Essential Repertoire for a Beginner Student

[pianobee]

Hi!  I  have students who have been playing piano for only 6 months.  They are making steady progress through their ALfred primer book 1A.
I am just wondering when would be the right time to introduce other pieces of classical music to them outside of their method books.
Additionally, when is the right time to introduce scales?

I am also wondering how you guys use metaphors to encourage students to use correct technique...

thanks for any advice you guys may have!
michele

[dan101]

I introduce scales almost immediately and use tons of metaphors in teaching (it's fun for all parties concerned). As for different repertoire, I would browse sheetmusicplus.com and see what they have to offer. There's so much out there, and the list of music books with easy arrangements of standard repertoire seems to be growing by the second.

[hyrst]

Hi Michelle,
Just keep your eyes open for new pieces - I actually find that most of the kids are really happy playing the lesson books since every piece to them is making music on the piano.  However, there are some old fashioned favourites written out - by the way, I have found I like them but they are meaningless to the kids since they didn't learn "lightly row' 30 years ago! LOL! 

Anyway, the lesson series are usually pretty good at giving a sound basis for several levels.  I am not as familiar with Alfred, but I know level 1 is still quite enough in itself.  They are just learning to read still.  I use the Faber Adventure series, and fidn there is a gap in progress once you get to level 4.  I introduce more classical repertoire towards the end of 3B. 

However, I try to respond to the inclinations of my students.  If they are playing around trying to work out a tune, I try to help them - but I try to encourage them to figure as much out first as possible so they develop aural skills. 

I do recommend Dozen a Day, though.  You can approach this one hand at a time form level 1 and careful teaching of technique makes this book very valuable imo.  Some studetns get rather excited that the reading is simple, and rush ahead without following the precise movement insrtuctions, but at least they feel good about playing something 'easy'.  In other cases, I have found it to be the best thing since sliced bread!  We focus on reading and playing music from the lesson books, and technique from the DD. 

As  for scales, if yo uare using the lesson books they introduce things like passing thumbs under for scales in time.  Unless you ahve a fast student who is itching to try new things, the books give a context for a skill that is not as easy as it seems.  Passing the thumb under too early can throw off the hand position for some and it really is not necessary to understand more than 5 finger scale patterns in the beginning.

About metaphors, what I do is go with the inspiration fo the moment.  I don't have a repertoire of metaphors - each student is so different that what makes sense to one is pointless to another.  I just try to be creative.  Like, the other day I was showing a little girl (6) how to play the chromatic scale.  Her hand was getting a bit flat, so it seemed to me that she should have a little crab crawling up the keys on its tip-toes.  It didn't want to eat sand for dinner! 

Good luck

[pianogeek_cz]

There are posts by His Royal Teaching Majesty Bernhard some search back.
Actually, take a good look here, at m1469's most excellent index. There are tons of links you'll definitely find useful in the second post of the thread.

[jepoy]

Try this one:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,4140.msg38111.html#msg38111

[point of grace]

oh, good question, i think i could find sth here but nobody gave names!!
i should started with some bartok mokrokosmos or a BACH ANA MAGDALENA MINUET AS WELL

of not you can search for a conservatory silabus

[swim4ever_22]

Though I'm no teacher, from my understanding, essential rep for a beginning student would include selections from:

The Notebook for Anna Magdalena -- Bach
German Dances of Haydn and Beethoven
Albums for the Young -- Schumann and Tchaikovsky
Progressive Studies Op. 100 -- Burgmuller
Minuets, Beginning Works, etc. (K1-K6) -- Mozart


That's just a few. Hope this helps!

[point of grace]

Though I'm no teacher, from my understanding, essential rep for a beginning student would include selections from:

The Notebook for Anna Magdalena -- Bach
German Dances of Haydn and Beethoven
Albums for the Young -- Schumann and Tchaikovsky
Progressive Studies Op. 100 -- Burgmuller
Minuets, Beginning Works, etc. (K1-K6) -- Mozart


That's just a few. Hope this helps!

thanx, do you have any of these??? German Dances of Haydn and Beethoven

[swim4ever_22]

I have them, yes, but I'm not sure how I would be able to get them to you? They are in a book, and while I'm at college, I do not have a scanner. 

However, I have found them online here. You have to buy them though....

www.alfred.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.borders.com

If you don't want to put forth the cash, you could always try the sheetmusicarchive, or sheet music fox... or www.free-scores.com, but that site is all in french

[mknueven]

swimfever,
you repertoire is good advice - but not for someone on the Primer
For example - Burgmullers 100
is not really for a brand new beginner-
If you compare Aflred lesson book 5 with any of the pieces in Burgmuller's 100
you'll see it's a lot more complicated.

In my opinion -
after the lesson books are over - they are ready for that -
which they are basically still a beginner.