Purple Magic #1

NEED TO KNOW

Purple Magic #1: THANK YOU for such a great beginning of Purple Magic! It was so nice to have you and your students back in my home and classroom.

PLAYING AT HOME: The outline for playing at home will be similar to last year (plus less than a minute -not too long!- spent on flash cards or other note naming activities). It's worlds better to do a little bit each day rather than cramming it all into one. Here at the beginning, there will be things listed to refresh skills from last year, especially the scales, the primary chords, and note naming. Scroll down for a video of Scale Out & In to help jog the memory of fingerings. Next week, I'll have beads for the number of days that kids sit at the piano at home, and a special bead for anybody coming to class excited to learn! Your student will be able to add some pretty purple beads to their collection!

ADDITIONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES: You aren't the only one who loves your kid! If there are other people (dads, grandmas, aunts, anybody!) who would like to be getting the updates about class, please let me know! I can add email addresses or text numbers to the existing groups. Just send me a text or email with the info you want included!

KEYBOARD ALPHABET: We'll be using keyboard note names all the time! A quick daily review will refresh your students' memories. Get out your letter squares from 2nd year and play any of the multitude of alphabet games! Also, here is a simple and free app called "Bees Keys" to give another review method. The app is made for Apple devices. If you know of a keyboard-note-naming app for android please let me know!

CDs: I totally forgot to burn CDs before class! I'll get them next week to those who requested them in the Parent Orientation form.

TUITION: Thanks for paying tuition! If you haven't gotten it in, I'll send a reminder and/or venmo request. I have also sent receipts for paid tuition. If you need one and haven't gotten it, let me know and I'll figure it out.

GOOD TO KNOW

SCALE OUT & IN: This is a video of Scale Out & In, first with the fingerings in the air, and then on the keyboard. Your students will be back in the saddle in no time at all! On a computer you should see an embedded video here. If you're on a mobile device, here is a link! 

BOUNCE AND ROLL: Complete musicianship is more than knowing WHICH notes to play. We are now ready to add another dimension of HOW to play the notes. This song allows us to physically experience the feel of staccato and legato with the ball activity. We'll transfer that to the keyboard soon!

ONLINE CLASS SERIES: Let's Play Music has adapted their in-person curriculum to include an online option for families who don't live close to live teachers. One benefit we get from that is that every class has a professionally produced video that we can use as "makeup classes" when students miss class. Every class has a lot of overlap repetition to allow the concepts to solidify, so if your student misses a class here and there it will be fine. If they miss three classes in a row, it would be worth purchasing access to the class to make sure you're on track. I believe Third Year classes are $9 for access to a lesson for four weeks. But the first class in each semester is posted for free on YouTube! If you'd like to check out this week's class, click here! 

FUN TO KNOW

Here are some playing at-home tips from LPM's blog. Or check out the series of all the blogposts about at-home playing! And here is a great podcast talking about making practice successful.

PUPPET SHOWS: There are Puppet Show coloring books in the back of your songbooks. We won't be doing these in class, so your student can color them any time and any way! If you'd like more copies, here is the link for the Royal Problem coloring pages. Also here is the link for the mini puppets.

 

3rd Year Parent Orientation

 

Third Year Parent Orientation

NEED TO KNOW

The Parent Orientation information video is ready! Documents referenced are posted below. As I describe in the video, you need to fill out a form as you watch. You can do this digitally, or can choose to print (or answer on another paper), sign, and turn in hard copies.

I experimented with my phone, and I could have the video in the YouTube app open while I also had the Google form open to fill out. I hope it's easy!

For families with multiple students in different levels: There is information in each level's video specialized to that level's curriculum. I need a separate form for each level that your kids are in. However, the studio tour portion and the discussion of Studio Policies and Media Release are the same for each level so once you watch those once, you can skip the video of it in the others and just sign the forms. And if you have multiple kids in the same level, just put both their names on one form.

