Included in each student’s membership are 6 pre-recorded piano lessons for the to complete on their own over the course of the summer (July/August). The recordings are sent to the students before the end of June allowing them to schedule the weekly assignments around their own summer events. Summer projects may be centered around pop-chord progressions and accompaniment patterns in lead sheet music, improvisation or composition.
Students focus on one song each summer. The melody is provided along with a pop-chord progression. Students learn the different chords for the song and then play them improvising their own accompaniment pattern. At the end of the summer, students perform their lead sheet piece with their favourite accompaniment pattern.
Students learn not only how to compose a piece, but also what goes into writing a great piece of music. We review concepts like melody, harmony and rhythm followed by an exploration of using them to create patterns, sequences and repetition. Students will look at the our different starting points for a composition: melody, chord progressions, lyrics/rhythm and story. Finally, students compose a complete piece in a thoughtful and thorough way.