February 2013 Teachers' Guide

 

February Student Page
Past Issues
Past Teacher's Guides

Correction: The January birthdays were accidentally reprinted in the February issue.

The following are correct February musical birthdays:

2 - Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987) Russian/American violinist
2 - Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) Austrian violinist
3 - Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) German composer
6 - Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) Chilean pianist
7 - Eubie Blake (1883-1983) American jazz pianist, and song writer
8 - John Williams (b. 1932) American movie composer and conductor
11 - Rudolf Firkusn´y (1912-1994) Czech pianist
20 - Carl Czerny (1791-1857) Austrian composer and pianist
21 - Andres Segovia (1893-1987) Spanish guitarist
23 - George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) German/English composer
24 - Rudolph Ganz (1877-1972) Swiss/American pianist
25 - Dame Myra Hess (1890-1965) English pianist
25 - Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) Italian tenor
26 - Lazar Berman (1930-2005) Russian pianist
29 - Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) Italian composer

Recommended Recordings:
Although Lully's music is not among basic staple recordings one should own, an increasing number of recordings and DVDs is available with each passing year. We found a few recordings of music by just Lully and some that will provide a wider perspective on French music of that time.

Lully: Phaeton, Atys, Armide - Overtures and Airs (Tutor Records, 2012)
Lully: Cadmus et Hermione DVD (Alpha Productions, 2009)
Lully: Proserpine (Glossa, 2008)
Lully: Psyche (Cpo, 2008)
La Belle Danse -Lully, Marais, Muffat (Paradizo, 2011)
Court of the Sun King -Glory of the French Baroque (Erato, 2011)
200 Years of Music at Versailles - A Journey to the Heart of French Baroque

Sight reading
After students become proficient in recognizing all notes on the staff it is still important for them to practice and refine the skill, especially so they can get good at sightreading. Try to make sightreading part of the students' daily practice routine; they can read a line or so every day in addition to note naming activities. Even more important than just naming notes is making the connection between the name of each note to its location on the staff. Students who practice sightreading regularly have an easier time seeing musical lines as sentences and looking ahead like in reading. You can make up special sightreading exercises or use lower levels of method books as sightreading material.

Ledger Line Practice
pdf

Anna Pavlova
Video about her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEQuIBiWO0

100-Day Practice Challenge
Are your students taking part in this challenge? We've heard from many teachers that this has been a huge help for their students. We will publish the names of students who complete the challenge over the course of the next year. Students may start at any time. Teachers should discuss with students what constitutes a practice session and determine alternate options for vacations, illness, etc. The details are up to the teacher. We require a signed practice sheet or note from a teacher or parent asserting that the student has completed the project.

One teacher comments, "I'm so excited you offered this challenge to students and that my student stepped up to meet it!"

Answers to February Puzzles
Fastest Note (page 13)
1. sixteenth 2. 64th note 3. 32nd note 4. whole note

Hearts (page 13)
bouree, sarabande, minuet, courante

Quiz (page 15)
1. c 2. a 3. b 4. various answers

Renew or Order Piano Explorer for your students at our online store. Or email us with your order or if we can answer any questions. [email protected] (Address changes may be sent here as well.) Call 888-446-6888 toll free during business hours.

Click here for some interesting links.