Listen to Students Play

The Upscale Piano program utilizes The Joy of First Year Piano method book that begins with a simple children’s tune, Bluebird and ends with a dazzling, two part piece, English Dance. Once the method book is completed, the student will enter the realm of an intermediate pianist. The completion of the method book establishes basic sight reading skills, the ability to comprehend two levels of subdivision as well as correct finger and wrist/hand technique. Markedly, the student will develop independence of the hands in three of the five skills required to be a well-trained pianist.

• Independent melodies in each hand
• Independent rhythms in each hand
• Independent note articulations in each hand
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• _{^{Independent phrasing}}

Early Beginner Level

Emma performing Bluebird at seven years old, one month of lessons.

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Maddie performing Melody at 6 years old, five months of lessons at her first recital in May of 2019.

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Mid Beginner Level

Max performing Drifting Clouds at 9 years old, one year of lessons. This video features the student’s ability to perform using the Damper (sustain) Pedal and the Una Corda (soft) Pedal.

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Early Intermediate Level

Maddie performing English Dance at eight years old, two years of lessons.

English Dance is the ‘final exam’ piece of the method book. It demonstrates that the student can play independent melodies, independent rhythms and independent articulations in each hand at the same time. Once a student can play this piece, they are no longer a beginner.

Intermediate Level

The intermediate level piano program utilizes Bach’s Minuet in G which establishes confidence with passing the thumb underneath fingers 2, 3 & 4 as well as passing fingers 2, 3 & 4 over the thumb. The Minuet in G also introduces Floating Elbow Technique. This is a technique by which the upper arm muscles (rather than the fingers) are responsible for carrying the weight of the hand and forearm while performing scales and arpeggios.

Matt, an adult student, performing Minuet in G after one year of lessons.

The fundamental lesson program ends once Beethoven’s Fur Elise has been completed. Mastering this piece establishes confidence with larger stretches of the hand as well as navigating distant hand position changes with greater speed and fluidity .

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The teacher, Paul Beauregard, performing Fur Elise

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Late Intermediate Level

From this point forward, (completion of Minuet in G and Fur Elise) students are encouraged to select songs from any genre they wish to play. The teacher will create custom piano arrangements specifically tailored to match the student’s proficiency level. Listen to Nia play her selected piece, River Flows in You, at the 2019 Upscale Piano Recital.

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Independence of the Hands

Here’s Maddie at ten years old, four years of lessons, learning the song, 100 Years. The point of note here is the student’s ability to play syncopated (offbeat) rhythms in both hands while staying perfectly in time (tempo giusto) with the metronome.