Piano Course

Lesson 1 • Rhythm and Time Signatures

Introduces note values, rests, and common time signatures. Students develop pulse awareness needed to play rhythmically accurate pieces.

Lesson 2 • Reading Treble and Bass Clef

Teaches staff lines, spaces, clef symbols, and note placement for both clefs. Connects notation directly to corresponding piano keys.

Lesson 3 • Posture, Bench, and Hand Position

Covers ergonomic bench height, sitting distance, arm alignment, and curved finger shape. Correct posture prevents injury and enables efficient technique development.

Lesson 1 • Dynamics and Articulation Basics

Introduces piano, forte, staccato, and legato markings within single-line playing. Students apply expressive markings to simple melodies for musical shaping.

Lesson 2 • Left-Hand Melody Playing

Mirrors right-hand work in the left hand using bass clef notation. Strengthens the weaker hand and reinforces bass clef reading.

Lesson 3 • Finger Numbering and Five-Finger Position

Assigns numbers 1–5 to fingers and establishes the five-finger hand position on C major. Provides the fingering framework used throughout early repertoire.

Lesson 1 • Blocked Chord Accompaniment Patterns

Introduces left-hand blocked chords beneath a right-hand melody. Develops the ability to sustain one hand while the other moves independently.

Lesson 2 • Simple Contrary and Parallel Motion

Practices hands moving in parallel and contrary directions simultaneously. Builds symmetrical coordination and reinforces interval recognition.

Lesson 3 • Melody and Bass Line Coordination

Combines a right-hand melody with a moving left-hand bass line. Students manage independent rhythmic activity in each hand.

Lesson 1 • Scales in Common Major Keys

Applies correct fingering to G, D, F, and B-flat major scales. Builds technical fluency and prepares students for repertoire in multiple keys.

Lesson 2 • Key Signatures and Accidentals

Introduces sharps and flats in key signatures and their effect on scale notes. Students read and apply key signatures in simple pieces.

Lesson 3 • Major Scale Construction and Pattern

Explains the whole-step and half-step pattern that builds any major scale. Connects scale structure to the keyboard layout for intuitive transposition.

Lesson 1 • Primary Chord Progressions I, IV, V

Applies tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords in major keys to harmonize simple melodies. Establishes the most common harmonic framework in Western music.

Lesson 2 • Minor Chords and Relative Minor Keys

Introduces minor triads and the relationship between major and relative minor keys. Expands harmonic palette for more expressive and varied repertoire.

Lesson 3 • Triad Construction and Types

Defines major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads by interval structure. Provides the harmonic vocabulary for all chord-based playing.

Lesson 4 • First and Second Inversions

Teaches root position, first inversion, and second inversion voicings and their keyboard fingering. Inversions enable smooth voice leading in accompaniment patterns.

Lesson 1 • Phrasing and Musical Shaping

Covers phrase arcs, dynamic shaping, and breathing points in musical lines. Students apply phrasing to transform technically correct playing into musical performance.

Lesson 2 • Ornaments: Trills and Grace Notes

Introduces trill notation, grace note symbols, and their execution at the keyboard. Ornaments add stylistic authenticity to Classical and Romantic repertoire.

Lesson 3 • Sustain Pedal Technique

Teaches legato pedaling, syncopated pedaling, and pedal change timing. Correct pedal use transforms tone quality and enables smooth harmonic connections.

Lesson 4 • Scales and Arpeggios Hands Together

Combines hands-together scale and arpeggio playing with correct fingering and even tone. Builds the technical foundation required for intermediate and advanced repertoire.

Lesson 1 • Classical Style and Formal Structure

Introduces Classical clarity, balanced phrasing, and sonata form awareness. Students shape Classical pieces with clean articulation and structural understanding.

Lesson 2 • Score Marking and Efficient Learning

Teaches fingering annotation, phrase marking, and structured practice session planning. Efficient score study reduces learning time and improves retention.

Lesson 3 • Baroque Style and Counterpoint Basics

Covers Baroque articulation, ornamentation conventions, and two-voice counterpoint awareness. Students apply non-legato touch and independent voice shaping to Baroque pieces.

Lesson 1 • Complex Rhythms and Polyrhythm

Addresses triplets against duplets, syncopation, and cross-rhythmic patterns between hands. Rhythmic precision in complex contexts distinguishes advanced pianists.

Lesson 2 • Octave and Double-Note Technique

Develops wrist rotation, arm weight, and hand span for octave playing and double thirds. Builds the power and endurance needed for advanced repertoire.

Lesson 3 • Voicing and Tonal Control

Teaches selective finger weighting to project melody above accompaniment and inner voices. Voicing control is the hallmark of musically mature piano playing.

Lesson 4 • Performance Preparation and Stage Presence

Addresses mock performances, managing performance anxiety, and stage deportment. Students develop the mental and physical readiness for public performance.