Repertoire Week is fast approaching! In fact, it’s next week!
You should choose either four separate pieces, or a 15-minute programme, to perform. I am calling them “pieces”, but this includes exercises from the back of a grade exam book, songs, short compositions of your own, something you may have learnt with a previous teacher or from a YouTube tutorial, or any musical item which can “stand alone”, even if it’s part of a larger work. In other words, you could play half a piece, provided you end at a recognisable end-of-section. Sometimes it’s possible to create a convincing ending, even if there isn’t one there to start with.
If you are Grade 5 or below, I’m looking for four pieces in total. If you are above Grade 5, or equivalent, please put together a 15-minute programme.
This will be a performance. I am not intending to teach you anything, although I’ll give you some feedback afterwards, and this will be feedback on your performance skills rather than on your playing. Mostly, though, I am looking forward to sitting back and enjoying the music you offer: new pieces, old pieces, original pieces… it’s really exciting!
I hope everyone has started their Repertoire List by now. Dig out all those old books you learnt from, all those exam books from previous grades, or your beginner tutor books. Find the pieces you enjoyed way back, or those you’ve never forgotten – or those you had completely forgotten! Dust them off and give them another airing. Then write their names on your Repertoire List, and remember to include the name of the book you’ll find them in. You can also add performance dates to your list, so that different items are performed at different times.
So why are we doing this?
There are four really good reasons:
- You spent hours practising something, only for it never to be played again once the exam has been taken or your teacher has moved you on. This is a great opportunity to reclaim those hours of work and let your music shine again.
- You have complete autonomy over your Repertoire List and what you choose to play. So often it’s the teacher who decides what’s next, because they have the experience to plan your progression. But now you get to choose! I love that idea, and I hope you do too. You will decide the structure and content of your performance.
- Doing this will shine a light on your progress. Sometimes, because we are battling away with the latest challenge (and there’s always a new one just over the horizon!) we don’t realise how far we’ve come. By digging out “old” music, you will see the difference in standard and you will feel enormous pride in what you’ve achieved.
- We finish each term with a performance. Lessons, practising, theory work and exams are all intended to lead to one thing: the ability to perform. If you can’t perform anything, then you haven’t learnt anything. By performing, whatever the level or length of the piece, you prove to yourself that you can play the piano. Finishing our term of lessons with a performance is like adding the embossed wax seal to an important document. It’s a ratification, or confirmation, of a full and satisfying term of work at the piano. And it’s a chance for me to congratulate you!
I would like you to come to your lesson next week prepared to perform to me. You should announce each piece and then perform as well as you can. Don’t stop or go back, don’t call attention to errors, just perform with confidence and style. That’s what I want. And then I will applaud you, because I think it’s wonderful that you can do this.
If you’re reading this as the parent of a child under the age of twelve, please pass this information on, as I expect all my pupils to take part in Repertoire Week, whatever their age. If your child is already twelve or more, and they are not on my subscribers list for Humoresque, please send me their email address and I will add them – provided you are happy for me to do this, or course.
Calendar
As you will have seen from last week’s Humoresque, there are some weeks next term when Friday, Saturday and Monday pupils will have to be rescheduled. Please check my online calendar for these dates. You’ll also see when Reschedule Weeks are, so please get back to me with your choice of date and time, if possible by 21st March.
Don’t forget to make a note of Competition Week next term, and also next term’s Repertoire Week!
I would like everyone to check the online calendar and make sure all dates and times are convenient. If there are any queries or difficulties, please get back to me, if possible by 21st March.
You can access my online calendar from the Pupils’ Pages in the main site (under the Tuition tab). You will need the password. If you don’t have it, just email me and I will send it to you.
I’d love to know what you think of this Humoresque. You can put a comment in the box below this post, or you can email me directly. I read and respond to everything.
Humoresque is available to anyone who might be interested. You don’t have to be one of my pupils, or even learning music. If you know anyone who might be interested in subscribing to Humoresque, please let me know. I will only need their name and their email address. Thanks.
Humoresque = a whimsical or fanciful piece of music. Be whimsical, be fanciful, but play in time!
This is Humoresque Number 34