Program #1: PIANO KARATE!
One of our more popular activities in our studio!
Here is your chance to earn a belt without having to do one kick! Everyone knows that practice makes perfect. In Piano Karate your goal is to practice for as many weeks as possible to earn a belt and in the meantime become a better pianist! Plus – it’s cool to show off all your belts
HOW DOES IT WORK?
I will give you a practice chart to keep. You can find PDFs of additional sheets below. When you have practiced a minimum of 5 days that week, have your parent/caregiver sign the chart. Present this chart to me that I will sign as well. After you completed 4 signed weeks you qualify to get a belt! The order of belts are listed below. Students are awarded certificates at our annual Piano Party and are featured on our website.
Just imagine – the more belts you collect the better you will be at piano – that’s hundreds of hours of practice!
RULES:
Alas, please keep the following rules in mind:
1. Your chart must be signed by a parent/or guardian and myself in order to qualify .
2. You must practice a minimum of 5 days a week to qualify.
DOWNLOAD PIANO KARATE HOMEWORK CHART HERE!
Program # 2: 30/40-Piece Challenge
The idea – to encourage students to learn 40 quick study pieces (in various musical styles) within a year’s study. The goal – to strengthen not only reading skills but to broaden musicianship, develop more diverse musical tastes and most importantly prevent boredom from settling in…a common complaint amongst most students! Students feel more empowered and continue playing the piano well into their teens because they don’t suddenly hit a “wall” where their reading competency has “dwindled. For more information click here
https://elissamilne.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/where-did-the-40-piece-challenge-begin/
https://www.sightreading.com.au/free-resources/40-piece-challenge
Your sight reading skills will skyrocket. Good luck!
RULES:
1. In addition to pieces at your grade level that you are currently working on, you will be given a few shorter pieces to learn in a week or so on a grade level 1 – 3 grades lower. Pieces at the lowest grade level are definitely expected to be completed in a week. Remember – these pieces are not supposed to take a whole term to master, the whole point is to learn these easier pieces as quickly as possible and move on.
2. Style of piece will range from ,classical, jazz, pop/contemporary, folk, duets, lead sheets, Left hand/right hand only, etc.
3. Sight reading books can be included in the material.
4. You will be allowed input with some of your choices within reason! If I feel your materials are frequently too easy I will have to have more input…
5. I expect a high level of achievement with each piece. Near enough is good enough, but near enough means at tempo and with flow and with communicative intent, no “paint by numbers reading “ without a sense of musicality. As a result, performances need (where written), dynamics, articulation, voicing and balance, use of pedal and so forth.
6. Once a piece has been completed to the proper standards you get a check
mark on our studio chart.
7. And above all – I’m setting you up to win – not fail. Don’t worry if some pieces were not doable that week – the effort is what matters and you have a chance to try anther. In the end you’re still ahead of the game by improving your reading…yay! HAVE FUN!
Program # 3: Spring Practice Challenge
Sharpen your practice skills and enter in our draw to win a grand prize!
Back by popular demand – sharpen your practice skills and enter in our draw to win a grand prize! Beginning early Spring students will receive a practice sheet to keep in their binder. They must colour in a square which represents one practice day.
For every 3 days of practice they receive one petal to place on their flower which is displayed here in my studio. When a student has earned 5 petals they are entered in a draw which goes towards a prize awarded at the Piano Party. Of course the more petals they accumulate the more chances to win the prize!
For students already doing the Piano Karate your practice days count towards the Spring Practice Challenge beginning from the date of the Spring Challenge.
It’s a cool way for students to motivate themselves and each other (as they see all the flowers on my wall), not to mention I get free artwork that “grows” weekly – no watering required…!
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FLOWER PRACTICE CHART HERE
Program # 4: Fall Practice Challenge
This is a great motivator to get students up and running at the beginning of the school season. Held in October, students are given a sheet of “tasks”/”spells” to complete in order to get a small prize at the end. It’s a wonderful way to decorate the studio for fall with apples and pumpkins!
Program # 5: Super Sighter
Do you think you are a great Sight – reader? Prove how “super” you are by getting on our Super – Sighter List. Pehaps you have gone ahead with your piano assignment and finished your piece, or you read a piece of music in the lesson with minimal mistakes – you are then added to the list! The student on the list the most receives special recognition at our annual Piano Party.
Program # 6: Piano Pal Composition
For those who enjoy writing music, My Piano Pal is a fun way to share your music with another student in our studio. By first knowing a bit of information about your “practice pal”, students then compose a song for each other and then exchange their new song when ready! Pretty cool right? Who wouldn’t want a song written about them?
