Year-long Piano Course Prospectus for a 14-year-old — Piano Adventures Level 3A with Hanon‑Faber & Scale & Chord Books (ACARA v9)

A 12-month, ACARA v9-aligned piano course for a 14-year-old combining Piano Adventures Level 3A, Hanon‑Faber healthy technique and Scale & Chord progressive work. Includes weekly practice plans, termly progression, assessment evidence and creative medieval repertoire options.

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Year Course Prospectus — Age 14

Imagine practice like slow chocolate melting on the tongue: deliberate, warm, and richly textured. This 12‑month course pairs the Faber Piano Adventures Teacher Atlas for lesson mapping with Hanon‑Faber: The New Virtuoso Pianist for healthy gesture, and the progressive Piano Adventures Scale & Chord Books (Levels 1–3) for foundational patterns, harmony and improvisatory fuel. It is aligned to ACARA v9 strands: Creating, Performing, Responding and Understanding.

Weekly rhythm & daily practice (45–60 minutes)

  • 10 minutes: Hanon‑Faber warmups — posture, relaxed gesture, flow.
  • 10–15 minutes: Scale & Chord work (rotate L1–L3 material; hands separately then together).
  • 20 minutes: Repertoire (Piano Adventures Level 3A pieces + a medieval study or arrangement every term).
  • 5 minutes: Sight‑reading / aural or improvisation (ACE: Aim, Connect, Express).

Weekly goals: one polished short piece, one new scale, one chord family explored. Practice like a slow supper—intentional, repeated, and joyful.

Termly & monthly progression (Months 1–12)

  1. Months 1–3: Establish healthy gesture (Hanon‑Faber), Scale & Chord Book 1 patterns, core Level 3A repertoire. Intro to modes via plainchant listening. Assessment: technical check and short performance recording.
  2. Months 4–6: Expand arpeggios and inversions (S&C Book 2), transposition into modal tonalities. Start a medieval secular arrangement. Assessment: studio duet/ensemble and reflective journal entry.
  3. Months 7–9: Book 3 challenges—three‑octave scales, seventh chords; advanced Hanon routines for endurance. Composition task: short piece in Dorian/Phrygian. Assessment: composition portfolio, technical tempo targets.
  4. Months 10–12: Consolidation and recital preparation—three contrasting pieces (Piano Adventures capstone, medieval sacred, medieval secular). Final viva on technique and stylistic choices.

ACARA v9 mapping & outcomes

  • Creating: Compose/arrange a modal mini‑piece; improvise over chord families.
  • Performing: Accurate, expressive performance with technical fluency; ensemble skills in medieval projects.
  • Responding: Aural tests, reflective journals, listening analyses of Hildegard, trouvères and Minnesänger pieces.
  • Understanding: Notation, transposition, harmonic analysis linked to Scale & Chord exercises.

Assessment & evidence

Keep a practice log, submit fortnightly recordings, compile a term portfolio (scores, analyses, compositions) and perform at two term concerts. Rubrics measure technique, accuracy, expression, historical stylistic awareness and creative application.

Teacher Atlas & pedagogy

The Teacher Atlas guides weekly pairing: which technique supports which piece, suggested fingerings, and remediation steps. Use short NoteLab‑style drills for sight‑reading checks and the Atlas for long‑term musical shaping.

Final note: progress is steady, sensuous and measurable. Warm your fingers like browned butter, taste each interval, and practice with both discipline and delight. Expect increased independence, richer tone, and confident performance by year’s end.

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