Alfred's Basic Piano: Chord Approach Lesson Book 2: Piano Book
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Alfred's Basic Piano: Chord Approach Lesson Book 2: Piano Book
A Piano Method for the Later Beginner
By Willard A. Palmer, Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick Lethco
Level: 2
Item: 00-2645
$8.99
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Description
This series introduces chords more quickly than in the regular Alfred's Basic Piano Library. It is perfect for students age 10 and up whose hands are strong enough to play 3-note chords. By combining intervallic reading with chord playing, students are able to enjoy playing fuller and more interesting songs and melodies.
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About the Authors
Dr. Willard Palmer was an internationally celebrated musician, educator, and scholar who created an extraordinary body of work spanning multiple instruments and genres. His prolific output included 789 published compositions, among them methods for piano, accordion, guitar, and Hammond Chord Organ, along with numerous solo pieces and choral arrangements. Many of his works have been translated into German, Japanese, French, Dutch, and Spanish, reflecting their widespread adoption worldwide.
Palmer's distinguished career was built on a foundation of early musical achievement. He demonstrated exceptional talent as a child prodigy, performing piano on the radio at age 13 under the mentorship of Mae Vardeman, whose instruction in proper technique and improvisation proved formative. He pursued higher education at Whitworth College and Millsaps College, completing his Bachelor's degree before earning a prestigious two-year scholarship to study at the Conservatory of Leipzig in Germany. At the University of Houston, where he completed post-graduate studies and later joined the faculty, Palmer established the first successful college accordion program, teaching there for 18 years.
In his later years, Palmer earned recognition as a leading authority on Baroque music ornamentation and Classical performance practices, work that became the foundation for the acclaimed Alfred Masterworks series. He received a Doctor of Humanities degree in 1971 and a Doctor of Music degree in 1983 in recognition of his scholarly contributions. Beyond his teaching and compositional work, Palmer served as director of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute and held membership in the American Federation of Musicians (Local #65), the American Accordionists' Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He was also the longtime choir director at Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas.
Palmer's distinguished career was built on a foundation of early musical achievement. He demonstrated exceptional talent as a child prodigy, performing piano on the radio at age 13 under the mentorship of Mae Vardeman, whose instruction in proper technique and improvisation proved formative. He pursued higher education at Whitworth College and Millsaps College, completing his Bachelor's degree before earning a prestigious two-year scholarship to study at the Conservatory of Leipzig in Germany. At the University of Houston, where he completed post-graduate studies and later joined the faculty, Palmer established the first successful college accordion program, teaching there for 18 years.
In his later years, Palmer earned recognition as a leading authority on Baroque music ornamentation and Classical performance practices, work that became the foundation for the acclaimed Alfred Masterworks series. He received a Doctor of Humanities degree in 1971 and a Doctor of Music degree in 1983 in recognition of his scholarly contributions. Beyond his teaching and compositional work, Palmer served as director of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute and held membership in the American Federation of Musicians (Local #65), the American Accordionists' Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He was also the longtime choir director at Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas.
Morton Manus served as president of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. throughout his leadership from 1952 to 2016. His father, Sam Manus, established the company's foundation in 1922 as Manus Music on New York's Tin Pan Alley, initially focused on popular sheet music. Sam later acquired Alfred & Company in 1930 and merged the operations under the Alfred Music name. A trained clarinetist and pianist with a business degree from City College of New York, Morton joined the company in the late 1940s and gradually assumed leadership responsibilities.
Under Morton's direction, Alfred Music transformed from a sheet music publisher into a comprehensive music education powerhouse. He spearheaded the creation of instructional materials across multiple instruments, beginning with accordion instruction books and expanding to include guitar, piano, and recorder methods. The company's growth prompted a major relocation in 1975, moving headquarters to Los Angeles while establishing a distribution center in upstate New York. By the early 2000s, Alfred Music had grown to include international offices in Australia, Germany, Singapore, and the UK.
Morton's sons continued the family legacy by joining the business. Ron arrived in 1988 and Steve in 1992, both contributing to further expansion and development of the company's educational and performance catalog. In 2005, Alfred Music acquired Warner Bros. Publications, gaining access to significant music rights and strengthening its position as an industry leader.
Under Morton's direction, Alfred Music transformed from a sheet music publisher into a comprehensive music education powerhouse. He spearheaded the creation of instructional materials across multiple instruments, beginning with accordion instruction books and expanding to include guitar, piano, and recorder methods. The company's growth prompted a major relocation in 1975, moving headquarters to Los Angeles while establishing a distribution center in upstate New York. By the early 2000s, Alfred Music had grown to include international offices in Australia, Germany, Singapore, and the UK.
Morton's sons continued the family legacy by joining the business. Ron arrived in 1988 and Steve in 1992, both contributing to further expansion and development of the company's educational and performance catalog. In 2005, Alfred Music acquired Warner Bros. Publications, gaining access to significant music rights and strengthening its position as an industry leader.
Dr. Amanda Vick Lethco is best known as co-author of Alfred's Basic Piano Library, the internationally acclaimed piano method created with Dr. Willard Palmer and Morton Manus. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Bachelor of Music Education from Northwestern University, along with a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the same institution. Her advanced training included study at Juilliard under James Friskin, at Chicago Musical College with Rudolph Ganz, at Columbia University with Douglas Moore, and privately in Houston with Ruth Barr.
Throughout her career, Dr. Lethco served as Professor Emeritus of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin and received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Whitworth College in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Beyond her pioneering work on Alfred's Basic Piano Library, she collaborated with Dr. Willard Palmer to co-author Creating Music at the Piano. Her professional recognition includes listings in the International Who's Who of Musicians and the World Who's Who of Women.
Dr. Lethco maintained an active presence as a performer, clinician, and educator for decades. She presented recitals across the United States, conducted workshops at numerous colleges and universities, and served as a clinician at many conventions nationwide. Her influence extended internationally through workshops and presentations in Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and Indonesia. She also maintained private teaching studios in New York City, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.
Throughout her career, Dr. Lethco served as Professor Emeritus of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin and received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Whitworth College in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Beyond her pioneering work on Alfred's Basic Piano Library, she collaborated with Dr. Willard Palmer to co-author Creating Music at the Piano. Her professional recognition includes listings in the International Who's Who of Musicians and the World Who's Who of Women.
Dr. Lethco maintained an active presence as a performer, clinician, and educator for decades. She presented recitals across the United States, conducted workshops at numerous colleges and universities, and served as a clinician at many conventions nationwide. Her influence extended internationally through workshops and presentations in Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and Indonesia. She also maintained private teaching studios in New York City, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.