A Perfect 10, Book 1: Piano Book

This collection demonstrates exactly what elementary-level repertoire should do: offer genuine musical substance alongside accessible technical demands. Bober pairs a teaching piece from each major stylistic period with six original compositions across recognizable styles (jazz, blues, ragtime, Latin, ballad, and showstopper), giving students context and variety without overwhelming them. The pieces featured in Festival competitions have proven their worth in the field.

Opening this book feels like stepping into a musical gallery with 10 distinct rooms. You might encounter the structured elegance of a Classical march, then slip into the soulful bent notes of blues, then dance across Spanish rhythms. Each piece has its own mood and personality, yet all speak to an elementary pianist with clarity and encouragement.

Elementary and late elementary pianists ready to explore multiple musical styles within one cohesive collection. Students benefit from having exposure to Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary repertoire alongside jazz, blues, and other vernacular idioms, all matched to their technical level.

• Examine the rhythmic character of each style before diving into note-reading. Blues and ragtime have distinctive swing patterns; spending two minutes tapping the rhythm alone builds genuine fluency.
• Approach the dynamics and articulation markings as essential to the piece's identity, not decorative details. A blues needs crisp staccato; a ballad needs legato singing tone. These elements define the style.
• Use the collections of pieces in the same stylistic family (the two blues pieces, for instance) as opportunities to compare interpretive choices and discover what makes each composition individual.

Pair these solos with traditional literature recitals to create programming that reflects the breadth of piano music students actually encounter. Individual pieces work beautifully in festivals, student showcases, and informal performances. Teachers can also program one or two pieces each year, rotating through the collection across multiple students to build a recognizable "A Perfect 10" identity in the studio.

• Reading across multiple keys and time signatures
• Performing stylistically distinct articulation and phrasing (legato, staccato, swing rhythms)
• Dynamic control and expressive gradations within the harmonic language of each style
• Understanding form through theme and variation in contemporary and traditional styles
• Interpreting modal and jazz harmony at an accessible level
• Rhythmic accuracy in syncopated patterns (blues, ragtime, Latin)