Teaching Note Reading

I have a couple of transfer students who play with such joy and ease; they love the songs in the beginner books they've been working on with the previous teacher since last school year; they seem to feel sad about finishing the book and moving on. However, I quickly identified the underlying reason; the note reading skills needed to be ramped up a bit to keep up with the playing level. While teaching my student Teapot Invention in RCM Grade 1, I discovered that she was actually playing the song by copying the melody, phrasing and staccato from hearing and watching me play it. This is confirmed, because she was not looking at the book at all, it is a brand new song and yet she complained, "Sorry I can't remember how to play it". (Of course not, it's still new :)

Of course this whole scenario reinforces the whole idea that some young children learn to play alot better from hearing the song and learning by heart without note-reading. However to reach the next level we want to achieve, some serious intervention is required.

YELLOWCAT

The student is a model student for the Yellowcat method to teach the note reading, hand placement and maintain playing skills at the highest level. Find out more about Yellowcat at http://www.yellowcatpublishing.com/ and http://www.ycmused.com/ Here is the plan for the next four lessons.

Lesson 1

• Musicland Story Chapter 1
• Identify the Caves and Castles, Worksheet
• Introduce Yellow Cat, Purple Dragon, Green Elf
• Play: Cat Dragon Elf, Elf Dragon Cat

Lesson 2

• Musicland Story Chapter 2
• Introduce the Blue Fairy, Red Giant, Orange Albert and Brown Beethoven.
• If they're ready, go to Bass Clef Notes and Treble Clef Notes
• Halloween Hairy Scary Spider
• If we're ready for sharps and flats, Halloween Lullaby

* Remember that the student already has a background in note reading, but appears to have trouble reading "fast enough" to play a song.

Lesson 3

• Talk about Blue Fairy Flight Rules: Note Key Finger
• Use Dragon Paw starter pages
• Selections from Notebook for Mozart

Lesson 4

• Review Blue Fairy Flight Rules: Note Key Finger
• Use Dragon Paw starter pages
• Identify songs printed from Yellowcat music sheets; music notes will still be printed in colour except for C's because "Cat turns black" in the Grand Piano Book.

I have an older beginner, he was 14 when he started beginners piano.  He plays very well and reads quickly now in traditional printed music, but we first started with Yellowcat.  One time we used standard black and white flash cards for note reading; he wanted to say "Blue Fairy" for F or whatever notes we were quizzing on.  Very cute. I told him, "That's ok you can say Blue Fairy if that helps you remember it better." The more important thing is to play "Blue Fairy" on the piano and have the brain make that connection with the finger placement.

Happy Birthday Dr Suzuki!

Today is Dr. Suzuki’s birthday! Born on October 17, 1898, he spent the better part of his nearly century-long life helping the world to realize the amazing potential that is poised waiting to be unleashed in every human being.

Suzuki training courses (supported by the Suzuki Association of the Americas) not only grounded me in a positive core philosophy but it also gave me a “toolbox” of communication and teaching strategies that I draw upon every day. If you have a moment, please watch this video and show your support!


http://suzukiassociation.org/giving/community/