NEW SERIES: More than the Score – Edition Peters
This is a wonderful series that really delivers what it promises: interesting information about the composer, the piece and its context, and a masterclass on performance. There are many famous and important pieces covered in this series from the Baroque era through to the 20th century, and they provide a wealth of information for both students and teachers. They also give us an opportunity to slow down and focus on a composer and a significant part of their repertoire, and encourage the kind of holistic learning that we all aspire to! I really appreciated reviewing J. S. Bach’s ‘Prelude and Fugue in C Major’ BWV 846, Chopin’s ‘Prelude no.4 in E Minor’, and John Cage’s ‘In a Landscape’. There are 12 in the series and they’re only $14.95 as well!
more than the score • available now
The Greatest Showman for Easy Piano
This book is worth its weight in gold and has been an instant smash hit with my students. It contains a great mix of all the favourites from the film — the only down side is choosing which piece to start with! The layout is clear and easy to read, and the lyrics are included so teacher and student can sing along (excellent for learning the rhythm but also lots of fun!). The pieces are simply yet effectively arranged so that they sound true to the originals, but are very approachable for students who have had only a few years of lessons. The chord symbols also make for an excellent learning opportunity and extension if needed. A very exciting addition to any student’s repertoire!
269167 • $31.95 • available now
Piano Gallery – Pam Wedgwood
Piano Gallery is an absolute delight for the senses. It combines music and visual art beautifully and takes student and teacher into a very creative world. You are invited to think about what each piece of art ‘means’ and why the composer wrote they way they did — and perhaps also what we might have done? There are a great range of styles within this book; you could find yourself in the rain in Paris, playing the guitar in Spain, watching waves in Japan, or gazing at Van Gogh’s stars. These evocative pieces will be manageable for mid-late intermediate students and are a great reminder of what music is all about: imagery and expression.
F0571540481 • $27.95 • available now
A Dozen a Day All Year Round
I must confess that it has been a year or two since I’ve looked at the A Dozen a Day series, but I am very glad that I’ve revisited it! I’m sure I’m not alone in having students who just want to rush on and play pieces without spending time on technique or sight reading. A Dozen a Day offers these two important elements in fun little bites. I use it at the beginning of lessons to warm up, or in the middle if a change of direction is needed. The exercises take students from reading a few notes on the staves and learning concepts such as staccato and legato, right through to leaping up and down the keyboard with chords, changing time signatures, scales and arpeggios, and many other exercises. This bumper book includes all six Dozen a Day books (each of which have an Etude/Performance Piece at the end) as well as a very handy thematic index classifying all of the technical content, e.g. skips, jumps, contrary motion, ornamentation etc. A very handy resource!
WMR101706 • $69.95 • available now
Pop Hits for Piano Duet
This book contains eight arrangements of timeless and modern pop songs for intermediate / late intermediate players, ranging from Ray Charles and The Jackson 5 to Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, to name a few. Above all, they are a huge amount of fun and will promote excellent rhythmic and ensemble skills for students. There is variety within the book including jazz, pop and ballad styles among others, and there is also variety within each piece, as both players carry the tune and/or rhythm at different times. This book will be a fabulous challenge and learning experience for your teenage students and is great value for money.
224734 • $19.95 • available now
Beauty and the Beast Piano Solo
Even if you haven’t seen the film, this book is full of beautiful, luscious and evocative story-telling music. Some of the pieces are fun and energetic, such as ‘Overture’ and ‘Be Our Guest’, some are exciting, like ‘The Mob Song’, and some are just gorgeously lyrical and poignant, such as ‘Days In The Sun’ and the theme song ‘Beauty and The Beast’. This is reasonably advanced repertoire, containing lots of arpeggios, octaves, big chords, and changing key and time signatures, but if your student is a movie-music fan then they will love this.
242909 • $31.95 • available now
More Piano Solos in Lyrical Style
If you have students that may not be quite up to the challenge of Beauty and The Beast but are looking for a pretty and lyrical style, then this may be the book for them. The composer classifies it as being for early to mid-intermediate players and it provides multiple pieces with lovely melodies and interesting harmonies. There are some fun, more lively pieces too, including ‘Dizzy Fingers’, ‘Knights of the Kingdom’ and ‘Matter of Fact’, the latter being a swung blues piece. The pieces are aptly and descriptively named, inviting discussion around expression, and is also excellent value for money.
243885 • $14.95 • available now
All titles featured in The Piano Teacher Issue 13 (May 2018) are available here.
