Let's Play Piano! Level A Flex- Part One

Let's play piano! In this group course, beginning students will learn the basics of playing the keyboard. In this beginning course students will play on both the black and white keys. Students will have the opportunity to play some well known folk songs such as "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and "Bingo." We will learn the middle C hand position in this class. In this course students will focus on using all five fingers of their right and left hand to play the keyboard. We will focus on various finger patterns, basic rhythms, dynamics, and music articulation. #creative

In this class students will use the "Bastien New Traditions All In One Piano Course" A Primer by Lisa, Lori and Jane Bastien. The purchase of this book entitles students to access the Kjors Interactive Piano Studio available for desktop and tablet. The Interactive Piano Studio will give students the opportunity to play along side a backing track. This book is newly designed and works well in an online classroom. Students are required to purchase this resource.

Flex classes work best for self-motivated students. There are no live meetings of this class. Two class videos will be presented to the students each week. Students should follow along with the video. After watching the video, students are expected to practice on their own. After practicing, students will need to make a video of themselves playing the assigned music for the teacher to see. The teacher will comment on the video with helpful tips for the student. The teacher will need to see the students hands on the keyboard to ensure that the student is playing correctly when making their video. You may need to adjust your webcam or device to make this view possible.

Students will be able to share what they have been learning by creating videos directly to the teacher through the Outschool classroom. Because this is a flex course, it is important for students to submit videos to the teacher. 

The course will break down as follows:
Week 1: Videos one and two
Video 1: We will focus on the fingers and learn quarter note and half note rhythms. We will also recognize the pattern of the black keys. We will listen for high and low sounds.
Video 2: We will learn about quarter rests, whole rests, and the repeat sign. We will play using various dynamics, such as piano and forte.

Week 2: Videos three and four
Video 3: We will learn a quarter rest and practice moving high and low.
Video 4: We will learn the dynamics "mezzo forte" and "mezzo piano."

Week 3: Videos five and six
Video 5: We will practice using the right and left hand on groups of two and three black keys.
Video 6: We will play "Swim with Me" and review.

Week 4: Videos seven and eight
Video 7: We will play "Old MacDonald" using both the right and left hand.
Video 8: We will learn about the musical alphabet beginning with the notes "C-D-E."

Week 5: Videos nine and ten
Video 9: We will learn the half rest rhythm.
Video 10: We will play the notes "F-G-A-B." 

Week 6: Videos eleven and twelve
Video 11: We will practice high and low notes on the white keys.
Video 12: We will learn about stepping notes.
This schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the individual learners in each session of the course.

Some weeks will include short theory assignments. Students will complete these assignments and submit a picture of the completed work to the teacher. That will give the teacher the opportunity to check their understanding of the concepts presented in the class videos.

Please let me know if you have any questions about this course!