Time for Sight-Reading!

It's time to begin preparing students for our January combined Creative Project/Sight-Reading event.

If you're like me you have your favorite Christmas recital pieces and your not so favorite ones. Get some use out of those not so favorite ones by letting your students take home a book of Christmas tunes to sight-read each week. (Remember, sight-reading should be 2 levels below their actual reading level.) At the lesson, use the Keyboard Gymnastic sight-reading examples to teach them proper sight reading skills. There are 12-24 examples on each level--enough to do at least one a week until our event in January.

Also, the holidays are a great time to have your students sight-read duets at lessons--especially when their practice time is suffering because of all the holiday activities! Playing a duet along with their teacher requires a student to keep going--an essential sight-reading skill. Keep it light and have fun enjoying the music.

Here's a planner that might prove useful in your studio. Enjoy!

Keyboard Gymnastics

Schedule Planner 2011

September

-Assign Halloween piece

-Assign Christmas piece if student is planning to try out for the YC Christmas recital

-Gather KG yearly student fees -- due Oct. 28

-Distribute KG calendar to students

October

-Teach students how to memorize with their Halloween piece

-Begin exploring composition ideas with students (May be based on technic sheet skills. Use Halloween to inspire dramatic expression.)

-Write down student’s short composition ideas at the lesson with them

-Halloween Recital Carnival October 28th 5-8 pm

-Assign Christmas piece

November

-Assign Monster Concert/KG ensemble event piece. Choose pieces Nov. 1, 7:00 pm room 214 (Bring list of all students and their playing level.)

-Concerto/1st KG performance event Nov. 12

-Continue with composition

-Come up with ideas for the KG Creative Project Event Jan. 28 (composition may be used)

December

-Begin learning pieces for Monster Concert/KG Ensemble Event Feb. 4, 6:00 pm

-Dec. 6, USU YC Christmas recital

-Finish composition or creative project over break

-Sight-read Christmas books (2 levels below playing level) over break

January

-Evaluate and give suggestions for creative projects that have been prepared for the Jan. 28 event

-Assign KG sight-reading practice examples and go over them at lessons in preparation for the KG Sight-reading Event Jan. 28

-Practice with students for the Monster Concert/KG ensemble event

-Put compositions on the computer

-Assign piano festival/KG Performance Event #2 pieces or KG Ensemble Event #2 piece--These events are for those students who want to improve their score

-KG Creative Project/Sight-reading & Technic Event Jan. 28

February

-Monster Concert/KG ensemble event Feb. 4, 6:00 pm

-Continue preparation for KG Performance Event #2 and Ensemble Event #2

March

-Check students on their preparation for KG theory and ET tests

-Begin preparations for KG awards ceremony (soliciting prizes from community sources)

-Federation Performance Event Mar. 24 (may be counted as the KG performance Event)

April

-Piano Festival/KG Performance Event #2 and Ensemble Event #2 April 14

-USU Piano Festival Carnival 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

-KG Theory and ET Events, tests given in private studio or at the USUYC

-Gather all the scores for students KG events. Teachers are responsible for gathering scores from the USUYC. Scores are due April 28 (technic is an ongoing event and may be passed off anytime during the KG year.)

May

-KG awards ceremony May 12; featuring outstanding performances from the KG Performance Event(s), Ensemble Event and Creative Project Event. Awards and prizes are given for top scores in each of the seven areas of study, three medals for each age division, and an outstanding KG student award.

-Assign concertos for students who wish to compete in the November KG concerto contest

We held our first meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 4th at USU. At the meeting we discussed the dates for the upcoming year and they are as posted above. The following Keyboard Gymnastics administrative committee was formed:

Director/Record Keeper: Kathleen
Treasurer: Elise
Hospitality: Jennifer
Feedback: Sherol

The following volunteered to be chairpersons for the events this year:

Ensemble Event: Tehawna and Jennifer
Creative Project Event: Jennifer and Sue
Sight-reading Event: Sherol
Performance Event: Kathleen
Theory, Ear-training, and Technic Events: Elise
Awards Ceremony: Tehawna and Kathleen

See the Keyboard Gymnastics Manual for information about the duties of each of these positions.

And away we go!!!