Don’t you just love it when your students come into lessons saying, “I want to play this really cool piano piece by J.C. Bach that I heard over the weekend?” OK, really, when was the last time you heard such a comment? 
It’s much more likely that they want to play the theme song from Pride and Prejudice, or an arrangement of the latest pop song, or maybe a Jim Brickman piano solo. But the students who are exposed to beautiful Classical music tend to be fewer and further between. CDs like, Sonatinas and Little Sonatas, by Allen Reiser go a long way to remedy this malady.
It’s always challenging to find recordings of early level piano literature. While YouTube has helped us make great strides in familiarizing students with such selections, nothing beats having a truly beautiful performance for them to listen to and appreciate. This is the kind of CD I might give to an advancing student and ask them to listen to it and then label each piece in numerical order according to which piece they liked the most to which they liked the least. In addition to giving us insight into what type of pieces capture their interest, it also plants new seeds of appreciation for a genre of music that would otherwise go largely unexplored by the student. In addition, the liner notes provide brief, but helpful, background information on each of the eight Sonatinas and Little Sonatas (including an explanation distinguishing the two from each other).
If you would like to win a copy of Sonatinas and Little Sonatas for yourself or for a student, just leave a comment on this post. In fact, if you’d like to put the word out to your students, they are welcome to come and leave a comment for a chance to win, too! And, as usual, for double entry, just post about this giveaway and link back here on your blog or Facebook and then leave a second comment indicating that you did so. The drawing will close on Thursday, September 30, at noon (CST). Sonatinas and Little Sonatas is available at Amazon.com or directly through Allen Reiser’s website.
Sounds absolutely fantastic! Yes, it is truly wonderful when we have GOOD recordings of early level piano pieces. I’d love a copy!
YEAH! I piano teacher giveaway! I’m ecstatic! Enter me!
I’d love a copy to use with my students! The recordings make it super great!
I’d love a copy!
and I just blogged about the giveaway here!
http://theteachingstudio.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-giveaway-on-music-matters-blog.html
Thanks! I’d love a copy.
Ooh, I would love this for my studio! Thanks so much!:)
I would love to win this CD! I Have a couple of students who I think would really benefit from listening to more classical music. This CD sounds perfect!
I’d love a copy too. I really do enjoy these little pieces.
Sounds like a fun CD! Thanks for doing this giveaway, Natalie!
This sounds like a wonderful CD! It is hard to find great recordings of the early level pieces that we want our students to learn.
I would love to have this CD. Sonatinas are some of my favorite pieces to play and listen to!
thanks! would be neat to have!
I just started a listening library for my students this summer. This would be a great addition for my students.
Wow – that sounds terrific!
I think this sounds like a great CD I would love it for my students and just to play for my own children!
Great stuff as usual, Natalie. Thanks
The cover picture looks so inviting to purchase the book . I bet the pieces are lovely too.
I would love a copy!
What a great giveaway! Here’s my entry!
And here’s where I blogged: http://celandjp.blogspot.com/2010/09/sonata-giveaway-on-music-matters-blog.html
Hi Natalie! This sounds like a nice resource for my studio. Thanks!
What a great giveaway! Sign me up!
This sounds great!
Thanks for the chance! And the great review too!
I’ve been waiting for this one!:-) Looks like a wonderful resource. Crossing my fingers and toes.
I would love this CD for my students!
How wonderful. Please enter me! Thanks.
I would love to have a copy of this CD! Thanks, Natalie!
I’m just starting out teaching lessons and this CD would be great to add to my music library!
This would be a great addition to my studio! Thanks!!!
Sounds good to me. I know I need to incorporating more listening into my teaching plan. Taking students to local symphony concerts is good, but they can’t do that every week.
awesome! im a piano teacher and i think it’d be awesome to have my kids listen to this
I’d love to have a copy of this CD for my studio…count me in!
I’d love this CD! This is the first time I’ve commented on your blog – I wanted to thank you for such a wonderful resource!
Always looking for new resources to make my piano students come back for more.
Wow!! A fantastic giveaway. Enter me please!
Hope I’m not too late to enter the give away!