Last term’s Repertoire Week was a huge success, and everyone told me how much they enjoyed choosing what to play and polishing up “old” pieces to give them another airing. I would like give a perspective from the other side: it was wonderful to hear all the performances! Some people played music they’d learnt by themselves (unexpected, and lovely to hear), while others resurrected past exam pieces or songs from beginner books. I enjoyed hearing them all, and I could see the care that had gone into choosing and preparing each programme.
There’s another Repertoire Week this term: Monday 20th to Saturday 25th July. I hope you’ll all have just as much fun preparing for it as you did last term. It is not forbidden to offer some pieces from last time, but I hope you won’t play exactly the same programme as before.
As the weeks go by, and your playing improves, I will often tell you that a particular piece or song can “go into Repertoire now”. This means I won’t need to listen to it again in your lessons (unless it’s for an exam or a Showcase performance), and you should add it to your list. I hope everyone has a list!
However, I want to make a really important point. You must play your Repertoire pieces! Don’t wait until just before Repertoire Week! The whole point of a “repertoire” at all, is to have music at your fingertips. Pieces you can play whenever you want to, or when someone asks you to play for them. Your list should be ongoing, dynamic and frequently revisited. Sometimes you might kick a piece off the list – perhaps you have progressed a lot since then and you have other, more suitable pieces to offer.
So you will add, you will delete, you will revise and refine… and you will play! You must play through your Repertoire regularly to keep it worthy of the name.
My suggestion is that at every practice session, you finish with one or two Rep pieces. Not for practising – but for playing. You may remember Humoresque’s article on the 3 Ps? Practice, Play, Perform. You practise so as to get good enough to Play and to Perform. But if you neither Play nor Perform, there is little point in Practice!
So keep it going, everyone! Play and enjoy your Repertoire, and start thinking about this term’s selection.
Competition Week …
… is Monday 15th to Saturday 20th June. You should all have seen this term’s Competition piece, which is called “Cycling Home”. You are all in a particular Category according to your level of playing, and if you’re not sure or can’t remember what that means, have a look here.
Everybody takes part in Competition Week, which is not meant to be stressful or high-pressure. You will play to me in your normal lesson, just as you did last term.
My hope is that you’ll have fun preparing “Cycling Home”, and it’s your opportunity to prepare a piece of music without being taught how to play it. All music teachers want, in the end, to become redundant. We want our pupils to become independent musicians, with the skills they need to learn music by themselves. “Cycling Home” is your chance to have a go at this, with the slight edge of its being a competition!
Having said that you’re expected to work independently, if anyone is in difficulties or needs some help, just ask! Bring the music along to your lesson and I’ll be happy to help or advise.
I’m very excited that Kit’s piano students will also be taking part in this term’s competition, using the same music and the same Categories. For this reason, all performances will be recorded, and Kit and I will discuss them together. If you are learning remotely with me, i.e. on FaceTime or WhatsApp, I’ll discuss how to record your performance with you. It’ll be easy, honest!
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 38