Reviewed by you: Samantha Coates

Frozen Piano Duets

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These piano duets are absolutely delightful. It reads like a score, with the secondo line running under the primo line at all times. It is much easier to read as you can easily see where the other part is up to and how the ensemble fits together.

The arrangements are roughly 2nd – 4th grade standard in both parts, written in accessible keys and with a good feel for the style. Sometimes the rhythm writing represents the true syncopation in the melody, and at other times it is simplified (which in some ways is harder to play, as most students will default to the way they have heard the song). Overall I would highly recommend this publication. Buy here

Easy Broadway Duets

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This is a lovely book of seven well-arranged duets for the young pianist. They can be played by two students, as both parts are approximately 2nd – 4th grade level. The selection of tunes is diverse, including numbers such as Whistle a Happy Tune from The King and I and the theme song from Charlie Brown. If students are not already familiar with these, it’s a good idea to set them ‘homework’ of watching these films – everyone will enjoy that! Buy here

Great Instrumentals

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This is an eclectic selection of pieces, arranged skilfully for piano solo. With such inclusions as The Pink Panther, the Hawaii Five-O theme, and Mission Impossible, this compilation will appeal to both adult and teenage pianists. There are plenty of octaves and big chords but these could easily be edited by the teacher to suit a smaller hand. Buy here

Surf’s Up! Piano Duet

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This short and sweet duet is well written and could easily be played by two students as opposed to student/teacher. It works well at various tempos and is a great teaching piece for concepts such as accidentals, syncopation and repeat signs. Buy here

First 50 Broadway songs you should play on the Piano

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This book would be fabulous for adult beginners. Once they are up to around Preliminary grade standard, they could easily rocket through all the pieces in this book and have a ball. Most songs are written keys up to one sharp or flat, and the rhythms are well simplified and easy to read. I feel it is particularly suited to adults because the Broadway shows featured in the book are not nearly as familiar to our ‘Gen Z’ students. We might be excited to teach classic hits such as All That Jazz and I Could Have Danced All Night, but the current generation of young learners are more excited about Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, and music from more current musicals such as Wicked and Matilda. Buy here

 

 

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