Group Lessons 2024-25

October 8, 4:30-5:30pm: Our first Group Lesson! After a summer hiatus from performing, everyone was back in good form, playing repertoire pieces and concerti for the upcoming Bach Festival, community performances, and Concerto Competition. Well done to all! We heard the very first rag ever published (no, it wasn’t Joplin’s!), the famous Chrysanthemum by Joplin, dance music by Bach on the harpsichord, Bach’s expressive F Minor Prelude & Fugue (WTC2) on the grand piano, and some concerti movement excerpts.

Discussion: how does one prepare to perform from memory? Nerves can get in the way and make performing memorized under pressure a challenge! Everyone has had to deal with this, so you’re not alone! In our class, we talked about a number of ways to improve this, from the kind of good preparation, to practicing memorized playing, recording yourself, and how to practice performing. This was followed by a music symbols game - these students know a lot already! And have fast reflexes!

Here are some tips on performing from memory:

Good preparation! Practice slowly, as well as at tempo. Be able to start at multiple sections, not always at the beginning.
Memory practice! Chunk and chain for memory. Play from memory and challenge your memory.
Performance practice! Play for others (from memory) as often as you can. Record yourself and listen back.
Focus practice! Practice breathing. Visualize your performance. Focus on what you want to “say” to your audience. Be the star….Hold your head up and show us what your piece is all about!
This works not only for music, but many other areas of life: a big test, class presentation, the debate team, sports performance, chess tournaments, a job interview, and more!

November 17, 2:30pm: Performance Class for all Concerto Participants. Informal recital format, with an audience! Plus, Piano Pals will be announced! For the first couple sessions, experiment with different keys, melodic ideas and styles.

January 27:

March 3:

April 21:

May 26:

Group Lessons 2023-24

October 24, 4:30pm: First Group Performance Class! Everyone had a great first performance, despite not having performed for a while! We learned lots of piano facts, where Team Piano narrowly beat out Team Banana! We also heard music by Chopin, Miller, Rollin, Mier, and Mozart, performed by our amazing students. All had a chance to play as well as comment on each other’s performance.

October Piano Challenge: Turtle/Sloth Practice! Rules: practice at 50% tempo for at least 5 min, 15x minimum before our next class. Bring your sheet in for a prize!

November 17: Recital Group Class! Parents and guests welcome to join - students will be performing in a more formal recital as we prepare for the Concerto Competition this weekend, as well as other upcoming public performances. Piano Pals will also be assigned!

January 30, 4:30-5:30pm: Piano Pal Group Performance Class! Piano Pals were revealed! It was exciting to hear everyone perform their original compositions for their secret pal - the creative juices were flowing! For some students, this was their very first foray into writing a piece. All pieces applauded wildly! Titles ranged from “Lavender Skies” to “Panda Rag”, “The Un-Original Rag”, “green mint chocolate chip” for trumpet and piano, and “Chicken Ragtime”. The compositions will all be entered into the 2nd Annual Composition Contest.

March 1, 4:30pm: Please note that this class is on FRIDAY, as we want to have one more performance practice before WSMTA Competition and MAP. Come prepared to play both of your MAP pieces and listen to your fellow young pianists! Everyone has been working hard, and this is like a celebration of all you have accomplished so far this year. WSMTA Honors Competition is March 3, and MAP is March 3-5! (see schedule under “Events”).

April 23, 4:30pm: this performance class with feature our Scale Olympics! Also, be prepared to perform a piece for the others! Brush up on your theory games as well!

************PAST CLASSES*************

Group Lessons 2022-23

Group Lessons will take place twice a quarter, for a total of 6 classes throughout the year. This is a great opportunity to practice performing in front of your fellow pianists! Discover and share strategies for performing your best under pressure - Music Theory Games - Learn about Composers - Music History - Musical Snacks - Performance Practice - And More!

Elementary to MS: 4:00-5:00pm

MS to High School: 5:15-6:15pm

May 30 (Tuesday), 4:30-6pm: One more chance to practice performing before National Guild. And Recital prep! This will be a combined class, with the option to come and go as needed.

