Eugenie Rocherolle‘s music has recently had a resurgence in Australia as of late. Chatting with teachers at PD events about Eugenie’s music, most of them hadn’t heard of her before but were introduced to it as a result of Thembi Shears article The Music of Eugenie Rocherolle

Eugenie’s latest publication is a small collection of three original pieces for one piano, four hands:

Celebration Suite – One Piano Four hands

Three original duets for one piano, four hands are perfect for students at the intermediate level (grade 3-4 Ameb equiv.). The book includes performance notes and the original compositional style of Eugénie Rocherolle, making it an attractive collection suitable for recitals or auditions. Pieces include: Across the Years • In Defense of Liberty • Journey in Space.

For sample pages please click here

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The next one is definitely my favourite for this month. I’ve been playing it over and over for the past couple of weeks. This was brought to my attention from Samantha Coates and later, she did a bit of a review for us at The Piano Teacher:

Classics with a Touch of Jazz – 27 Beloved Masterpieces for Solo Piano by Lee Evans

Review by Samantha Coates

This book is an absolute gem. What a great concept – take some famous classical tunes and jazz them up! Lee Evans has put together a wonderfully varied selection of classical favourites, ranging from themes from piano sonatas by Beethoven and Mozart through to themes from Dvorak’s New World Symphony. Each arrangement is dripping with intricate jazz harmony and will make you sound like a sophisticated cocktail pianist.

Whilst the tempos are mostly slow and there are no chord or octave passages that small hands couldn’t handle, some of the keys are quite challenging and there are many accidentals at every turn, which puts the difficulty level a little higher, probably around Grade 6-8.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves jazz and appreciates good arrangements!

For sample pages and audio please click here

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A new addition to the very popular, Pop Piano Hits series from Hal Leonard:

Pop Piano Hits is a series designed for students of all ages! Each book contains five simple and easy-to-read arrangements of today’s most popular downloads. Lyrics, fingering, and chord symbols are included to help you make the most of each arrangement. Enjoy your favorite songs and artists today! This edition includes: Better When I’m Dancin’ (Meghan Trainor) • Burning House (Cam) • Drag Me Down (One Direction) • Hello (Adele) • She Used to Be Mine (Sara Bareilles).

To see the whole series, please click here

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As reviewed by Western Australian teacher, Sandra Lowe:

Really Easy Piano – Disney

Warning – I would not classify this book as a collection of “Really Easy” pieces!  The use of syncopated quavers and semiquavers puts this book at an intermediate level.  Having said that, there is a great range of movies represented in the book, from The Little Mermaid through to the new Cinderella and Maleficent.

The lyrics to the songs are included, as are chord symbols for either simplifying the bass in some songs, or a great chance to teach a whole new skill set.  There are a handful of time signature and key signature changes within the pieces.  Fingering is indicated in pieces as required.  The hints and tips for playing included at the beginning of each piece are a great feature.

Kids will love these arrangements that let even beginners play some of Disney’s biggest pop hits! 20 songs, including: Be Our Guest • Bundle of Joy • A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes • For the First Time in Forever • I Just Can’t Wait to Be King • Immortals • Lava • Let It Go • Part of Your World • Reflection • Shut up and Drive • Strong • That’s How You Know • We Belong Together • and more!

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