Category: Repertoire

Sale Alert! "Perfect Patterns" for $9 with free shipping!

4/27/2018

Sale alert! My "Perfect Patterns" book is on sale this weekend only for $9 with free shipping!

If you are looking for pattern-based pieces that can be learned quickly and will capture your students' attention, this book is for you. This collection has five 5-star reviews! One reviewer, Melinda, writes:

"Perfect Patterns is filled with upbeat, interesting, contemporary sounding pieces that both young and old will enjoy and will definitely grab the attention of your picky students! Excellent collection!" --Melinda

Click HERE to see and hear the music from "Perfect Patterns!"

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My Top 5 Recital Piece Picks

3/25/2018

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Recital time is upon us--are you looking for last-minute recital pieces for your students? You have come to the right place!

Today I will be sharing my top five recital piece choices out of my own compositions. I am including my students' favorite pieces, as well as those that have gotten the most positive feedback from my fellow piano teachers. As a bonus, most of these pieces are available digitally--so you can purchase, download, and print them instantly!

Ready? Here we go!

1. "Showdown" from Ready to Rock (elementary), sheet music available HERE
This elementary-level piece is perfect for a student preparing for their first recital. It uses only the notes C, D, Eb, F, and G (no hand shifts!), contains repetitive rhythms that can be taught by rote, and even includes an optional teacher duet for students that might not want to perform solo at their first recital.

2. "Expedition to Everest" from Destination: Adventure! Book 1 (late elementary), sheet music available HERE and HERE
This piece is on the NFMC junior festival list, and I have gotten so many wonderful comments from teachers and students that I had to include it on my list! The minor key and pop-style chord progression is really appealing to students.

3. "Epic" from Rock On! (late elementary), sheet music available HERE
Similar in style to "Expedition to Everest," this rockin' late elementary piece has been a favorite with my students. This piece is available as a single sheet (above) or as part of the Rock On! collection. There is also an easier version of "Epic" in the first Let's Quest! book.

4. "Jump and Jive" from Perfect Patterns (early intermediate), sheet music available HERE
What do you get when you cross the famous chord pattern from "Heart and Soul" with some fancy jumps in the left hand? "Jump and Jive!" Although the Perfect Patterns collection was just released in January, this piece has already become a favorite among my students and will be featured on our spring recital in April.

5. "The Sound of Silence" (intermediate), sheet music available HERE
My arrangement of this classic Simon and Garfunkel song has been a top seller on the Sheet Music Plus website. This lovely, lyrical piece sounds more difficult than it is and has been especially popular with my teen and adult students.

What do you think? Share your favorite recital pieces (by any composer!) in the comments!

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Friday Freebie and a Teaching Tip!

2/16/2018

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Today only, Friday, February 16th, "Highland Dance," the first piece from my new Perfect Patterns book, is available for FREE at Piano Pronto!

Click HERE to get your free copy!

In honor of the occasion, I made a short teaching tip video demonstrating how I introduce pattern-based pieces like this one to my students using transposition and improvisation!

Check out the rest of my Perfect Patterns book HERE.

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Sale Alert! "Perfect Patterns" for $9 with free shipping!

My Top 5 Recital Piece Picks

Friday Freebie and a Teaching Tip!

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