Junior Advanced Course
For children who have completed the Junior Extension Course.
The Junior Advanced Course includes a 1-hour group lesson and a 30-minute individual piano lesson each week.
Overview
The Junior Advanced Course is when parents see their children move to a higher level in their musical skills – for example, harmony becomes quite sophisticated, and students also analyse musical structures to discover how music is ‘built’.
Group lessons
The group lessons contain most of the curriculum.
Students sing solfege pieces and lyric songs, explore keyboard harmony exercises, improvisation, composition, theory and ensemble playing - all very exciting!
Piano lessons
The repertoire component of the course is now offered individually - students take a weekly 30-minute piano lesson in addition to the group class.
JAC students really benefit from having received the solid foundation of independent learning skills that the previous course offered. The newly-added individual piano lessons are very exciting for the children - their piano skills will take off! But it is important to remember that the group lessons cover most of the curriculum subjects, and give opportunities not usually available to those following the ‘piano lessons only’ route.
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Children who have completed the Junior Extension Course
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Group lesson: 60 minutes (includes class changeover)
Individual piano lesson: 30 minutes (includes changeover)
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Up to 10
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There are four sets of materials over the two-year course. Each set contains a Repertoire book for the individual piano lessons and a Solfege & Ensemble book for the group lessons. All books come with access to the music via Yamaha’s streaming service. Each set lasts 6 months.
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Class times may change when moving into this course. We give lots of notice if this is the case
Further information
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The parents’ role continues to be important even though parents do not attend lessons regularly and may not be familiar with the approach for every piece.
This is what you can do:
- Be interested! Know what pieces your child is studying including: harmony, repertoire and ensembles - and be a friendly and non-judgemental audience;
- Encourage regular practice for both group and individual lessons;
- Make sure there is lots of listening to the recordings at home (this makes a big difference!) and with good quality sound
- Check whether your child needs any help with the written homework, and that it is completed each week
- Make sure your piano/keyboard and speakers to listen or play along to are ‘inviting’ – are they easily accessible? Do you need a better instrument or better way to listen to the music to achieve good sound quality?
- Encourage your child to communicate their musical likes and dislikes to their teacher, especially to their individual piano teacher, so they can enjoy playing their favourite styles of music!
And last, but certainly not least: enjoy the music!
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A piano (acoustic or digital) is required at home for this course. There are models to suit all budgets - new or second hand is fine so long as it has the requirements below; it will be a worthwhile investment. Now might be time to move some furniture!
Acoustic piano
- 88 keys
- Tuned regularly to concert pitch (A=440Hz)
- Working pedals (2 pedals are standard)
- Piano stool (one that is height adjustable is recommended). A dining chair at the right height is acceptable – but not one that encourages sitting back
Digital (electric) piano:
- 88 keys
- Full-sized keys
- Weighted keys
- Sustain pedal (can be plugged in)
- Piano stool (one that is height adjustable is recommended). A dining chair at the right height is acceptable – not one that encourages sitting back
JAC parent:
“I just wanted to let you know that L is enjoying music so much again. He plays the piano all the time, improvises, experiments non stop… The new piano has been a real blessing, if I knew it, I wouldn’t have waited so long. Thank you very much for sharing your love for music with him.”
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Students have the opportunity to celebrate the end of the JAC by participating in Yamaha Grade 8
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We stage several concerts each year: every child has the opportunity to take part in an annual ensemble concert. Look out for ensemble, composition, and performers' platform concerts - all of which can be very inspiring.
Yamaha celebrates the work of the young composers with Junior Original Concerts: Matrix Arts Centre student composers often represent the school at both national and international levels.
You can listen to some of these performances on our news and events or on our social media.
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Students move onto the Advanced Extension Course (3 years) continues with a more academic focus as well as the practical musicanship subjects - including enjoying advanced ensembles
After this, the students graduate from the Yamaha Music School! We invite YMS graduates to join in ensembles in our annual concert every year and many continue their piano lessons with us until they finish school. We love hearing what our YMS graduates are doing - you can see some of their stories on our social media
Course progression
You can join our courses at any time between the ages of 2 and 7
New courses start every April and November
“I just wanted to let you know that L is enjoying music so much again. He plays the piano all the time, improvises, experiments non stop… The new piano has been a real blessing, if I knew it, I wouldn’t have waited so long. Thank you very much for sharing your love for music with him.”