With this book on the interval approach to reading, Frances Clark laid the foundation for the series of comprehensive musicianship publications for which she is renowned. All the ideas are here in embryo: reading by direction and interval, keeping eyes on the score and not looking at the keys, solidifying learning through written work.
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Frances Clark revolutionized piano pedagogy by building systematic, thoughtful curricula grounded in musicianship rather than rote memorization. Her teaching philosophy emphasized understanding intervals and directional reading as foundational skills, allowing students to read music with independence and confidence from their earliest lessons.
Why we love this
This workbook captures Clark's signature approach before it became the template for dozens of publications: interval-based reading paired with deliberate written reinforcement. Teachers return to this slim volume because it works. Students internalize directional relationships and interval shapes through actual musical thinking, not arbitrary finger patterns.
What to expect
Methodical and clear. The pages move at a deliberate pace, building confidence in small, verifiable steps. Nothing feels rushed or mysterious; each exercise reveals a musical principle that students can apply immediately.
Who it's for
Beginning pianists (typically ages 6+) who benefit from explicit interval instruction and those who need remedial work in score literacy. Teachers seeking a compact, purposeful supplement that aligns with Clark's Music Tree method or similar interval-based curricula will find this essential.
How to get the most out of it
Require students to trace interval contours in the air before playing any passage. This kinesthetic step locks the shape into muscle memory and strengthens the eye-score connection.
Pause frequently to ask students to identify intervals by name before moving forward. Naming precedes secure reading.
Keep hands visible throughout all exercises. The discipline of not glancing down at the keyboard transfers immediately to repertoire study.
Use the written exercises not as busywork but as active verification. If a student struggles with a written interval exercise, replay the corresponding musical passage together.
How to use it
Integrate this into the first year of piano study as a concurrent workbook alongside early method books, or deploy it as a targeted intervention for students whose note reading lags behind their technical progress. The 32 pages move quickly enough to complete within a semester.
Skills your students will build
Reading intervals by direction and shape rather than absolute letter names
Connecting visual score symbols to physical key relationships
Strengthening eye-to-score coordination without keyboard visualization
Writing and identifying intervals in treble and bass clefs
Building orthographic awareness through guided written exercises
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