Anyone who’s been around here for a while knows that I’m a huge fan of Carnival of the Animals. I’ve used it as the theme for a regular summer piano camp for my students and also for the Piano Expeditions piano camp – To France with Saint-Saëns and His Carnival. Even before that, I used […]
Repertoire Suggestions
Review of Extreme Heterophony by John Pitts
When composer John Pitts contacted me about reviewing his newest book, Extreme Heterophony: a study in javanese gamelan, I was intrigued for two reasons. Not, mind you, because I had any idea what it was about! But because, firstly, there has been an increased effort in the music education community to explore more diversity in […]
New Deck the Halls Christmas Piano Duet
Looking for a quick, fun, lively Christmas piano duet for a couple of students? This page and a half elementary piano duet of Deck the Halls sports a catchy intro, then shares the melody equally between both parts, concluding with a return to the theme from the intro. Simple to learn and fun to play!
Mary Did You Know Christmas Duet Arrangement Available
Thanks to the ArrangeMe publishing platform, another duet that my students and I have enjoyed playing for many years is now available! Mary, Did You Know? is a beautiful Christmas song that was written by Mark Lowry as series of questions to Mary as the mother of Jesus. Several of my students over the years […]
New O Holy Night Early Intermediate Piano Duet
In the process of going through and decluttering my music files, I came across folders full of various arrangements I’ve written for students over the years. They were inspired by specific students who had favorite pieces they wanted to play – often for our big Christmas recital – and/or combinations of students, levels, and instruments […]
Pre-Order Jane Magrath’s New Book – Piano Literature for Teaching and Performance
When I first began teaching piano over 20 years ago, one of the first books that landed on my shelf of must-have piano teaching reference material was Jane Magrath’s Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature. It was my go-to as students moved into intermediate level playing and I wanted to be sure to […]