Link to Parent Orientation Video: Third Year Parent Orientation 2026-2027

Digital form to fill out as you watch (has all of the forms needed)

3rd Year Parent Orientation Google Form

Paper forms you'll need (if you prefer doing it with physical forms)

3rd Year Parent Orientation General Overview
Studio Policies
Media Release

As always, let me know if something seems off or if things doesn't work. I check everything, but that doesn't mean there aren't mistakes! And as always, let me know if you have any questions or clarifications!

GOOD TO KNOW

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about anything! I'm excited to have you back in class!

FUN TO KNOW

Let's do this!

Summer Check-in

 

Parent Notes: Summer Check-in

Classes start in just a few weeks! Here are some class details if you're wanting to get excited about things!

Materials: Class materials, including books and flashcards, have been sent to me and I will have them ready for your student on the first day of class. Have your student bring their bag that first day to have a place to put everything.

Music access: The albums are available in the app when you register for classes.

*Here is a link to the app on GooglePlay. And a link to the app on the Apple App Store. 

*You can also download the tracks digitally at this link. 

*I will have CDs available for any families who want one.

Parent Orientation: There will be a parent orientation video that I will post before classes start. It will be chock full of important information, and there will be a worksheet to fill out as you watch it that will need to be turned in before you can take your student's materials home. My goal is to get that posted by August 18, the week before classes start. 

Class Starting: Classes start on August 25/26, and the first class is a Parent Day for all classes.

Class Lists: Current classes are listed below. Let me know if you were expecting to be in the other class or would like to switch. Things always balance out.

Tuesdays 2:00-3:00

Vera D

Rustin H

Rosa H

Peter K

Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 

Madeline B

George B

Allyson F

Judah R

Gavin S

Aiden V

Ella V

Anything else?: Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

What to do after Let's Play Music?

What to do after Let's Play Music?

Your students have spent the last three years building a foundation of musical understanding and they are ready for the future! There are so many options for their musical paths! Here are just a few. BRIDGE: The Bridge program was developed by a Let's Play Music teacher specifically for the LPM graduate to "bridge" the distance between LPM classes and private piano lessons. I have taught this curriculum and I LOVE it. It really is the next logical step after LPM! You can read more about Bridge at this post or check out the LPM site and video here. Bridge can be presented a few ways. I'll outline them below. BRIDGE GROUP CLASSES: Bridge can be taught in a group setting, similar to LPM.  *There is an amazing Bridge teacher who lives by Capital High. Her name is Erika Gray and she is awesome. She has group lessons that your student would love, and is also an LPM teacher, so she knows how your student has learned so far. Her classes are weekly for 75 minutes and parents do not attend class. The classes go for 8 months (with the school year, just like LPM), and are $90/month, plus a $35 registration fee to Erika. You would purchase the materials separately from the letsplaymusicsite.com webstore. Here is the link to a flyer from Erika (this is the flyer from 2023... I'll reach out to her for any updated information and post it here when I hear). Contact Erika at erikagraylpm@hotmail.com for more information on her classes.  *There is another Bridge teacher who lives by Eagle Road and Floating Feather. Her name is Kandace Riggs and while she doesn't teach LPM, she had enough LPM grads come to her that she became a fan of the program and now teaches Bridge. You can contact her at 208.995.7885 to get more information on her Bridge plans for the fall. *I am willing to teach a Bridge class if I can get enough students who can come during the time my own kids are in school, perhaps on Wednesday morning when West Ada has late-start days. Let me know if you're interested and I'll see what happens. BRIDGE BOOKS: Unlike Let's Play Music materials, you don't have to be registered in a class to buy the books. The Bridge materials are available for anybody to purchase and use. You could buy the Bridge books and ask your favorite private teacher to use them for your musician. This would help the teacher see the flow of how your student has learned and the things they know, adding to their theory understanding in a perfect stair-stepping way. If your teacher is willing to use a different curriculum than what she is used to, this is a great option. BRIDGE CURRICULUM: Also unlike Let's Play Music, the Bridge curriculum is available for anybody to purchase. You (or your student's private piano teacher) can buy the outline of the 30 lessons that show exactly HOW to most effectively use the Bridge materials. The purchase price for the downloadable materials is around $300. One bonus of going this route is that while Bridge is appropriate for LPM grads, it is also appropriate for other music students around the 1A/1B level. Your teacher could use these lessons with any student or group of students regardless of LPM background.  CONNECTIONS BOOK: Whether or not your student does the Bridge program, they will receive a Connections Book, which is an introduction for your new teacher to the skills and concepts they have gained through the LPM program. It does not add to their knowledge like the Bridge books do, but it does give the new teacher a way to see your student's skills.  PRIVATE LESSONS: Click here for a list of teachers that have taken LPM students before and understand what they know. If you have a teacher in mind, give me her contact information and I can send her information on understanding what LPM teaches. RETAKE LPM 3RD YEAR: The 3rd year of Let's Play Music (what your student is enrolled in and experiencing now) is stuffed full of theory, technique, repertoire, etc. Some students can understand the basic concepts but struggle with performing them on the keyboard, or they might play everything hands separately. That is absolutely fine and they are absolutely getting the information in their brains and they are absolutely playing at a developmentally appropriate level. Some of these students would enjoy taking 3rd year LPM again. This can allow the concepts to settle in their brains and give them extra time to cement everything before moving on to the next step. The students I have had retake third year do so with more confidence and joy than they had the first time through. If you're considering retaking 3rd year, let me know so I can include that in my class planning for the fall. SING ACADEMY: If you're looking for a way for your student to stay in music, but not necessarily with piano-only-focused lessons, you can check out Sing Academy. Justin Neilson is an amazing musician and educator. He groups students of similar ages and backgrounds into bands, and helps them work together to make amazing music. He shows them how to play keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, and lead vocals. It is phenomenal and I wish it would have been around when I was younger! Both of my own kids have been in bands and private lessons with Justin and they love it. His studio is on Horseshoe Bend Road, close to the bike park. You can contact Justin at singmusicacademy99@gmail.com or 208-794-0007.

