Can Can Cup Tap

Here's a fun music and movement activity to go along with the Can Can Theme by Jacques Offenbach in Piano Pronto Movement 1.  I like to add in this B Section in between the first and second pages of the music. I intentionally chose movements that reinforce the direction of the melody line or feeling the beat of the music.

Lyrics and Movement for the Can Can

A Section (in Piano Pronto)

Can, Can you do the cup tap? Can you do the cup tap?

Tap cup on table to the beat of the music or tap-slide with a partner Rhythm Cups Style

Now it's time to slide Do-Ti-La-So-Fa-Mi-Re...

Make a slide with your left arm and slide the cup down like a descending scale on piano keys..

Can, Can you do the cup tap? Can you do the cup tap?

Tap-slide 

Sounds like it's the end. Is it the end? No!

Down up cup taps  with a loud downward tap on No

B Section Free Printable
I'm not done yet!

Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap

Can you do a loop di loop?
Tap and loop cup to the left

I'm not done yet!

Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap

Climb up for another loop.

Tap and loop cup to the right

Challenge: Listen for the A and B Themes as you watch a can-can video and do the actions.

Animated Seal Can Can Video or  Dancing Chicken Can Can Video

Piano Festival Preparation Free Resources

Students are more likely to practice music that they love, so piano festival preparation in my studio begins with listening activities during piano lab where student's can hone in on a piece they are excited to learn.

Piano Festival Piece Selection

These leveled playlists of the music in my piano library to allow students to select a piece that they are excited about playing.  Although there are a variety of leveling systems, I leveled the pieces based on the concepts covered in the Piano Adventures and Hal Leonard Method Books. I preselect a few contrasting pieces I think a particular student might enjoy to listen to during piano lab while filling out the Listening sheet, but they are also free to browse the songs at home to choose music they would love to learn to play in the future.

Piano Festival Samples Elementary PA Primer/1, HL 1/2

Piano Festival Samples Late Elementary PA 2A/2B, HL 3

Piano Festival Samples Later Elementary/Early Intermediate PA 3A/3B, HL4

Piano Festival Samples Intermediate PA 4, HL5:  Coming Soon!

Piano Practice Strategy Cards

There are many different piano practice strategies that help students have effective and focused practice sessions at home.  Beat the Dealer, The Lap and Back Track are some of my favorites to use with Performance Prep.  I've gleaned some amazing tips from master teacher's at UVMTA workshops including Paula Clark's Strategies for Fostering Musicality  and Stephen Thomas's BAPDARP approach.

Piano Festival Self-Evaluation Checklist

This Festival Checklist can help students to actively assess their readiness for festival after they have learned the basics of their piece. I ask them to identify areas they are prepared in and areas to improve as they watch a video of their practice performance.

Piano Festival Sample Judging Sheet

I like to do a "mock festival" at private or group lessons a few weeks prior and use this Performance Evaluation Form to provide feedback for students.  For some students it can also be a great exercise for them to record themselves and then evaluate their own performances using the evaluation form as a guide. 

Love Somebody Piano Teaching Activities

With Valentine's Day coming up this week I wanted to incorporate a few love themed activities into piano lessons.  The traditional melody of Love Somebody is perfect for teaching multiple music concepts because it uses only notes from the pentascale with a simple chord progression and plenty of repeating patterns.  Here are just a few ideas of activities plus a free printable to boost ear training, keyboard skills and transposition in piano lessons.

Piano Practice Incentive - Strive for Five in February!

Piano Practice Incentive

Progress in piano lessons starts and soars with consistent practice.  For this month I'm encouraging students to track their practice on the Strive for Five Post it Note. 

Tips for Teaching Tempo Terms in Music Lessons

Creative Ways to Teach Music Tempo Terms

Last year I posted a few tricks for helping students remember musical tempo terms with Unforgettable Tempo Term Songs. Today I'm sharing these free printable tempo posters that I'll be using at our Tempo Themed group lesson for this month. 

Piano Adventures Lesson Book Level 1 Unit 10 Assignments and Supplementary Activities

Piano Teaching Lesson Plans: G Pentascales

This post includes specific instructions for pieces in the Piano Adventures Lesson Book 1 but many of the activities could also be used with other pieces for landmark notes and scale patterns.

Concept: G Pentascales

UNIT 10: Three G’s on the Grand Staff

Piano Adventures Lesson Book Level 1 Unit 9 Assignments and Supplementary Activities

 Piano Teaching Lesson Plans: V7 Chord

 Piano Adventures Lesson Book 1 introduces the V7 chord with a simplified 2 note version.  I have students analyze their music before playing and color I and  V7 "chord pieces" in different colors so they quickly become adept at spotting chord shapes and patterns in their music. (See Teaching Chords in Color).