We are finally there! Students at both schools are preparing for their end of Opus 1 assessment. This week they have been introduced to Go Tell Aunt Rhody on page 10 in the Measures of Success book. We will be hearing students play this individually as part of their unit assessment. Next week we will begin Opus 2 - the second big unit in our books. Opus 2 introduces Key Signatures, Dynamics, Accents, and Pick-up Notes. We also extend our playing range to a full octave in this unit.
As you can tell, the musical demands increase in Opus 2. The importance of home practice increases. Students should be physically able to handle a 20 minute practice session. Daily practice (at least 5 days each week) can really make the difference between confident playing and feeling lost at this point. In addition to becoming more skillful playing their instruments, music reading takes center stage in Opus 2. The songs are a bit longer and more complex. Spending a few minutes each day on note recognition will help build confident reading ability. There are some suggestions on the Musicianship Page that can help with music reading skills.
As you can tell, the musical demands increase in Opus 2. The importance of home practice increases. Students should be physically able to handle a 20 minute practice session. Daily practice (at least 5 days each week) can really make the difference between confident playing and feeling lost at this point. In addition to becoming more skillful playing their instruments, music reading takes center stage in Opus 2. The songs are a bit longer and more complex. Spending a few minutes each day on note recognition will help build confident reading ability. There are some suggestions on the Musicianship Page that can help with music reading skills.