October 24: First Group Performance of the school year! Topics covered: Performance Practice; Breathing and Focus; French Impressionist Claude Debussy; Piano Trivia; Artistic and Lego representations of pieces. New Piano Challenge: practice the “5 P’s Piano Challenge”! See “News” for more details about the class!

November 13: Concerto Competition Group Class - Piano Pals will be introduced (our annual composition project!)

November 21: Non-concerto Group Performance Class - Piano Pals will be introduced (our annual composition project!)

Also, Meet Composer, Jennifer Bowman! Nov. 21, 4:30-5:30pm

Our November Group Performance Class was quite impressive and exciting!

First of all, we had a group class for all of the Concerto students - WOW! They worked so hard and their hard work paid off!

Secondly, our non-concerto students performed for each other. I loved their comment cards to each other! From "it sounded like a lamb discovering there's a world beyond the hills" to beautiful drawings of what the piece made them feel and "I felt happy to sad and loved the sound", it was a great experience for both performer and audience.

Lastly, we were privileged to have Jennifer Bowman, composer/pianist/teacher/and more, come and demonstrate her composition process. She showed us various ideas on the piano as well as on her laptop and music composition software. She inspired us and got our creative juices flowing, as we begin our annual Piano Pal composition project.

January 16: Piano Pals - so much creativity and imagination! 15 new and original pieces for the new year! Everyone embraced the composition challenge, and all appreciated having a piece of music written for them. For 6 of them, this was their very first composition. Another first - we had a young composer include another instrumental part! Some students have been doing this every year for a number of years, and their experience shows! All pieces will be entered into the first annual composition contest. Results will be out soon.

March 3, 4-6pm: Preparing for Music Artistry Program/Adjudications - Come ready to perform your 2 MAP pieces (from memory!) and “Be the Visiting Artist”! Also, Composition Contest results will be announced - see March News for winners!

New Piano Challenge: Technique! Students will be challenged to practice technique for a certain number of minutes, depending on their level, before the April Group Class. You’ll be ready to go for the Scale Olympics!

April 24-25: Scale/Technique Olympics! Practice to win the gold, silver or bronze medal!

Monday, April 24, 4-5pm (Elementary to Middle)

Gold Medal: Alexander (35!); Silver: Grant (25); Judah (24)

Tuesday, April 25, 5-6pm (Middle to High School)

Gold: Judson (30 points!); Silver: Chloe (18 points); Bronze: Charles (17 points)

Group Lessons 2021-2022

Group Lessons will take place twice a quarter, for a total of 6 classes throughout the year. Students will perform for each other and learn performance practice, as well as music theory, history, composition and repertoire. These will usually take place on Monday and/or Wednesday afternoons of Group Lesson weeks. No private lessons during Group Lesson weeks, unless previously arranged.

May Group Lessons - last performance classes of the year! Students will have one more chance to perform before National Guild Auditions and the Spring Recital!

Last Group Lessons, June 1: So great to hear everyone at our last performance classes! We also created some musical masterpieces! This was one last chance for students to perform pieces before National Guild Auditions and the Spring Recital.

April Group Lessons: Wednesday, April 27:

Class A (K-6th): 3:45-4:45pm

Class B (7th-High School): 6:45-7:45pm

Here's an update on the Group Lesson/Performance Class yesterday. So great to hear everyone! The students all came prepared and performed for each other. A (very) few of our young pianists were not nervous at all, while others were able to practice channeling their nerves into positive energy for their performance. It's wonderful to see them develop these important skills of accomplishing what they set out to do ... under pressure, with an audience of peers! We heard Bach (on the harpsichord - so beautiful!), Brahms, Clementi, Debussy, Schumann, Rachmaninoff, folk songs and modern composers. It's amazing to hear all the progress that has been made since the fall!

One class did a deep dive into writing rhythms. Everyone added a measure or two to the project, and we made up a brand new song. Even the youngest in our group were able to add some excellent rhythms, and the older ones were quite complex!

The other class had a brief overview of western music history, from 1600 to now, delving into how the cultural, scientific and political world influenced the musical and artistic world, and vice versa. It's interesting to imagine the life of the composer you're playing and what inspired their composition!

