Disney Piano Camp (Primer Level) With Mrs. Karen

I am excited to offer this primer level class specifically teaching Disney music.  I have always been a Disney lover!  My high school band traveled to Disney World twice in the early 70's, marching the the parade each time.  As a matter of fact, we actually had the honor of participating in the TV show opening of Space Mountain. Because of this, I have always enjoyed anything dealing with Disney.  In this class, the students will learn 6 of the songs from the Faber Disney Pretime Piano book. This book has been written by the same creators of the Faber Piano Adventures series that I use in my private piano lessons and group piano classes.  

Students that are enrolled in this class need to have some prior musical knowledge of the piano, such as music note names and values, basic terminology, music alphabet, and reading notes on the staff.  I suggest that they have had enough training to complete skills included in  the first half of the Primer Level Piano Adventures piano book.  If they have not had prior musical training, I feel that they will still be  successful in this class with parental supervision and help finding the correct hand placement during class on the piano.  Music included in this class  will be using C position for both hands, Middle C position, and a couple of other basic hand positions. 

The basic schedule for each class will look something like this:

1st class- Students will review note names and values. They will practice clapping rhythms using these notes.  Basic music terminology will be reviewed (staff, treble clef, bass clef, time signature, bar lines, measures, double bar line, repeat). Students will learn the song ""Winnie The Pooh", played in Middle C position. Students will review the hand placement for Middle C position as well as the note names in each hand.  They will learn the black note "A#" played in the left hand. They will also practice crossing the left hand over the right hand to play the note Treble C.  They will learn the dynamic marking "mf". 

2nd class- Students will review Middle C position and the song "Winnie The Pooh".  In this class, they will learn the song "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", also played in Middle C hand position.  In this song, they will learn the note "Bb" (played in the same place as "A#") with the left hand.  They will learn the skill of  moving the thumb under other fingers to move up the keyboard. They will also learn the dynamic marking "f". 

3rd class- Students will continue to review the Middle C hand position and the song "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from the previous class.  In this 3rd class, they learn a new hand position (right thumb on Middle C, left thumb on B).  They will learn the song "I Just Can't Wait To Be King".  In this song, they will practice changing hand positions in the left hand by moving to C position (pinkie of the left hand on C).  They will also practice playing two notes together in the left hand (C and G).

4th class- Students will review the song "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" from their previous class.  In this class, they will review the new hand position called "C position" that they used in the last class.   They will learn the song "It's A Small World".

5th class- Student will review the song "It's A Small World" from the previous class. In this 5th class, they will learn "The Siamese Cat Song", played in C position with both hands. They will review the C 5 finger scale in both hands (C position notes) and the left hand notes  C and G played simultaneously.  Students will learn the musical term "staccato". They will also learn the dynamic marking "p". 

6th class- Students will review all of the songs they have learned in this piano camp. In this last class of this session, they will learn the song "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" This song also uses the C position they they have been learning for the last two classes.  They will learn the music "tie" and how it is used in music.

 My classroom includes two views of the piano. One of these views is from the end of the piano so that the students can see me and the keyboard.  The other view is from above the piano, which gives the students a clear view of where to place their hands. Throughout each of these classes, students will be given opportunities to play solos as well as play together as a group.  I believe that music should be fun and educational.  I strive to give students opportunities to ask questions throughout the lesson and I encourage student participation.  I explain to students that it is okay to make mistakes because that is the best way for us to learn new skills.  I try to incorporate activities that are interesting and fun, as well as educational.  I feel that self-confidence is a very important skill to build so that students will have the courage to share their skills (either at home or in class).  

I am excited to teach this class and look forward to meeting your learner in the classroom!  Karen