Chording ... and Solfege

Chording. It's hard to teach.

   Why? For one thing, it's not something usually included in the method books. For another, it's one area where I feel I didn't receive enough input in my years as a student.

   I did have one teacher who placed an importance on my learning to play hymns from the hymnal and doing my own chording/left hand improvising. And I'm very glad she did, because that wasn't something I really touched with any of my last three teachers in the higher levels! Probably because we were always too busy preparing for exams.

   However, I've realized that chording is a skill needed by all musicians, not just would-be church pianists. I remember expressing to one of my former teachers how I'd enjoyed listening to him play at his brother's wedding, and he told me that he'd been playing from a lead sheet. Lead sheets are, as I understand, also used frequently by jazz musicians and other bands. (I've never played any jazz personally -- I'm into classical. :) So ... out comes Chords are Fun Week!

The younger students started off by learning about the three primary chords -- I, IV, and V7. However, some of my intermediate students needed a review too! 

A few late-elementary students created their own lead sheets and added basic chords. Others inserted the primary chords into songs they were already playing. So far, so good ...

...but here's where it gets more challenging: the intermediate students! ;) I put them to figure out the chords from an actual hymnal. My goal is to teach them a couple different left-hand styles, now that they've got the chords worked out. It's still a work in progress, but so far I think it's going well! 

   This last week, we worked on solfege. It's using singing for ear training. ('Singing, Sarah? I thought you were a piano teacher.' Hey, it works!)  I'm pleased with the keen ear many of my students are showing!