Bravissimo!, Book 1: Piano Book

These solos sparkle with accessibility. The writing sits naturally under young hands while keeping the ear engaged with unexpected harmonic turns and melodic shapes that feel fresh rather than recycled.

Elementary pianists who've moved beyond primer-level repertoire and are ready for pieces with musical personality. Teachers building recital programs want material that balances technical accessibility with genuine musicality.

• Prepare students to sustain longer phrases by mapping out the breathing points, even though they're working with fingers rather than lungs.
• When a teacher accompaniment is available, use it in rehearsal to anchor the student's sense of tempo and texture, then gradually shift to independence.
• For Children at Play, help students understand how the three movements connect thematically so transitions feel intentional rather than like separate pieces.

Pull individual solos for student recitals throughout the year, or feature Children at Play as a substantial multi-movement anchor piece on a spring concert. The teacher accompaniments also make these excellent candidates for studio showcases where you want to collaborate with your students.

• Sustaining longer musical lines over varied phrase lengths
• Reading and executing dynamic expression markings in context
• Maintaining rhythmic steadiness across changes in texture
• Interpreting tempo and articulation choices as musical choices, not mechanical rules