Piano/keyboards 2A
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Course Code: ME291A
Choose a start date
Duration: 10 sessions (over 10 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This third year of our piano programme uses repertoire of a grade 1 standard and moves towards new grade 2 work over the course of three terms. You will achieve greater confidence, fluency and control of the keyboard. You will also improve general musicianship, keyboard harmony skills and aural awareness, as well as extending your theoretical knowledge.
You need access to a full-sized keyboard or piano for lessons and practice.
This course continues with Piano/keyboards 2B.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
Level 2 course repertoire will work towards an approximate grade 2 standard over the year. The choice of repertoire will be discussed at the first meeting (you will be asked to purchase your own music)
- Technical problems, style and performance skills will be discussed
- There may be some opportunity to play duets and ensemble exercises
- Devise and master technical exercises, harmonise simple melodies, and sight-read
- Developing greater co-ordination between hands, rhythm/pulse and establishing reliable dynamic control
- Chord inversions plus chord VI.
- Scales (over the whole year): C, G, F and D majors and A, E and D minors (harmonic and melodic, one octave hands together, two octaves hands separately).
- Arpeggios in the same keys (1 octave hands separately).
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Play and recognise I, IV and V chords in major and minor keys
- Play 3 major and 1 minor scales and arpeggios 1 octave hands separately
- Play and recognise different forte and piano dynamics
- Play with finger staccato
- Play melodic lines with reliable legato technique
- Play rhythms with quavers
- Play simple tunes hands together with reliable co-ordination and fluency.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Students need to be able to play a grade 1 standard piece, or have completed ‘Piano/keyboards 1F’, as this course works towards material of an approximate grade 2 standard. You need to be able to follow written and verbal instructions in English and engage in class discussions.
If you need any further advice please take a moment to read our blog: Choosing a piano class at City lit which lists our full sequence of piano classes and you can always contact the music department directly - music@citylit.ac.uk.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Please check carefully whether you are booking an online or an in-person course. Online runs via Zoom; in-person uses the digital piano classroom. All courses use Google Classroom to share materials and messages, including any homework tasks.
You will learn through:
- tutor explanation and demonstration
- group playing and individual demonstration tasks
To make good progress a regular practice routine is essential. We recommend a minimum of 20-30 minutes, 4-5 times per week.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Students should have access to a keyboard or piano for practice between classes plus material, usually one or two printed books (approx. cost £10 each).
To see the repertoire and any required music books you will need to bring to this course please refer to our list as follows: City lit piano repertoire books 2022-2023 [external website]
A notebook and pencil is also useful. Students should have access to a keyboard or piano for practice between classes plus material, usually one or two printed books (approx. cost £10 each). A notebook and pencil are also useful.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
This course leads to ‘Piano/keyboards level 2B’.
Please note: we have multiple courses at different times throughout the week.
You may wish to support your learning through a focus on reading, writing and hearing music and musical patterns. For more details about musicianship and music theory please visit our blog: Musicianship and music theory at City lit which lists our full sequence of musicianship and music theory classes.
Maria Razumovskaya received her pianistic training with Rustem Hayroudinoff at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with Distinction and several prizes. She furthered her studies with Professor Dmitri Alexeev as an AHRC doctoral scholar at the Royal College of Music. Maria combines intellectual integrity with an intensely emotional performance style. She has performed extensively in the UK and continental Europe, and her live radio broadcasts include ‘BBC Introducing‘ and the BBC ‘In Tune' series. Her debut CD, Liszt B Minor Piano Sonata and Other Works (Malachite), was shortlisted for the Liszt Disque Grand Prix. Further recordings include works of Busoni, Liszt, CPE Bach and Rachmaninov. She has published a monograph on pianist and pedagogue Heinrich Neuhaus (Boydell & Brewer), book chapters, and articles for academic and general periodicals including BBC Music, International Piano, and Pianist. She teaches at City Lit and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, is guest faculty at several international music academies and festivals, and is a Steinway Artist.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
