Improve Your Sight-Reading! Piano, Level 5 (New Edition): Piano Book

This book transforms sight-reading from a source of anxiety into a learnable skill through its diagnostic structure. Rather than throwing unprepared pieces at students, Harris builds confidence through rhythmic and melodic preparation, guided analysis, and only then the actual test. Your students will see measurable progress because the checkboxes create visible momentum.

Intermediate pianists who recognize their sight-reading skills lag behind their technical ability. This workbook works equally well for solo pianists building independence and for accompanists or ensemble players who need fluency under pressure.

• Work the rhythmic exercises first without worrying about pitch. Lock the rhythm patterns into muscle memory before introducing melodic content.
• Have students answer the associated questions actively. This forces them to look ahead and plan rather than reacting passively to what appears on the page.
• Use the prepared pieces as teaching moments, not just warm-ups. Ask students to identify the specific problems Harris highlights before they play.
• Time the unprepared sight-reading tests consistently. Set a timer and treat them like actual performance conditions to build authentic confidence.

Assign one unit per week throughout the year as a supplement to your regular lesson sequence. The structured progression means students can work through it independently between lessons, leaving more lesson time for repertoire work while building the foundational skill every pianist needs.

• Rhythmic pattern recognition and execution before melodic reading
• Predictive planning (scanning ahead to anticipate technical challenges)
• Decoding mixed rhythmic figures in context
• Melodic interval recognition and sight-singing application
• Managing performance anxiety through systematic preparation
• Analyzing score layout and hand position changes before playing