Class was great today! Each kid played a sequence of 4 notes on their keyboard independently using the sight-reading skills Echo Edna has been teaching them! It was spectacular and quite impressive. These foundational sight-reading skills will serve them well as they continue to learn more keyboard skills. We also reviewed how to play all THREE of the primary chords. Your kids are doing great and I saw them using the correct fingering 90% of the time (and those that needed it were easily corrected). Keep an eye on which fingers they use to play their chords. They're doing great!

Thanks for all you do, parents! I realize that the parental involvement is high in this program and even though you are coming to class less now, you help with more practicing during the week. And, I know, that is not always easy. I appreciate all you do in helping your kids play at home - it really does make all the difference! Your kids are so blessed to have awesome parents like you!

See you next week for PARENT DAY! :) 

Mystery Bug

We played a new rhythm game called Mystery Bug. 3 separate rhythm cards are laid out on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th beat. The 3rd beat is empty and is the Mystery Bug. The entire 4 count measure is played and the students identified which rhythm (bug) was missing on the 3rd beat. Then we all counted and played the entire 4 count measure. You can play a variation of this at home by clapping different bugs and inviting your child to clap AND say what bug they heard. Ear training, rhythm training and internalizing the steady beat is happening all at once!

Brown Jug

The Brown Jug game is another fun activity to play at home with a parent or whole family. You just need a playground ball and a little bit of room to roll and catch. It is easier at first to chant "roll, catch" and then begin the song. This is a great way to emphasize how the hands and body must keep the beat while making music!

Echo Edna

This week Echo Edna placed various patterns of steps and skips on the board to sight read. She invited us to look at the board and think of two questions before we played the pattern. 1) Is it a step or skip? AND 2) Does it go up or down? Walking through both of these steps will help in all sight reading as well as the theory assignment this week. 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we can find and play the Red, Blue and Yellow chords in 5 Fat Turkeys from last year! 

I value open and honest communication so please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

Thank you!