How to Teach C.P.E. Bach’s March in D Major, BWV Anh. 122 (RCM Level 4) – Strategies for Success

Teaching RCM Level 4 repertoire can be both rewarding and challenging. March in D Major, BWV Anh. 122 by C.P.E. Bach (from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach) is a popular choice at this level. This lively Baroque march is short, tuneful, and packed with learning opportunities. But as a piano teacher, you might face familiar pain points: limited lesson-planning time, ensuring your student captures the Baroque style, keeping them engaged, and preparing them for RCM exam expectations.

Why March in D Major is Perfect for RCM Level 4 Students

Historical Charm with Pedagogical Purpose

March in D Major was composed around 1725 by a young Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – he was only about ten years old at the time! This fun trivia can spark your students’ interest. As a Baroque-era march, the piece exudes a bold, upbeat character, like a confident little procession. It’s listed as an RCM Level 4 List A piece, meaning it’s an ideal introduction to Baroque style for late-beginner students. The piece’s D major key (two sharps) helps reinforce scale knowledge, and its binary form with repeats teaches students about Baroque dance forms in a hands-on way. 

Musical Skills Developed

Despite its modest length, this piece checks many pedagogical boxes. Students will encounter:

For a Level 4 teacher, these elements mean the piece can save you time on separate technical drills – the repertoire itself reinforces them. It’s a pedagogically rich piece that aligns with what RCM expects students to master at this stage.

RCM Level 4 Teaching Strategies for March in D Major

When lesson planning for this piece, consider the following strategies to address common challenges and make the learning process enjoyable:

1. Establish the March Pulse (Rhythm & Counting)

A big challenge is keeping that steady “left-right” march feel in cut time. Instead of counting “1-2-3-4,” have your student count in two (“1-&-2-&”) and even march or sway as they count. Feeling the beat physically makes the duple meter natural. Emphasize that the first beat of each measure is strong (like a left foot step) and the second beat is lighter. This will help prevent rushing and maintain the piece’s stately character. You can even use a metronome on the half-note beat to reinforce stability.

2. Tackle the Trill Early

Ornaments can be intimidating for students. Introduce the trill (right hand) early in the learning process. Explain that it’s just a rapid alternation of two notes starting on the upper note. Practice it slowly at first – even as a simple turn (four quick notes) – to get the motions comfortable. Encourage your student to relax their hand for the trill and listen for even, clear notes. By demystifying the trill, you boost their confidence and avoid a last-minute scramble to add it in. 

3. Emphasize Articulation and Phrasing

In Baroque marches, articulation is everything. Right from the start, show your student how to play with detached, clean articulation – think of each quarter note as slightly separated, like footsteps. You can use analogies: “lift after each note as if the sound is a series of footsteps in a march.” This helps avoid the beginner tendency to play legato by default. At the same time, teach them to group notes into phrases. For example, the opening A section can be seen as two four-bar phrases. Have them sing or hum the melody to feel natural phrasing, or ask them where the “musical sentence” seems to pause. Highlighting these phrasing points keeps the music from sounding note-to-note. Even without pedal, they can achieve a nice flow by slightly leaning into the start of phrases and lifting at phrase ends. This attention to phrasing will make the performance more musical and meet RCM examiners’ expectations for a stylistically informed interpretation.

4. Leverage Related RCM Pedagogy Resources

Connect the piece to what else your student is learning. Is your student also practicing the D major scale or arpeggios for technique requirements? Great – point out how those technical exercises directly apply to sections of the piece (like the running passage in the B section that is essentially a D scale, or the broken chords and arpegios that outline the D major and A major triads). This integration shows the student that technique and repertoire go hand in hand, and it saves you time by aligning your lesson components.

Also consider simple theory tie-ins: since March in D is in binary form, you can quickly quiz the student on identifying the A and B sections and recognizing the repeat signs. By framing the piece as part of a bigger picture of their RCM Level 4 work, you help the student learn more efficiently and meaningfully.

5. Keep the Student Engaged

One key to engagement is story and imagery. Even though this is a “serious” Baroque march, you can make it fun. Ask your student to imagine a scene: perhaps a royal parade entering a palace, or soldiers joyfully marching in celebration. Better yet, if they’re young, let them march around the room in time to the music! Listen to a good recording together and have the student clap or tap the beat. Afterwards, discuss what they heard: “Did it remind you of a parade? Could you hear the strong beats?” Tapping into their imagination keeps them invested and helps them grasp the character. It also addresses the common pain point of keeping a student motivated on a piece beyond just “learn the notes.” 

Tips for Efficient Lesson Planning and Exam Prep

Even with these strategies, teachers often worry about covering everything in time for exams. Here are some quick tips to streamline your planning and ensure exam readiness:

1. Break the Teaching into Steps

Don’t try to do everything in one lesson. Plan a sequence: e.g., Week 1 focus on historical context, rhythm, and notes for section A, Week 2 focus on section B and the trill, Week 3 add dynamics and polish, etc. A clear lesson plan (whether you draft it or use a pre-made one) can save you from last-minute cramming. It also gives you confidence that you’re on track, which reduces your stress.

2. Address Troublespots Early

Identify the tricky bits (is it a left-hand leap in a specific measure, or maintaining an even tempo around the ornament?). Spend a few minutes each lesson on those in isolation. For example, turn the hardest two measures into a fun technical exercise or warm-up - these technical exercises can even be introduced before you present the piece to the student! This proactive approach means no panicked last-minute fixes, which is a big relief for both teacher and student.

3. Organize Mock Performances

Once the piece is learned, have the student do mini performances. This could be playing for another student, recording a video, or just performing for you without interruption. Simulating the exam environment helps build the student’s confidence and endurance. Importantly, it teaches them how to keep going even if they make a mistake. Afterwards, celebrate what went well and kindly note anything to improve. Students who have performed the piece multiple times before the exam will walk in much more confidently, and you’ll feel assured that they can handle nerves.

By the final lesson before the exam, your student should be able to play through March in D Major with solid rhythm, clear articulation, musical phrasing, and that joyful march character from start to finish. You’ll have prepared them not just to pass the RCM exam, but to truly shine in it.

Wrapping Up

March in D Major, BWV Anh. 122 is a gem of the early repertoire. With its upbeat spirit and educational value, it can become a favourite for both teacher and student. By focusing on the strategies above, like establishing a steady march pulse, demystifying the trill, sharpening articulation and phrasing, and creatively engaging your student, you’ll handle common pain points proactively.

Even with a busy teaching schedule, a bit of structured planning goes a long way to ensure your Level 4 student learns efficiently and happily. Remember, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time you teach a piece like this. Leveraging high-quality RCM pedagogy resources can lighten your load and give you new ideas to try.

P.S. If you want more ready-to-use teaching material for March in D Major, you might love the full March in D Major Teaching Guide (a downloadable PDF). It’s a comprehensive, pedagogically sound resource that lays out detailed lesson plans, technical exercises, and musical insights for this piece, all tailored to RCM Level 4. Teachers can use it to save hours of prep and ensure they’re covering everything.

I hope the strategies in this post help you and your students confidently march onward in your musical journey!