FUNdamental Musicianship Skills, Elementary Level D: Piano Book

Montgomery writes musicianship exercises that students actually want to complete. The book balances skill-building rigor with genuinely enjoyable activities, making the National Guild of Piano Teachers preparation process feel purposeful rather than tedious. The logical phase-based organization means you can assign exactly what your students need without sorting through unnecessary material.

The exercises feel achievable rather than punitive. There is playfulness in the page design and in Montgomery's approach to repetition, so students stay engaged as they master foundational keyboard skills. The progression from familiar five-finger work into transposition and improvisation maintains curiosity throughout.

This book serves elementary pianists preparing for National Guild auditions and exams, as well as any young player who needs systematic work in scales, transposition, and sightreading. It works equally well for students in private studios and group piano classes who are ready for structured musicianship beyond basic technique.

• Work through the five-finger pattern exercises before moving into transposition tasks; students who solidify hand position and finger independence will transpose with greater confidence and accuracy.
• Use the practice suggestions in each section to help students pace their work across the week rather than cramming, which builds retention and reduces frustration.
• Pair the ear training exercises with your own playing so students hear the sounds before attempting to identify them on the page.
• Have students tackle sightreading exercises in short bursts during warm-up rather than as standalone work; the cumulative exposure builds fluency faster than weekly drills.

Assign this sequentially as the core musicianship resource for students at Level D of your studio curriculum. The 32-page length and logical phase organization makes it ideal for assigning one section per lesson or every other lesson, creating a steady foundation that supports repertoire learning without overwhelming practice schedules.

• Five-finger pattern navigation on the keyboard
• Scale reading and performance across multiple keys
• Sightreading accuracy and fluency
• Ear training (interval and chord identification implied by ear training focus)
• Transposition of melodies and phrases
• Keyboard awareness and finger independence