Tag: Wunderkeys

The new Wunderkeys primer is here!

By Studio News,

I cheated a little and ordered a bunch from the United States, because these books aren’t even going to be published in Canada for another few weeks, but I really couldn’t wait. So I now have a little glossy pile of Primers waiting for their owners, with a copy having already gone to 6-yr-old Alex. And as I was recently able to confirm with the creator of this series, Andrea Dow of British Columbia, Alex is officially the first kid in all of Canada to be taught from this book. So congratulations to Alex!

But really, why AM I so excited about a Wunderkeys Primer?

It’s exciting because it’s the first piano primer to target kids younger than six as well as those who are six and up. Before, Wunderkeys kids were graduating the program knowing and counting quarter, half and whole notes, and being able to read a bit directionally as well, yet traditional primers were starting them back from scratch, not even identifying quarter notes for weeks or months. As well, traditional primers assume the students can write and maybe read a little, but a child of four generally will not have the fine muscle control or knowledge to complete the workbook exercises that accompany a primer.

Wunderkeys, on the other hand, takes this into account and has developed a primer that is age-appropriate for the youngest preschool graduates, that is also engaging for older students. Over the course of 10 to 12 weeks, primer students can go from no keyboard knowledge to sightreading short pieces on the Grand Staff. That’s real piano music, in a very short time, and my favourite part of teaching–the moment when a student realizes they can now play any song they want with a little practice. It’s an amazing thing, well worth sharing.

Ear Training Game

By Games, ,

Here’s a quick and easy game you can play with your preschool piano student:

Make a line on the floor.

Student stands on one side of the line.

Parent claps a certain number of times (start with 1-5).

Student counts the claps, and then jumps once across the line for every clap he or she heard.

This is an ear training game, that helps kids to listen, and helps them to reinforce their counting skills. For variations, you and your student could switch places (they clap, and you jump), or you could switch up the type of movement needed to cross the line (frog-hopping, skipping, rolling…)

Practicing (Yikes!)

By Basics, ,

So…practicing.

That single word that so many people have come to dread, but which is so much a part of learning piano–or any instrument. You have to practice to to get better, but how much practice is reasonable?

We’ve all heard stories of professional musicians practicing two or more hours a day, but, unless you actually ARE a professional or semi-professional musician, that’s really not necessary at all. When your repertoire consists of multiple pieces over ten minutes in length, two hours can actually start to feel short!

But for the beginner pianist, there’s no point in practicing that long, nor is there for the very young pianist. Intermezzo’s very youngest students, in the Wunderkeys program, should be practicing their new skills for five minutes, three to five times per week. From there, beginner practice increases by skill level and age to 15 minutes per day, 5 days a week. More complex repertoire will eventually require more complex practice, and the details of this can be discussed when the time comes.

In the meantime, if you’re an adult or adult child beginner, try building up to 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week, and see just how fast you can progress!