March Group Lessons: One last chance for performance practice before WSMTA Honors Recital Competition and Music Artistry Program/Adjudications! Friday, March 4 (please note the change in day!). Everyone gets to try out being the “Visiting Artist” as well!

January Group Lessons, January 19 (Wednesday) Piano Pals were revealed and students performed their brand new original composition for their secret pal and the rest of the class!

Class A: 3:45-4:35pm (K-6th - Alexander, Josie, Callum, Linnea, Landon, Sam, Malia, Eleanor, Katherine, Samuel, Derek) - Several of these ES/MS students had never written their own piece before, but all took part and came up with some fantastic songs. Creative titles (inspired by their secret pal include: “Snake Dance”, “Monkey Madness”, “Sneaky Cat Pancake”, “Hamster Gymnastics”, “Badminton Birdie”, “Video Chat”, “Ocean Breeze”, “Monkey Bar Tricks”, “Soccer Dogs”, “The Sneaky Cat”, and “The Gaming Tortoise”.

Class B: 4:45-5:45pm (7th-12th - Sky, Michael, Luke, Calvin, Chloe, Gabriel, Christine, Max, Judson, Gavin) - This MS/HS class did not fail to impress! For some, it came easily, flowing out of their fingers and onto their staff paper right away. For others, the thought process worked itself out, emerging as the deadline approached while burning the midnight oil. Students noted how this year’s Piano Pal booklet was thicker than the previous year, as many pieces were 3, 4, or even 5 pages long!

November Group Lessons, Nov. 22 (Monday). Our annual Piano Pal has arrived! Good performances by everyone as well. We discussed music history, Tchaikovsky, and improvisation techniques.

Class A: 3:45-4:35pm (K-6th - Alexander, Josie, Callum, Linnea, Landon, Sam, Malia, Eleanor, Katherine, Samuel, Derek)

Class B: 4:45-5:45pm (7th-12th - Sky, Michael, Luke, Calvin, Chloe, Gabriel, Christine, Max, Judson, Gavin)

October Group Lessons Oct. 27. Wonderful first performance classes! So good to hear you all perform for each other, and to give each other feedback and encouragement!

K-6th grade Group: 3:45-4:35pm (Linnea, Landon, Alexander, Josie, Callum, Samuel, Katherine, Sam, Malia, Derrick)

Repertoire/Concerto Group: 4:45-5:35pm (Luke, Gavin, Max, Judson, Calvin)

Concerto Only Group: 5:45-6:35pm (Chloe, Gabriel, Christine, Michael, Sky)

GROUP LESSONS 2020-2021

Week of October 26: First performance class of the school year! Please come prepared to share your music with the class! We plan to be in-person with smaller class sizes, and ALL of our usual CDC recommended safety protocols. I will be sanitizing seating areas and high touch surfaces between the groups.

Class 1: Monday, 10/26, 3:30-4:30pm - Students in Intermediate Concerto, Elementary Concerto & non-Concerto participants

Class 2: Monday, 10/26, 4:45-5:45pm - Students in Advanced A & B in Concerto

SUMMARY: All students played very fine first performances for their fellow young pianists! Good to see everyone together during our socially-distanced class. We heard concerti from Elementary (Linnea, Landon), Upper Intermediate (Calvin, Luke, Christine), Advanced (Sky, Gabriel), as well as some Brubeck (Lucas), Pink Panther (Gavin), Polovtsian Dances (Judson), and Chopin’s 2nd Scherzo (Chloe) and 1st Ballade (Michael)! One class had time to play candy-corn bingo about the famous J.S. Bach, and review key signatures as well! Next class is coming up the week of Thanksgiving.

Monday, November 23m, 4-5pm (combined group): Introduction of Piano Pal, our annual composition project! Since this will be right after Concerto Competition, students may choose not to perform a piece for the class.

Update: We will be moving our lesson online due to the governor’s new restrictions.

