Guild Repertoire: Piano Music Appropriate for the Auditions of the National Guild of Piano Teachers, Intermediate B: Piano Book

A journey through centuries of keyboard writing, from the dance-like clarity of Baroque minuets to the lyric warmth of 19th-century character pieces and the lean modernity of early 20th-century works. Each piece has its own voice, yet together they form a coherent picture of what pianists at this level can accomplish.

Intermediate B pianists preparing for National Guild auditions, or students working through a structured progression who need repertoire that spans multiple style periods and composers. This collection serves both competitive and non-competitive students who benefit from having carefully vetted, grade-appropriate selections at their fingertips.

• Approach the Bach minuets and Krieger Bourée with attention to voice independence; these pieces reward clarity of texture and clean articulation.
• Use the sonatinas to establish and reinforce two-part form awareness; mark the repeat points and key areas before deep practice.
• Balance the weight in pieces like Shostakovich's Dolls' Gavotte and Kabalevsky's Toccatina so rhythmic precision doesn't sound mechanical.
• In romantic selections such as Spinning Song and Gypsies, let the melodic contour guide your phrasing rather than relying on pedal alone.

Assign pieces from this book as students progress through their Guild season, selecting works that complement their technical growth. You might open a student recital with a Bach minuet, build toward a sonatina midway through, and close with a contemporary piece like Kabalevsky's Toccatina to showcase range.

• baroque ornamentation and articulation (minuets and bourée)
• two-part form recognition and execution
• hand independence in contrapuntal textures
• pedal control and dynamic shaping in romantic-era works
• sight-reading facility across multiple style periods
• tempo stability and rhythmic precision in character pieces