Premier Piano Course: Supplementary Books

Teachers return regularly to Dennis Alexander's Christmas books, particularly the 1B and 2A levels, which combine seasonal appeal with solid pedagogical progression. The Notespeller series by Gayle Kowalchyk is equally essential for reinforcing note identification at the earliest levels. Pop and Movie Hits arrangements at levels 1B and 2A give students familiar songs to play as they develop their skills.

Dennis Alexander has written over 400 publications for Alfred Music and built an international reputation as one of the most prolific composers of educational piano music. His work spans all student levels, and his Christmas and Pop and Movie Hits books in this collection are widely adopted by teachers.

Gayle Kowalchyk brings deep pedagogical expertise from her teaching at California State University, Northridge and her doctoral training in piano pedagogy at Columbia University. Her Notespeller books in this series directly support the foundational music reading skills students need at the earliest levels.

Victoria McArthur was Program Director of Piano Pedagogy at Florida State University and served as Keyboard Editor for Alfred Music Publishing. She co-authored the Premier Piano Course itself, giving her a direct hand in shaping how these supplementary materials fit into the larger method.

Carol Matz has published over 300 titles as composer, author, and arranger, drawing on her own classroom experience teaching piano. Her Famous and Fun series is well known among teachers, and her work throughout the Premier Piano Course supplements reflects a practical understanding of what students and teachers actually need.