Joaquin’s Piano Lessons
Mar 13, 2026
Scales
G Major Scale, chords, and arpeggios 2 octaves hands together slowly
- Curve fingers
- Have the hand/arm angled outward
- level wrist (not high and low), and relaxed elbows
Repertoire
Kuhlau Sonatina Op 21 No 1
- do RH and LH scales VERY slowly, keeping wrist level and using accurate fingering each time. Pay attention to keeping the fingers curved, and play them lightly/piano
- do the same for LH Alberti bass passages – keep wrist level and fingers curved – watch your hands
FSYO Audition: call to find out if you need to play the Shostakovich excerpt for piano audition, or if there are different requirements for your orch
Poole Nocturne
- Do 3-10-3 with this hands together
Christmas – focus on this for now
Ballad of the Kings
- Add pedal and dynamics
- RH 16th notes, have all fingers curved
- m. 16 be ready to go down to the low A on the next beat – you’re taking extra time. Also m. 38
- correct notes in m. 22, 35, 41, 47 – anywhere you make a mistake, do 3-10-3
- Hold onto m.43 for full value – count the beats
Silver Bells
- be sure you do the intro up the 8va and in 3/4 time, not 4/4
- pay attention to dynamics
- practice pedaling based on how it sounds
- When you have the parallel 3rds, be sure you are using firm fingertips and not flattening out fingers
Practice these songs for choir:
- Do You Hear What I Hear (Tenor part)
2. It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas – new baritone part (sing an octave lower than she does)
3. Christmastime Is Here (unison)
4. Carol of the Bells (Tenor)
5. Jingle Alll the Ways (Baritone)
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