You will be introduced to a minimum of one specifically notated piece, but for this semester, the requirement is to learn and memorize a piece from Western classical music tradition, working with your instructor to adhere to all expressive, fingering, touch, and technical elements.

You will also be introduced to a Level 4 chord symbol improvisation piece, which can be in any contemporary style, such as jazz, pop, R&B, rock, blues, and more. The harmonic texture required for Level 4 is to play the melody harmonized using basic open-position voicing with chord tones and tensions. You will work with your instructor to arrange an approved piece employing proper harmonization and voice leading, expressive elements, fingering, and technical elements.

You will continue to study improvisation concepts, including appropriate melodic and harmonic vocabulary for specific song styles, rhythmic and phrasing principles, and technical considerations. You will be assigned a new 12-bar blues form and/or a diatonic chord progression for practice in improvisation, ultimately applying those concepts to your approved chord symbol improvisatory piece.

By the end of Private Piano Lesson Level 4, you will be able to:

• Play harmonic, traditional melodic, jazz/traditional melodic minor scales hands together, four octaves ascending and descending, with the proper fingerings in all 12 keys, in rhythmic groupings of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1, at 72 BPM
• Play major triad root-position arpeggios hands together, four octaves ascending and descending, with the proper fingers in all 12 keys, in rhythmic groupings of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, at 72 BPM
• Perform harmonic, traditional melodic, and jazz/real melodic minor scales in all 12 keys hands together, four octaves in rhythmic groupings of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, at 72 BPM
• Perform minor root-position triad arpeggios in all 12 keys hands together, four octaves in rhythmic groupings of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1, at 72 BPM
• Perform minor triadic chord progressions I – IV – V – I and I – VI – II6 – V – I in all 12 keys
• Perform a technical exercise designed to develop rhythmic skill and awareness, hand strength, and muscle memory essential for conventional movement and movement specific to the assigned repertoire
• Perform a specifically notated piece in the Western classical music tradition
• Perform a lead sheet piece in the chord symbol improvisation style, right-hand melody harmonized using basic open-position voicing with chord tones and tensions
• Employ melodic and rhythmic improvisation concepts to a 12-bar blues or diatonic chord progression