinations this year. Last lesson was totally not compartmentalised unlike our usual. Thought today we need to go through some usual routine to check that most he is familiarised with most of the scales we have covered so far.

As he play his first scale, I realised that both hands did not strike the keys down at the same time. Thus I intentionally get him to play scales with the left finger strike key down before right finger strikes after immediately. That created an interesting scale . He continued with that style for the next few scales.

At times when he fail to play on his finger tips, I guide him to hold his hand tight like a fist and let go gently and slowly but always with a round ball in his hand. Another method which checked him very successfully is the donut ring formed by any finger joining to thumb. Remember the donut must be very round and everyone need to press on the finger tips to get a really round shape.

Awkard fingers caught my attention as he move into the 3rd scale. From then, we change the style. He played the scales that use the same fingerings on each hand and play only the first few keys until right hand thumb need to turn to play the next key and stop. I ask him to indentify the same pattern.

I am excited with his piece English Dance. As i spot his struggles at different phrase, I was trying to think of a way to help him. One of the struggles was to play a few interval sixths that is the melody. Using the few sixths, I played a simple tune that requires a answering phrase. ASked him to sing out and helped him to tune note by note. After the answering phrase is good, singing is good we proceed.

We picked out another 2 phrases that focus on 3rds and octaves. I enjoy given student questions to think. I simply ask him to identify the similar intervals and play through them.

Schumann : staccato has become non legato. Galloping horse must gallop ... play staccato - play notes short and precise.

This is a great enjoyable learning lesson.