Piano/keyboards 2B
Time: 18:00 - 19:30
Location: Keeley Street
Choose a start date
- Course Code: ME242B
- Dates: 16/09/24 - 25/11/24
- Time: 18:00 - 19:30
- Taught: Mon, Evening
- Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Jonathan Wilson
Course Code: ME242B
Choose a start date
Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
You need access to a full-sized keyboard or piano for lessons and practice.
This course continues with Piano/keyboards 2C.
What will we cover?
Level 2 course repertoire works towards an approximate grade 2 standard and the choice of repertoire will be discussed at the first meeting.
- Technical problems, style and performance skills will be discussed
- Opportunity to play duets
- Devise and master technical exercises, harmonise simple melodies, and sight-read
- Developing greater co-ordination between hands, rhythm and 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 basic I, IV and V chords in major keys
- play 3 major and 2 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 a confident grade 1 standard or have completed ‘Piano/keyboards 2A’ as this course draws on some material of an approximate Grade 2 standard. You will need 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 2C’.
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.
Jonathan Wilson BMus MMus studied Piano Performance and Electroacoustic Composition at Goldsmiths College, University of London under the tutelage of internationally acclaimed musicians such as John Tilbury, Alexander Ivashkin, and Colin Lawson (currently director, Royal College of Music). During this period he won 1st place at the Blackheath Music Festival in the Piano category, and has had his pieces performed at the Saatchi Gallery, London. Jonathan is a multi-instrumentalist and is equally proficient in playing electric guitar and drums; as a regular live performer and accomplished session musician he has toured with major label recording artists and performed at prestigious venues such as Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Latitude Festival and the Royal Festival Hall. He is currently an in-demand tutor who teaches both privately and at a number of educational establishments across London.
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.
