Welcome to Brook Ferguson’s second session of the Wednesday Evening Technique Class. This online group will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6pm-7:00pm Mountain Standard Time. The course begins on January 6, 2021 and will conclude on April 14, 2021.
The goal of this course is to have all participants memorize the Taffanel & Gaubert 17 Daily Exercises. Each week, a new series of exercises will be studied and prepared for class. During the Zoom sessions, we will begin with a group check in that will address comments, experiences and questions. Each participant will then play excerpts from the weekly exercises from memory and receive feedback.
Tips for memorization will occupy a large portion of the instruction. Other major subjects of the course are: articulation, harmonic analysis, pattern recognition, intonation, tempo challenges and technical facility. Another skill that will be developed in this course will be scheduling practice time and developing a rotation of these daily exercises to stay in peak technical shape after the course ends. In carving out time to truly learn these exercises inside and out over the course of 3 1/2 months, each participant will have invested in a lifetime of technical fluency. Your future self will thank you!
My teaching style is heavy on praise and honest with the aim of being helpful. I operate on the presumption that the student’s goal is to strive for personal excellence. The true pursuit of excellence hinges on cultivating humility. I believe strongly in delivering critical feedback as productively as possible. I also strive to communicate big ideas in simple ways. Sometimes this involves a metaphorical presentation. Sometimes it is black and white. Sometimes it is anecdotal. And sometimes, it involves demonstration.
In fact, one of my favorite ways to assimilate information is by listening to someone show me what is possible and then attempting to do it. So, be prepared for me to ride the technique train alongside all of the participants, metronome and tuner in tow! For me, striving to be a great performer is an integral part of being a great teacher. After all, inspiration is at the heart of learning. The other part is making observations about how you learn and tailoring my approach to meet you in that sweet spot.
Rules of the Road:
The goal is to establish group solidarity and a positive, inspirational learning environment. Each participant will enthusiastically engage in one hour a day of practice on the weekly selections and journal their practice. Each participant must be present at every class with a journal, metronome and tuner.
If individual preparation is persistently lacking, late to class or if one class is missed, you will privately be asked to discontinue the course. Obviously, this would be less than ideal. But by communicating these expectations up front, I hope to build something truly exceptional among the group members! So before you commit, give this a bit of thought and make sure you feel good about these simple, yet demanding expectations.
Sometimes, life gives us unexpected circumstances. Excused absences will be granted if the student writes to the Ms. Ferguson beforehand and submits a video recording of their exercises within the week they are scheduled. This is only in the event of a truly extenuating circumstance. Group learning is at the heart of this experience!
Wednesday Nights, 6:00-7:00- Mountain Standard Time
January 6- Orientation Meeting
January 13- 1 & 2
January 20- 3a & 3b
January 27- EJ 4- flats, EJ 5
February 3- EJ4- sharps, EJ 6a & 6b
February 10- EJ 6a & 6b, EJ 7
February 17- EJ 7, EJ8
February 24- EJ 8, EJ9
March 3- EJ9, EJ 12
March 10- EJ 12, EJ 13
March 17- EJ 13, EJ 14
March 24- EJ 14, EJ 15a & 15b
March 31- EJ 15a & 15b, EJ 16a & 16b
April 7- EJ 16a & 16b, EJ 17, EJ 10 & 11
April 14- EJ 17, EJ 10 & 11
April 21- EJ 10 & 11- Final Meeting
Nuts and Bolts:
Tuition for participants- $250
Tuition for auditors- $100
PayPal, Venmo and Zelle are all accepted. If credit cards are used for tuition payment, a fee of 3.5% will be added to the amount due. Participants are encouraged to pay on the day of the first class, but if this is not possible other arrangements can be made with Ms. Ferguson.
Application Form:
Application Deadline: January 4, 2021
Notification of acceptance: January 5, 2021