In light of Monday’s post about teaching visual spacial students, I thought it might be nice to post a list of tried and true piano pieces you can teach students by rote. Some of these are ones that I’ve taught; some are from another teacher who sent me her list of suggestions a while ago. Most of these pieces are available at SheetMusicPlus.com. If you have any other great suggestions of rote teaching pieces that you and your students like, let me know and I’ll add them to the list!
- A Day in the Jungle by Jon George
- Bumblebee Toccata by Lynn Freeman Olson
- Buzzing Bee by Mark Nevin
- Castle Days by Kathleen Massoud
- Cross Current by Ted Cooper
- Devil’s Night Dance by Catherine Rollin
- Dragon Hunt by Nancy and Randall Faber
- Dream Echoes by Nancy and Randall Faber
- The Fly by Nancy and Randall Faber
- Wind Across the Badlands by Valerie Roth-Roubos
- Spanish Dance by Catherine Rollin
- Dreamscape by George Peter Tingley
- Guitars of Seville by Mauro Giuliani
- Hide and Seek by Linda Niamath
- Mist by Carolyn Miller
- Motion Machine by Carolyn Miller
- Nature Pieces by Katherine Beard
- Poet’s Lament by Jon George
- Prelude No. 7 in B minor by Robert Vandall
- Rainbow Fish by Catherine Rollin
- Solo Flight by Elvina Pearce
- The Rainstorm by Elizabeth Greenleaf
- The Storm and the Rainbow by Nancy Faber
- The Tempest by Faber
Thanks for this list! I’m looking forward to giving it a try with some of my students. I’m broadening my horizons:)
good list!
I like to teach “Gypsy Earrings” by Bret Adams partially by rote. Also “Star of Blanford Alley” which boys love but is difficult to read but fun to play.
You suggest teaching by rote, and your website lists “24 Piano Pieces Perfect for Rote Teaching”. I certainly appreciate that you took the time to develop this list. But I don’t get it. Why teach by rote? How does learning a piece by rote develop skills necessary to aid in learning the next piece of music? Where is the spill-over” impact of learning by rote? Why are some music teachers so concerned with “The product” that they have to “teach” by rote? Why not focus on the process; since a good process will lead to a good product! Please enlighten me…