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WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ARE INCLUDED IN A GROUP LESSON FOR YOUNG KEYBOARD STUDENTS?
BEGINNING LEVEL STUDENTS
Group lessons for beginning young students most often include technique warm-ups, listening exercises, interval and rhythm drills, theory games, and activities to learn practice techniques and musical form. I give students lots of opportunities to play pieces for the class, and hear others play. Music reading skills are reinforced when listeners follow the music as it’s performed, by pointing to notes in the score. I ask students to listen for specific things, such as the dynamics of the piece, the form, or a particular musical element in the piece.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL STUDENTS
Intermediate level students can explore more complex building blocks of music, such as triads, scales, seventh chords, and chord progressions. They enjoy group activities that teach reading from lead sheets, harmonizing melodies, and analyzing the form or progression of a new piece. As an ensemble, the class can easily practice improvising, sight reading, and explore a myriad of techniques related to composing. Students enjoy performing pieces from the traditional piano repertoire, as well as improvisations, original pieces and songs sung with piano accompaniment.
Groups generally include two to six students, of similar ages and playing abilities. Most beginners’ group lessons are an hour long, while more advanced groups may meet for an hour and a half.
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