Piano Festival Music Samples Intermediate

 

Choose at least 6 pieces to listen to. Write the name of the piece, then click the link to hear it and answer the following questions on your Festival Samples Listening Assignment Sheet:

Free Piano Resources for Halloween Composing and Improvisation

 Every year I love to revisit student favorite Halloween Piano Resources.  I was delighted today to discover and add several new spooky composing and improvisation resources to the list that I am eager to try out with my students.

Halloween Piano Composing Printables

Teach Piano Today just posted this Mummy Music Free Printable that is a  perfect quick win for beginning students.  It centers around middle C hands separate.  I love how students can gain confidence composing by just having to create a short motif to "fill in the blanks." Its the perfect activity for hesitant composers because of the guided process.

Halloween Piano Improvisation Tutorial Videos

I love these leveled tutorial videos for creating spooky music  at rebeccaspianokeys.com for more experienced elementary, intermediate or advanced students. They are perfect for piano lab or at home exploration because Rebecca gives specific step by step tips and instructions for success with musical samples throughout.

Level 1 introduces interval qualities including minor and tritones to be used in a hands separate "conversation" style spooky improv.

Level 2 includes more hands together playing including minor alberti bass style chords.

Level 3 describes the process of adding more expressive details including dynamics, tempo changes, pitch, etc.

Although Forrest Kinney's Create First Improvisation was not created specifically for Halloween, these improvisation video can be used to create music with a spooky Halloween flavor.

Create First Secret Dance Solo

Related Posts: 

Halloween Group Lesson Plans

Halloween Piano Challenge: Don't Scare Me Surprise Me!

Online Note Naming and Interval Piano Practice Games

Two important skills for reading new music quickly include identifying notes and intervals with speed and accuracy. This month's group lesson focus and piano studio challenge is for student's to level up their note naming and/or interval id skills by earning a new 60 second challenge badge.

In addition to practicing with TonicTutor.com or racing to say and play the note naming sheets in their folders, students can try some of these online games to sharpen their skills.

Games to Practice Note ID and Intervals

Music Theory.net Piano Key Names

Classics for Kids Note Names 

Teoria.com  Interval ID (Choose, Major and Perfect, Ascending, No Accidentals)

Teoria.com  Grand Staff Note ID

Teoria.com   Note ID w/ Ledger Lines

Pedaplus.com  Note ID 

Pedaplus.com  Note ID on Keyboard

Pedaplus.com  Interval ID

TonicTutor.com Note ID (Piano Keys, Seeds, Lasers, Note Bird, Note Snap and Stars)

TonicTutor.com Interval ID (Jungle Journey, Mini Monster, Interval Memory, Lollipops, Baseball)

Challenge Badge Levels

Prep

• Letter names of white keys on the piano (ABCDEFG)

Level 1

• Letter names of notes on the staff from Bass F to Treble G (Bronze)

Level 2 

• Letter names of notes on the staff from Bass C to Treble C (Silver)

Level 3

• Letter names of notes on the staff from Bass G to Treble F (Gold)

Level 4 

• Letter names of notes on the staff from 2 ledger lines above and below the staff (Master)
• Identify distance only of white keys 2nds-octaves on keyboard and staff

Level 5

• Letter names of notes on the staff from 4 ledger lines above and below the staff (Doctorate)
• Identify distance and quality of white key intervals 2nds-octaves on the staff

Helpful Videos:

Piano Safari Staff Notes with Skips Alphabet

Colourful Keys Landmark Notes

Piano Anne Ledger Line Notes 

Piano Anne Video: What are Major and Perfect Intervals?