Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Popular Hits Level 6: Piano Book

Gerou's arrangements balance accessibility with musical substance, allowing Level 6 students to perform recognizable, engaging material without oversimplifying the original songs. The collection spans multiple genres and media—film scores, Broadway, contemporary pop, and video game music—giving you flexibility to match student interests while reinforcing technique learned in the Lesson Book. These pieces motivate practice because students hear themselves playing music they actually want to play.

A mix of infectious energy and emotional sincerity. You hear Broadway sophistication in Little Shop of Horrors and Speechless, the hypnotic grooves of modern pop in Havana and Money, the sweeping orchestral grandeur of Star Wars and Aerith's Theme, and the introspective beauty of film scores like Shallow and Ashokan Farewell. Each piece delivers immediate gratification without sacrificing musical integrity.

Level 6 piano students ready to apply new technique in contemporary contexts and eager to play recognizable songs. Teachers seeking supplementary repertoire that reinforces material from Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Book 6 while maintaining student engagement and motivation.

• Anchor the rhythmic foundation in pieces like Money and Happy Together by establishing a steady pulse before layering melodic ornamentation; the arrangements require clean execution of underlying patterns to land the hook.
• Balance melody and accompaniment in Shallow and Aerith's Theme by allowing the sustained harmonic texture to support rather than overpower the vocal line, especially in slower passages.
• Notice the film and TV music selections (Star Wars, Speechless, 27 Years Later) often use orchestral textures adapted for two hands; shape phrases by treating block chords as harmonic support rather than percussive hits.
• In contemporary pop arrangements like Havana, lock the rhythmic figures first, then refine expression; these pieces depend on consistent groove more than interpretive flexibility.

Assign pieces strategically alongside Lesson Book 6 to reinforce newly learned concepts in a musical context students care about. Include selections in student recitals to showcase how technical study translates into recognizable, performance-ready music. Use the variety of sources to spark student interest in exploring film, theater, and contemporary music beyond their piano studies.

• Playing arranged melodic lines with harmonic accompaniment patterns
• Reading and executing rhythmic figures common in contemporary pop and film music
• Balancing lyrical phrases with supporting accompaniment textures
• Sustaining pulse and groove in up-tempo popular arrangements
• Interpreting dynamic and expressive markings in orchestral reductions for piano