Information
For our January 2025 Member Challenge we will be focused on developing technique. Specifically we would like each of you to choose one technique exercise you’ll be mastering by the end of the month.
Choosing your exercise
Please choose one exercise from either the Technique Assessments, the Practice Routines, or the Scales & Arpeggios Course from your grade.
In addition to the lessons on your exercise from the Technique Assessments, the Practice Routines, or the Scales and Arpeggios Course, you may want to look at the Technique Library to see if there are additional lessons on your technique.
Note: There are a few upper-grade (Grades 6-8) technique exercises that do not have lessons yet, so consider selecting an exercise that does have a lesson, even if that means selecting something below your grade level.
The Process
- Week 1: After you have chosen your technique exercise, watch all of the educational materials at the Academy on your exercise. This will help you understand the technique, refine which things you should be focusing on, as well as how to work on them. Record a baseline video of your technique exercise. This is just a reference recording to build off of in the rest of the challenge. Post the video to the Member Challenges #29 Forum.
- We will host two group Office Hours sessions to provide feedback and guidance, one for Grades 1-4; the other for Grades 5-8
- Grades 5-8 Workshop with Simon: Sunday, January 5 at 5pm NYC time.
- Grades 1-4 Workshop with Dave: Wednesday, January 8 at 1pm NYC time.
- We will host two group Office Hours sessions to provide feedback and guidance, one for Grades 1-4; the other for Grades 5-8
- Week 2: Watch back your week 1 video and take notes on what needs additional work. Record a new video playing your exercise, but working on your new focus points. When you post your week 2 update with your video, include a description of what you’ll be focusing on with your exercise.
- This week in lieu of Office Hours we will host a special Technique Workshop with Guest Artist Gohar Vardanyan! The workshop will focus on different kinds of techniques at all levels and how to practice technique.
- Sunday, January 12 at 5pm NYC time.
- This week in lieu of Office Hours we will host a special Technique Workshop with Guest Artist Gohar Vardanyan! The workshop will focus on different kinds of techniques at all levels and how to practice technique.
- Week 3: For week 3 your focus should be on identifying and tackling the remaining elements to help you reach your goal for the month.
- We will host two group Office Hours sessions to provide feedback and guidance, one for Grades 1-4; the other for Grades 5-8
- Grades 1-4 Workshop with Simon: Sunday, January 19 at 5pm NYC time.
- Grades 5-8 Workshop with Dave: Wednesday, January 22 at 1pm NYC time.
- We will host two group Office Hours sessions to provide feedback and guidance, one for Grades 1-4; the other for Grades 5-8
- In our Live Wrap-up Session we’ll discuss the challenges you encountered, strategies each of you employed to master the material, as well as tips for how to practice technique moving forward.
- Sunday, January 26 at 4pm NYC time
Expectations
In the past, the CGC Team have responded to each of your weekly update videos in the Forum. For this challenge, we will be using special Office Hours and workshops to give you the feedback and guidance you need to master your exercise. While Dave will still be chatting with you in the Forum, these live sessions will be the best way to get feedback and guidance during the challenge. All replays of these sessions will be posted in the Forum.
Schedule
- Signups open until January 2, 2025
- Week 1 video due by January 4, 2025
- Week 2 video due by January 11, 2025
- Week 3 video due by January 18, 2025
- Live Wrap-up Session: January 26, 2025 at 4pm NYC time