What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life - Michel Legrand

While the piece is accessible, there are certain sections that present performance challenges:

• Hand Coordination: The shift between the melody and accompaniment, especially in bars 9 to 14, requires precise hand coordination. This section contains simultaneous notes that need to be played in sync, which can be difficult for intermediate players.

• Tempo Maintenance: Keeping a steady tempo at 120 BPM is vital throughout the piece, particularly in the flowing sections found in bars 16 to 22 where rhythmic stability is essential for maintaining the musical flow.

• Technical Execution: The run-ups and chord transitions in the latter sections, especially in bars 25 to 30, require quick finger work and excellent control to ensure clean pass-offs without losing fluidity.

To effectively master the challenges identified in the score, players can utilize the following strategies:

• Dynamic Focus: Work on dynamic contrasts within the piece, particularly in bars 15 to 20. Mark the score to help remind you of where to increase and decrease volume, enhancing the overall expressiveness.

• Frequent Repetition: Repetitive drilling of tricky runs can help develop muscle memory. Spend dedicated time on sections with high difficulty to embed these patterns into your playing.

The piece "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," composed by Michel Legrand, is a beautifully structured work that showcases subtle melodic intricacies and harmonic richness. The score is set in C Major, allowing for bright, uplifting expressions, and follows a 4/4 time signature, providing a steady framework for piano performance.

Unique Features:

• Melodic Structure: The main melody prominently features in the first several sections, particularly from bars 1 to 10. You can observe a wave-like motion in the melodic contour, marked by leaps and steps that create lyrical phrases. Noteworthy is the use of the G# and A notes which lend an emotive quality to the piece.

• Chord Progressions: Throughout the score, especially in bars 3 to 8, the harmonic progression often moves through I (C Major), IV (F Major), and V (G Major) chords. This creates a sense of resolution and expectation, guiding the listener through the harmonic landscape.

• Rhythmic Patterns: The rhythmic patterns vary, with a combination of quarter notes and eighth notes driving the piece forward, particularly evident in bar 12. The inclusion of syncopation adds interest and an engaging fluidity to the performance.

• Dynamic Layers: The score uses dynamics effectively, transitioning from softer passages to louder expressions, especially noticeable in the climactic moments of bars 15 to 20. This dynamic contrast enhances the emotional depth of the piece.

What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life

• Artist
  Michel Legrand
• Number of imitations:
  33
• Genre
  Michel Legrand
• Key
  C
• Tempo
  120
• Pages
  1
• Notation
  Michel Legrand
• Compose
  Michel Legrand
• Introduction
  What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life' - Michel Legrand, This music is undefined, arr. by Michel Legrand, Suitable for all students to learn