Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Top Hits! Solo Book 2: Piano Book

This collection taps into repertoire students already love, turning practice sessions into something they actually want to do. The arrangements respect the integrity of each tune while staying true to Level 2 technique, so students hear the real song, not a skeleton of it.

Warmth, familiarity, and the thrill of recognizing a beloved melody under your own hands. These arrangements celebrate the charm of their source material while inviting pianists to discover how much musicality lives in Level 2 technique.

Students at Level 2 who need motivation to keep practicing and benefit from playing music they recognize from film and television. Teachers looking for repertoire that bridges the gap between method book exercises and genuine performance experiences.

• Balance the melody line so it sings over the accompaniment, especially in the left hand parts that fill out the harmony.
• Take time with the tempo markings provided; these songs benefit from a steady, deliberate pace that lets the tune breathe rather than rushing through.
• Pay attention to dynamic markings and use them to shape phrases, which gives familiar melodies fresh character on the piano.
• Separate your hand practice strategically, especially for pieces with independent rhythms between the hands, then layer them back together gradually.

Feature individual selections in student recitals where the audience will hum along, or build a short thematic program around film and television music. These pieces also work well as supplementary repertoire throughout the year when a student needs encouragement or a change of pace from their method book.

• Playing melodies with consistent phrasing across both hands
• Reading and executing dynamic markings to shape musical lines
• Coordinating independent rhythmic patterns between hands
• Maintaining steady tempo while managing moderate hand positions
• Interpreting familiar melodies expressively rather than mechanically