Bridge

 Bridge is a program developed by Let's Play Music, and is designed to "bridge" the student from LPM classes to private lessons. The following information comes from the LPM company. For more information, here is a link to the Bridge section of the LPM website.

Let’s Play Music BRIDGE is the next step for Let’s Play Music Graduates who want to continue total musicianship education with a piano focus.

What is the Let's Play Music Bridge Course?

Let's Play Music Bridge is an additional year of instruction available to Let's Play Music Graduates and piano students at a 1A & 1B Level. The Bridge course will reinforce concepts and skills learned in Let's Play Music while progressing with additional instruction and skills needed for success in the students' piano and music education going forward. The small group setting is an engaging, fun and familiar setting for Let's Play Music students, and a complete musicianship focus continues to build a well-rounded depth of music education unparalleled by any other program.

Why is Bridge so important?

Let's Play Music students have an amazing foundation, but much that has been gained may be minimized or lost without the proper teacher who understands where they are in their studies. Their next teacher should know how to communicate with them and apply this musical foundation and knowledge. This Bridge course will help them build on their excellent foundation and bridge any private piano communication gap so they can transition smoothly into private piano lessons or any other music lessons they might be interested in. Let's Play Music graduates are perfectly primed to excel in their music studies and the Bridge course will help them succeed!

The Curriculum

The Let's Play Music Bridge curriculum has been carefully crafted to solidify skills learned across the three years of Let's Play Music. The students will have the opportunity to reinforce the many newly introduced concepts and skills learned in the 3rd Year of Let's Play Music, such as numerical counting and rhythm skills up to sixteenth notes, scales and chord skills in varying keys, composer and classical music knowledge, composition skills, accompaniment styles, key signatures, time signatures, note names and staff placement, music theory and sight-reading skills just to name a few. All these concepts will be reviewed and expanded on throughout this important year of musical transition. They will be taught about the new yellow chord (the V7 chord) along with many other important concepts, skills, symbols, and labels that will help ensure that their abilities don't get 'lost in translation' as they progress. Both individual instruction and engaging group instruction are important in their progression. Classes will be held in small groups of up to 5 students and will include segments of individual instruction time as necessary. Bridge teachers have the ability to customize assignments and selections of repertoire as needed to create a learning environment that is ideal for each student throughout the school year.