Mrs. Curwen often mentioned her desire for children to have music in front of them that is well written for their small hands. This 1st Solo Album is her compilation of pieces of music she felt suited the needs for children. They were pieces written simply for the beauty of music, yet they were written with children in mind.
In the below video, you’ll see the over arching principles Mrs. Curwen uses to teach the staff. It encompasses facets from all five preliminary lessons. This is not something that would be taught in a single lesson. One of the defining traits of her method to teach the staff is her use of the continuous intervals of the thirds.
Mrs. Curwen believed firmly that you “teach the thing before the sign.” In this video, let’s discuss how she applies this idea to the teaching of pulse, measure, and finally the quarter note.