Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Adult Courses

About This Collection

Description

Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course is the standard method for adult learners beginning piano. Willard A. Palmer's Adult All-in-One series integrates lessons, theory, technique, and sight-reading into one book, making it the most straightforward path from no experience to playing real music. Teachers rely on these books because adults appreciate the direct, efficient approach and the flexibility to choose between the classic lesson book format or the combined all-in-one volumes. The collection spans three levels and includes supplementary titles like Popular Hits and All-Time Favorites for variety.

Highlights

Teachers keep coming back to Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course, Book 1 in all its formats (wire-o, comb bound, with CD, with DVD). Palmer's Adult Piano Course Lesson Books 1 and 2 remain the foundation for countless adult students. For teachers looking to add repertoire outside the core method, Dennis Alexander's All-Time Favorites Book 1 and Tom Gerou's Popular Hits, Level 1 give adult learners songs they actually want to play.

Recently added

Willard A. Palmer's Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book 3 is now available as a digital audio download, extending the core method to advanced beginner level.

Composer & Author Spotlight

Willard A. Palmer authored the Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Library and wrote nearly 800 published works across piano methods, solo pieces, and choral arrangements. His pedagogical approach balances musicianship with practical, accessible instruction. Palmer was also a renowned scholar and longtime choir director, bringing both academic rigor and teaching experience to his method books.

Amanda Vick Lethco co-authored the entire Alfred's Basic Piano Library with Palmer and Morton Manus. She studied with major figures at Juilliard, the Chicago Musical College, and Columbia University, and later became Professor Emeritus of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin. Her work shaped how millions of adult students experience learning the piano.

Dennis Alexander has created over 400 publications with Alfred since 1986 and is recognized internationally as one of the most prolific composers of educational piano music. His All-Time Favorites arrangements appear in this collection and throughout Alfred's catalog, and he brings 24 years of university-level piano pedagogy experience to his composing.

Tom Gerou is known for his arrangements across Alfred's popular collections, from Pop and Broadway to Patriotic Solos. His output as a composer and author spans 160 publications, including reference works on music notation and orchestration, making him a versatile voice for both supplementary repertoire and educational resources.