Zoom Link: Ramona Allen is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Piano Group Lesson. Time: Nov 23, 2020 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89460886844?pwd=TGgyZ1VwZGtVMDE2RmJWT1FOKzV3UT09

Meeting ID: 894 6088 6844 Passcode: 317794

Monday, January 18, 3-4pm (combined group): Piano Pals are due!

Piano Pal Group Lesson will be another virtual combined class. We look forward to hearing everyone’s brand new composition!

Week of March 8: MAP Week!

Performance Practice

Preparation for MAP!

Group 1: Students performing at both MAP and the WSMTA Honors Competition - Friday, March 5, 4:00-5:00pm (Calvin, Max, Michael, Megan, Gavin, Christine, Chloe - Location: Hope Community Church)

Group 2: All MAP ONLY students - Monday, March 8, 3:25-4:25pm (Luke, Sky, Lucas, Gavin, Judson, Linnea, Landon)

Week of April 26: Group lessons will be Wednesday, April 28! Small Groups, In-Person

April 28, 11-12pm: Michael, Megan, Gabriel, Luke, Sky, Christine, Chloe

April 28, 3:15-4:15: Calvin, Lucas, Max, Judson, Gavin, Linnea, Landon

Fantastic performances from everyone! It’s nice to be back to performing a bit more in person…but it can make one more nervous as well! We also discussed Franz Liszt, his music, his life, his fan club. For more information, see pianoexplorer.net.

June 2: Getting ready for Guild Auditions and Spring Recital!

Last Group Performance Classes of the year! Everyone had a chance to perform at least one of their Guild and Recital pieces. We also learned about Peter Tchaikovsky, the celeste, and more! See www.pekids.org for more information and videos.

Wednesday, 11-12pm: Group A - Megan, Luke, Sky, Christine, Chloe, Lucas, Linnea, Landon, Calvin

Wednesday, 12:15-1:15pm: Group B - Max, Judson, Gavin, Michael, Gabriel

GROUP LESSONS, 2019-2020

Group lessons will take place twice a quarter, for a total of 6 classes throughout the school year.

Middle/High School Students: Tuesdays, 4-5:30pm

Please note that this year, the class has been increased to 1.5 hours, due to the number of students in the group. Students are welcome to come for all or part of the class, and are strongly encouraged to perform for as many classes as possible for performance practice. For students interested in the AP Music Theory Exam in May (mostly Juniors and Seniors), an extra Ear-Training, Sight-Singing, and Dictation session will be before the Group Lesson from 3:45-4pm.

Dates:

October 22: Performance practice, Concertos, Note Reading and Wacky Wanda, Snacks and Stretching!

November 26: Improvisation, composition, and Piano Pal introductions!

January 28: Piano Pal Results-Fantastic compositions! 2020, the 250th year of Beethoven, “Beethoven Lives Upstairs”

March 9: Please note this is a MONDAY! (due to MAP schedule) We will talk about preparing for MAP, great performance tricks and tips, how to do your best and not stress!

April 28: Our first Zoom Group Class, 4-5:15pm! You will receive an email with the link and password a few days before. Please come prepared to perform a piece for your fellow pianists. Before the class, set up or camera so it’s ready to go when it’s your turn. Also, please decorate your piano to represent your piece in some way! For example, if your piece is about “Spain”, you could accessorize your piano with colors of the flag and a guitar or castanets. An intricate Bach piece could possibly be represented with gears in a clock or Baroque architecture. Let your imagination guide you, and have fun with it!

June 2: Zoom Group Class, 4-5:15! This is our last opportunity to practice performing for Guild Auditions. It will also be our last opportunity to “see” each other as a group for this school year. Please come prepared to perform for your fellow pianists. If you are having difficulties with your microphone, you are welcome to record yourself and play that for the group. Guild is June 3 and 4!

Elementary School Students: Fridays, 4-4:45pm*

Dates:

October 25: Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons! Performance Practice. Rhythms and Go Fish. Great playing to everyone!

November 25 (*Monday): Improvisation and composition. Discover your Piano Pal!

January 31: Piano Pals! Wonderful compositions by all!

March 13: M.A.P. Week!

