Learn Piano with London ABC Piano Studio

Drawing on the Celebration Series®, Sixth Edition, compile a Teaching Repertoire Sample consisting of complete examination programs for each of the elementary levels. Briefly explain how the selections you have chosen create a well-balanced program at each level.

Level 5

Title

Composer

List A

Little Prelude in ZC Major, BWV 939

Johann Sebastian Bach

List B

Sonatina in C Major, op. 36, no. 3 III

Muzio Clementi

List C

Pierrot and Pierrette, op. 25, no. 4

Amy Beach

Etude 1

Little Dragon 

Vincent Ho

Etude 2

Desperado 

Music and lyrics by Don Henley and Glenn Frey

Arranged by Dan Coates

Level 6

Title

Composer

List A

Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 926

Johann Sebastian Bach

List B

Viennese Sonatina in C Major Fourth Movement: Finale

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

List C

Dance of the Tiger Cubs

Vincent Ho

Etude 1

Jazz Piece No. 2

Oscar Peterson

Etude 2

Brown Eyed Girl

Van Morrison

Level 7

Title

Composer

List A

Invention No. 8 in F Major, BWV 779

Johann Sebastian Bach

List B

Fur Elise, WoO 59

Ludwig van Beethoven

List C

Mazurka in A flat Major, op. 24, no. 3

Frederic Chopin

Etude

Etude 1

Mischievous Mouse

Vincent Ho

Etude 2

Imagine

John Lennon

Level 8

Title

Composer

List A

Invention No. 14 in B flat Major, BWV 785

Johann Sebastian Bach

List B

Sonata in G Minor, op. 49, no. 1 First Movement

Ludwig van Beethoven

List C

Waltz in B Minor, op. posth. 69, no. 2

Frederic Chopin

List D

The Little Shepherd

Claude Debussy

Etude 1

The Woodpecker

Maggie Lu

Etude 2

Clocks

Chris Martin

Preparation, Presentation, and Polishing

Level 5

Title: Sonatina in C Major, op. 36, no. 3 III

Composer: Muzio Clementi 

PREPARATION

The challenges are stability of left hand, two-notes slurs, dynamics shifts, dynamics contrast between hands, and shifts between staccato and legato. Understanding Sonatina is the key to find motives and paragraphing. Therefore, paragraphing the piece and practicing C major and G major chords and scales are essential. 

PRESENTATION

During the presentation, a strong contrast between both hands should be demonstrated after telling students what they should focus on listening. And also, a stable left hand chords performance with solid chords is important. Letting children know the key variation while playing from m. 23 can help them build up the concept. Encouraging students to separate their hands most of the time is the key to handling rests, since I found some students ignored eighth rests such as m. 2/4/8 etc. Melody shift can let students understand the balance between the dynamics of both hands, such as from m. 31/76. All the long sentences of melody require stable finger movement, which can be practiced separately, such as m. 13-16. 

POLISHING

In this piece, a strong contrast of dynamics variation is hard to handle, which represents the shifting of sentences. The fz sign in m. 25 should be emphasized by teacher. Decrescendo from m. 41 should be practiced with correct tempo, because some students tend to equal it to ritardando. A strong and steady ending should be demonstrated. 

Level 8

Title: Waltz in B Minor, op. posth. 69, no. 2

Composer: Frederic Chopin

PREPARATION

The challenges are parallel keys playing, left-hand chords analysis and memorizing, stability of left hand, and dotted eighth notes in the second sentence. Practicing B major and B minor scales is essential. Students should listen to Chopin style music such as Nocturnes or Polonaise pieces. Students should also know the purpose of using ties is to move the downbeats to last measure. Chromatic scales should be practiced since this is a typical characteristic of Chopin’s music. 

PRESENTATION

After teacher perform the first time, students can be asked to play the melody and teacher plays chords, or the other way round. When sight reading the piece, a very slow perform can help students recognize the tone changing. Students should also be asked to name the chords of each measure. When playing melody, students need to be reminded of using wrists to demonstrate slurs. Two-notes chords movement in m. 65/67/73/75 should be synced up. A two-voice part should be noticed in m. 77. Pedals should be focused on when changing chords and sentences. When it comes to long slur sentences, how to breath can be demonstrated with slurs by teacher first and then students. 

POLISHING

Accents of the first notes should be emphasized and explained rational. While doing crescendo and decrescendo, such as m. 5-8 or m. 25 – 26, left hand chords should be played stably. Tempo change in the ends of each sentence, such as ritardando from m. 14/24/46 etc. An explanation of the terms, such as dolce or calando, is important. I found that sometimes students demonstrated piano too weak, causing some notes missing. A solid touching skills should be used in here.