Series Spotlight: Creature Features

Do you have students who love cinematic music, magical creatures, and spooky sounds?

If so, the "Creature Features" series might be a welcome addition to your studio repertoire this fall!

In today's "Series Spotlight," I'll be giving you the rundown on this engaging series of piano solos that can be enjoyed at Halloween, or any time of year.

​Keep reading to learn more...

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What is special about the "Creature Features" series?
Each piece in this series is written to sound like a scene from a classic sci-fi or fantasy film! Introductory text for each piece sets the mood and helps to encourage a more musical performance of the piece. 

These pieces also use a variety of contemporary sounds, including modal scales, irregular and shifting meters, extended harmonies, clusters, and more. These sounds are used in an accessible way and serve as a great introduction to contemporary sounds for students who haven't yet played much modern music.


What type of student will enjoy this series?
This series can be enjoyed by students of all ages, including adults! The pieces are written to sound "mature" but still be accessible to developing pianists.

A variety of moods and styles are represented in each book. Students who enjoy minor keys and dramatic movie themes will especially find these pieces appealing.

Currently, this series includes 3 volumes covering the elementary, late elementary, and early intermediate levels.


Here is an overview of the concepts you will find in each book in this series:

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Creature Features

• Elementary Level (equivalent to Faber's Piano Adventures books 1 and 2A)
• 14 solos
• No key signatures
• Concepts covered: reading notes across the entire staff; reading sharps and flats as accidentals; intervals of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th; 4/4 and 3/4 time; eighth note pairs; staccatos, slurs, and accents.

Click on the cover for purchase information and to see and hear samples of every piece in this collection.

Creature Features, Volume 2

• Late Elementary Level (equivalent to Faber's Piano Adventures books 2B and 3A)
• 13 solos
• Concepts covered: key signatures up to 1 flat and 1 sharp; intervals up to a seventh;  I, IV, and V7 chords; 4/4, 3/4, 5/4, 6/8, and cut time; dotted rhythms and triplets; using the damper pedal.

​Click on the cover for purchase information and to see and hear samples of every piece in this collection.

Creature Features, Volume 3

• Early Intermediate Level (equivalent to Faber's Piano Adventures books 3B and 4)
• 10 solos
• Concepts covered: key signatures up to 2 flats and 2 sharps; intervals up to an octave; blocked and broken chords in inversion; simple arpeggio patterns; 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, and 7/8 time; simple sixteenth note rhythms.

Click on the cover for purchase information and to see and hear samples of every piece in this collection.

I hope you have found this short introduction to my "Creature Features" series helpful!  As a huge sci-fi nerd myself, I had so much fun writing these pieces and imagining the characters represented in each book.

Any questions about this series? Feel free to drop them in the comments below!