May 1 & June 5: Spring Group Lessons will be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Group Lesson, 2018-2019

8th-12th Grade Students: Tuesdays, 5-6pm

4th to 7th Grade Students: Tuesdays, 4-5pm

*New! Kindergarten to 3rd grade: Fridays, 3:45-4:30 * (see unique schedule below)

Week of October 23: K-3 class learned about Schubert (world’s fastest composer?), Line & Space Notes, Rhythms/Rests and Barlines, Performance Etiquette. 4th to 12 graders learned about Scarlatti, Copland and Bernstein; 6/8 time; Major, minor, diminished and augmented chords; performance practice; rhythm snacks and Finger Frenzy!

Week of November 20: Improvisation & Piano Pal introduction; Performance practice; Rhythm; Note ID & Key signatures

Week of January 29: Piano Pal compositions are due! We also discussed metronomes and tempo definitions; hand position; the story of Chopin; Slapboards with musical symbols; cupcakes for snack!

Week of March 11: (Due to Music Artistry Program, group lessons are on MONDAY this month!): This month is all about performance, as we get ready for M.A.P.! Each student had the opportunity to act as a “Visiting Artist”, and what thoughtful and insightful comments! I’m so impressed! Maybe one day we will see you as a Visiting Artist. Composer of the month: Brahms (comparing Hungarian Dance #5 and the famous Lullaby). Theory: Key signatures and how to remember them. Posture at the piano/hand position. Spring cookies and popcorn for snacks!

Week of April 30: Our K-3rd Group Class learned about Georg Phillip Telemann and how he could play just about every instrument and composed in 8 parts as fast as most people write! We also learned about 1/2 and whole steps, intervals, and harpsichords.

Week of May 28: Scale Olympics! Get those technical phases ready for Guild Auditions on May 30! These include Scales, Chords & Cadences, and Arpeggios. K-3rd: This group practiced recital/performance etiquette; heard about Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream; learned about the clarinet; FACE & All Cows Eat Grass Review!

*K-3rd grade classes will be these dates: October 19, November 30, January 25, March 8, April 19, May 17. All classes will be Fridays, 3:45-4:30.

Group Lesson Dates 2017-18

7th-12th Grade students: Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15

1st-6th Grade students: Tuesdays, 4:15-5:15

October 24, Tuesday: Topics included--How to tell YOUR story in your performance! Preparing mentally and physically for performing; Music Theory--intervals and steps; Birthdays of avant-garde composer George Crumb and the "Waltz King" Johann Strauss, Jr.

November 21: Storytelling through music, improv; motivic development--sequence, repetition, transposition, retrograde, etc; Piano Pal composition ideas.

January 30: Presentation of Piano Pal/composition project! We will also be discussing French music and composers and practicing effectively. Of course, music theory games and French snacks!

March 13: Preparation for M.A.P. performance; Performance Anxiety as an Asset; Projecting through our pieces--color, mood, dynamics, tone, story; Edvard Grieg; Shape-note singing.

May 1: Listening Guide, Score Analysis, Franz Liszt, Benjamin Britten, British tea and digestives.

June 4: One last performance opportunity before Guild tomorrow, and our Spring Recital! Plus, end of the year music games!

Group Lesson Dates 2016-2017

7th-12th Grade students: Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15

1st-6th Grade students: Tuesdays, 4:15-5:15

October 11--Mozart, Practice Techniques that Really Work, M/m/dim/Aug Chords and Lead Sheets

November 22--Lead Sheet performances, Improvisation, How Music Study Affects Your Life, and Piano Pal assignment!

January 31--Piano Pal performances! Plus, Schubert/Mozart comparisons, Musical Terms, Musical Forms

March 21--Bach's 332nd Birthday! Plus Performance Prep/Bulletproof Musician, Adjudications performances

May 2--Introducing the new Steinway! It's all about that Piano....

June 5 (Monday--please note the change!)--Getting ready for National Guild exams the next day! Birthdays of Martha Argerich and Kenny G! Technique Races--Scales, Chords, Cadences, Arpeggios; Performance Tips; Fun Summer Project Ideas.