KJC Piano Curriculum - Year 1

Piano students will work in different subjects inside the instrument study, which are Technique
(Scales, arpeggios and technique pieces and etudes), Modern/Jazz piano skills and
Classical/Written music).

Semester 1:

Technique:

• Be able to recognise the notes of the C major scale on the piano in any octave.
• Understand the correct sitting and hand position when playing piano.
• Introduction to major scales: learn to play C, G and D major scales (1 octave), hands
separately and together.
• Introduction to major arpeggios: learn to play C, G and D major arpeggios (1 octave),
hands separately and hands together.
• Use technique written resources such as Hanon and Five Finger Exercises to develop sight
reading skills and hand independence.

Jazz/Modern:

• Introduction to chords: learn how to play C, G and F major triad chords and undesrstand
which notes of the scale make up the chords (root, third, fifth).
• Introduction to the blues scale: Learn the C Blues scale and start to improvise (RH only)
over a blues structure accompanied by the teacher.

Classical/Written music:

• Follow a begginer's book to complete within the first year:

For kids: John Thompson Easiest Piano Course, Books 1 & 2
For adults: The Adult Preparatory Piano Book by John Thompson
• Use technique written resources such as Hanon and Five Finger Exercises to develop sight
reading skills and hand independence.

Semester 2:

Technique:

• Learn to play F, A and B major scales (1 octave), hands separately and together.
• Introduction to minor scales: learn to play the C natural minor scale (1 octave) and
understand the connection between major and minor scales.
• Learn to play every major arpeggio starting from the white keys.

Jazz/Modern:

• Be able to play major triad chords starting from the white keys.
• Introduction to inversions: Understand and be able to find the inversions for triad chords.
• Introduction to minor chords: Understand the relation between a major and minor chord
and be able to build a minor chord starting from the white keys.
 • Keep working on the 12-bar blues improvisation and start to be aware of the timing
(exercises such as improvise 2 bars and 2 bars rest, improvise only using quarter notes,
emphasizing on creating musical phrases, etc).

Classical/Written music:

• Follow a begginer's book to complete within the first year:

For kids: John Thompson Easiest Piano Course, Books 1 & 2.
For adults: The Adult Preparatory Piano Book by John Thompson.
• Use technique written resources such as Hanon and Five Finger Exercises to develop sight
reading skills and hand independence.

Semester 3:

Technique:

• Learn to play Bb, Eb and Ab major scales (1 octave), hands separately and together.
• Learn to play F, G and D minor scales (1 octave), hands separately and together.
• Play major arpeggios starting from any note, and understand the relation between scales,
arpeggios and triad chords.

Jazz/Modern:

• Major triad harmony: understand the context of triad chords coming from a major
harmony and its function (I, IIm, IIIm, IV, V, VIm) and learn basic rhythms for accompany
(root note on the left and chord on the right hand).
• Understand the importance of using inversions to play simple chords progressions such
as I-V-Vim-IV or I-IV-V-I and learn to play these progressions in a certain key (C major,
G major).
• Learn the 12-bar blues structure in C (chords in the RH, root note in the LH) and
continue working on the improvisation with RH.

Classical/Written music:

• Follow a begginer's book to complete within the first year:

For kids: John Thompson Easiest Piano Course, Books 1 & 2.
For adults: The Adult Preparatory Piano Book by John Thompson.
• Use technique written resources such as Hanon and Five Finger Exercises to develop sight
reading skills and hand independence.