Back in 2016 I first heard from Juan Cabeza when he had just published his book Piano Train Trips. We tried to work out a way for me to access it digitally, but somehow between technical difficulties and me being in the throes of parenting and homeschooling four teenagers and barely keeping my head “above water,” it slipped through the cracks and thus out of mind for me. Well, I recently came across his Piano Notebook 1 and it jogged my memory (and made me wish I had followed up 9 years ago!).
As you can see, the collection is subtitled, “24 eight measure five-finger position pieces in all keys.” Reminds me of William Gillock’s 24 Lyric Preludes, and these are every bit as delightful! I’m truly amazed at how much musical artistry Juan Cabeza can pack into eight measures using just the notes of each pentascale. I have several students in mind that I’m planning to have work through these this year. They are excellent for multi-key reading, transposing, musical expression, and more.
I also revisited Juan’s book, Piano Train Trips, and purchased a copy of it as well (his prices are extremely reasonable for studio licensed copies that you can download, print, and use with all your students!). This compilation of 18 Etudes is highly patterned – perfect for rote teaching and focusing on specific musical and technical concepts. Plus, they are fun to play! [Click here to take a peek inside.]
Be sure to check out Juan’s YouTube Channel for videos highlighting both of these books and some of his other music as well!
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