Fright Playing
It's that time of year. Fall. Last year I did a challenge for my students, they had to recite the order of sharps or flats on the circle of 5ths at the end of each lesson. (you can check out last year's blog with the challenge here) Then they got a treat. This year my students started asking if I was going to give out candy again. Some had forgotten there was a challenge attached.
This year's challenge is playing some spooky pieces as a sight playing exercise. However, I was at a choir rehearsal last weekend, and because the music is new, one of the accompanistists complained about Fright Playing.
Starting next week, each week my students get a new piece Fright Playing piece.
Years ago I had a sight playing checklist that I created to help students prepare for sight playing exams. This year, before playing their Fright Reading pieces, they will have to go through the Fright Playing checklist.
Here's a copy of the original sight playing checklist, the Fright Playing checklist, and Trick or Treat from the perspective of a Zombie. It's the first piece in the challenge. If the other pieces turn out as well as this one, I will continue to share throughout October.
Fall is an opportunity to have students play expressively and use music to tell stories. Since monster themes are dramatic, and sometimes silly, it's one of the most fun times we have in the studio.
A side note, I chose sting deliberately. A "sting" or a "stinger" or "scare chord" is in film-scoring terminology. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_(musical_phrase) Christopher Young from Hellraiser and The Grudge called it, "the most commonly used tool in the horror score kit."
Of course, with anything here, play at your own risk. . .
In all seriousness, after October ends, I will be adding an expressive section to the original sight playing checklist. It's not just a matter of playing the right keys at the right time, but how do you connect to the music and your audience.
Happy Playing!
Sarah
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