I signed up for Leila Viss's noodle challenge because I have loved hearing about and implementing her creative ideas in the past after attending her workshops and reading her blog for years. I hope to expand my own confidence in improvising. I got a late start after being out of town, but had a lot of fun creating this quick video of a jazzy version of "Are You Sleeping" that I created in less than 2 minutes. It is a lot of fun to play with energy but my kids might name it "The Rude Awakening" if I start playing it in the early morning hours!
To sign up and get some fresh and free improv ideas for this month Visit https://www.leilaviss.com/30day-noodle-challenge
Choose the link below that has supplementary activities for the Let's Play Music Connections book lessons. The theory, improvisation, and music and movement activities can be done in private lessons, group lessons, piano lab, or assigned for at-home practice.
This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 8.
Music and Movement
Listen to the audio of a video of your choice below as you march a steady beat with your feet and clap the rhythm of the melody. This song is sometimes called “Prince of Denmark’s March.”
This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 5: Intervals and Staff Relationships
Music Samples
Listen to this Alouette Animated Variation as you clap the rhythm of the piece. Can you spot 2 measures in your music where the melody is different than the video?
This post includes activities for Let's Play Music Connections Lesson 3 on Note Naming and Chord Variations.
Music Sample
Listen to this version of the A section of Russian Sailor Dance as you clap on the staccato notes and slide your hands together on legato slurs and half notes.
Then take turns acting (silently), sculpting or drawing the words for your teammates to guess (large group) or play the VMT Articulation Ivy Game (small group).
Expressive music is often like a story with moments of tension, rising action and resolution. Identify the form and the main phrase goals of each section in a piece to choose appropriate micro dynamics. Watch an example in the Moonlight Sonata Tutorial above starting at 20:30.
Rubato
Try to sing along with or lead the music of the Happy Birthday song examples in the video with strict time and rubato.
Pedaling
Watch the video about Intermediate Pedaling Tips including clean pedal, timing and depth of pedaling
Practice first by ghost playing the left hand to exaggerate the difference in balance between hands and help the melody to sing out. Watch this ghost practice tutorial if needed to review this practice strategy and see it in action with a different piece.
An ecossaise is an energetic country dance in 2/2. Listen for the "Jump-Drops" in the Ecossaise in G by Beethoven WoO23. What do you imagine the dancers doing during this part of the music?
Because Baroque music had few expressive marks written in the original score, different performers may have varied dynamics, phrasing, articulation, tempo, and rubato as they choose how to add musicality to the piece.
Browse the Minuet in G tutorial video to learn specific tips for learning this piece and play along to guide your practice sessions. Follow the bolded practice steps.
1. Tap the Rhythm
As you listen to the minuet tap the rhythm with a strong downbeat (1,2,3, 1,2,3, etc.) and lighter arm weight on the phrase endings to imitate the minuet dance style. (see 04:41 & 06:15).
The minuet is a light airy dance with small steps. Although there were no dynamic or articulation marks written in the original score, pay attention to how the performers add subtle dynamic changes and vary the articulation to add expression and musicality to this piece.
Listen to Minuet in Gm 115 performed by Lang Lang.
This post includes lesson plans and activities that correlate with Minuet in G by Bach 116 inBastian Lit Vol 1.
Baroque keyboard music was not actually played on the piano when it was composed, because the piano had not been invented yet. Listen to this performance of Minuet in G played on the clavichord. Can you hear the extra ornaments the performer added that are not in your music?
I find that most of my piano students prefer energetic pieces over calm flowing pieces, so creating a lively Irish Jig is a fun way to get them to create on the piano in March.
Irish Music History and Listening Activities
It's easier to compose Irish music after listening to some music in that style.
The free printable CR Irish Jig Composing by Chrissy Ricker provides the structure of a simple rhythm pattern in 3/4 time that elementary students can choose melody notes for to create their own jig.
Intermediate Students could use this same resource but add left-hand 5ths for harmony, create a contrasting B section, or convert their piece in 3/4 time into 6/8 by halving the value of each note and doubling the measure length.
Listen to one of the backing tracks and create melodies using the scale tones that match. Include some "raspberry-pie" triplet rhythms for a dance-like feeling.
Not every music student LOVES to compose or feels comfortable creating. In fact most are rarely invited to! I only recall creating one composition during all of my years of piano lessons as a child. When I thought about taking a songwriting class in college, I first attended the student songwriting recital at BYU and was both amazed and intimidated by the performances. Unfortunately, after hearing their songs I felt I could never create something that amazing, so I didn't sign up😢.
My love for improvising and composing came many years later as a piano teacher when I tried several "beginning" composing activities with my students and saw how much they enjoyed it. I also gained confidence and had fun as I explored improvisation in the comfort of my home using Forrest Kinney's resources. Hopefully, your students won't wait that long to FIND THE LOVE and learning that come from creating!
February Composing
Chrissy Ricker's Valentine’s Day Yay or Boo provides a fun composition starting point based on a familiar poem rhythm. I love the flexibility suggestions that can be used for students of all levels. In addition to the possibilities Chrissy mentions, students could try one of the following
Half the note rhythmic values and try composing a piece in 6/8 time
Add expressive dynamic and articulation marks
Create lyrics for a 2nd verse to tell a story about why you say Yay or Boo to Valentines
Adding a contrasting B section is another
Choose your own harmonic structure (Heart and Soul: I, vi, IV, V or quick V-I)
Composing Staff Paper, Prompts, and Styles
Joy Morin has many great composing resources like various sizes of printable staff paper and composing prompt pictures that can be used any time of the year. Near the bottom of this linked post is a Composing in Romantic Style activity. Since February is the month of "romance" it is a perfect time to introduce the elements of Romantic music using her guided worksheets the Prompts for Composing (p9) and Stylistic Traits of Romantic Music (p10). These resources can be used for individual or group classes.
Improvising with 2s
The Teach Piano Today Valentines Improv activity is a simple way to start with beginners that allows them to improvise on the black keys with quarter, eighth and half-note rhythm patterns.
For more of a challenge, intermediate/advanced students could try one of the Create First improvisation ideas below that include Add 2 Chords or Second Inversions.
Activity #1:Watch Create First Second ChanceSolo. Then create your own melodies using notes from the G Major Scale and Add 2 chords.
Activity #2: Watch Create First A Day Unbroken by Hours and then create your own improv using broken chords including root chords and inversions.
Activity #3: Watch the sample improv video CF Far From Home. Then create your own improv using right hand 2nd inversions patterns.
Activity #4: Watch the jazzy style Create First Gospel sample improv and then create your own improvisation including 2nd inversions.
The resources for creativity at the piano seem to be endless. Here are a few winter and New Year-themed activities to try. It's never too late to start or expand your skills with some creative fun! The framework of these activities help get the creative juices flowing, but the real fun comes when you can throw out some of the "rules" and let your imagination explore new possibilities.
Composing
January is a time for me to reset and contemplate my goals. This chant I learned at 4H camp makes me think of kicking off the new year with the best start which includes setting personal goals for physical, intellectual, spiritual, and social improvement.
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