Today I am sharing these repertoire list templates with you. Feel free to print these out and use them with your students this holiday season! There is one list for Christmas repertoire, and a second list for winter repertoire that can be used by students who don't celebrate Christmas or by those who want to continue their repertoire lists into the new year.
One of the projects I like to have my students do during November and December is to create a list of all of the fun holiday music they are learning. I think this is especially important for my younger students, who are very motivated to see their repertoire lists grow as they learn more and more pieces. It is also a great way to create a performance goal for all of my students--I encourage them to use the music on these lists to perform for their families over our holiday break!
Today I am sharing these repertoire list templates with you. Feel free to print these out and use them with your students this holiday season! There is one list for Christmas repertoire, and a second list for winter repertoire that can be used by students who don't celebrate Christmas or by those who want to continue their repertoire lists into the new year.
0 Comments
I am excited to share three new easy Christmas collections that are now available at Sheet Music Plus! These collections include many of the top-requested Christmas pieces that I have taught in my own studio year after year.
Each collection is available in digital format--so you can purchase and print today! Click on the covers or on the links below to see sample pages from these new collections. When it comes to holiday music, Thanksgiving often seems to be overlooked. There are hundreds of well-known Christmas songs--yet how many songs can you think of that are associated with Thanksgiving? Today's freebie features a classic tune whose lyrics were inspired by a Thanksgiving poem. In 1844, author Lydia Maria Child wrote a poem entitled "The New-England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day" inspired by her childhood memories of visiting her grandfather's house. This poem was later paired with a traditional tune to create the song we now know as "Over the River and Through the Woods," which is often sung during the holiday season. Today I am sharing a lead sheet activity featuring this famous tune that gives your students a chance to practice their harmonizing skills! This tune can be harmonized using just the primary chords in the key of C major: I, IV, and V7. To complete this worksheet, students will play the given melody, then choose the primary chord that they think works best and write it on the lines provided above the staff. Each primary chord will be used more than once. Once students have filled in their chosen chords, they can play the complete song and experiment with a variety of left hand accompaniment patterns, such as blocked, broken, or waltz-style chords. More advanced students might also enjoy the extra challenge of transposing this tune, along with their chosen primary chords, to a different key. Click HERE or on the picture above to download your free copy of this Thanksgiving lead sheet! What do you think? Will you be assigning any special activities for Thanksgiving this year? I'd love to hear from you in the comments! Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
As much as we want to encourage our students’ enthusiasm for music, it can be difficult not to cringe when we get one of these unexpected, and often unrealistic, repertoire requests. It can be tough to envision incorporating the “Moonlight Sonata” into lessons when a student is still struggling to count half notes and whole notes. However, what if there were a way to use these requests to teach and reinforce the basic skills we are already working on in our lessons? With a little creativity, it can be possible! The next time you get an unexpected repertoire request, consider these options: Does a simplified version of this piece exist? I realize there is some controversy over the idea of using simplified music, in particular simplified classical music, in lessons. However, the sad truth is that for those of us who work with primarily “recreational” students, the majority of the students we teach will never reach the proficiency level required to play many of these beloved classical pieces in their original form. If learning a simplified arrangement of a classical piece can motivate your students and bring them the joy of playing a favorite classical piece at the piano, isn’t it an idea worth considering? There are so many great options for simplified arrangements these days that often a Google search will give you several choices at a variety of levels. But here are a few of my favorite places to look for student-friendly arrangements of both classical and popular music:
Can the piece be taught by ear or by rote? Perhaps a simplified version of the requested piece doesn’t exist--or maybe even the simplified version is still too difficult for your student. Can a portion of the piece be taught by rote or by ear? Very often students are happy just to learn an 8 or 16 measure section of their requested piece, with the understanding that as they progress they can learn even more. In earlier blog posts, I’ve discussed how I teach familiar favorites such as Pachelbel’s “Canon” and “Carol of the Bells” by rote, as well as how I teach pop music by ear. Can the student learn the bass line and play along with you as a duet? If your student can play A and E, they can play along with the bass notes to the first section of “Fur Elise.” The bass line for the opening of the “Moonlight Sonata” contains only five notes (and can be transposed to an easier key if necessary). The bass line to many pop songs can be played by knowing just four notes--the roots of the I, IV, V, and vi chords. Have students play these short bass lines along with you as you play the remainder of the piece, as a duet. Duets are a great way to work on:
Can you perform the piece for the student or listen to a recording of it together? What if the requested piece can’t possibly be simplified in a way that makes it accessible for the student to play? There are still opportunities for learning! Consider these ideas:
What do you think? Do you welcome student repertoire requests? Any tips you would like to share for turning these requests into learning experiences? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments! October is a great time to introduce a few spooky pieces in your studio--and a great way to introduce your students to Classical favorites that they might hear around Halloween! Today I am sharing a free, elementary-level arrangement of the opening theme from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. This fun piece includes several concepts that are great for elementary students: playing both hands in unison, listening carefully for dynamic contrasts, crossing finger 2 over the thumb, and moving both hands down an octave. Click HERE or on the picture above to get your free copy. And don't forget to check my Free Stuff page HERE for more fun Halloween music! |
AuthorChrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music. Looking for teaching ideas related to a specific topic? Use the "search" feature or scroll down to see blog posts organized by category!
Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|