Improvisation at the Piano: A Systematic Approach for the Classically Trained Pianist: Piano

This book bridges a real gap in piano pedagogy by treating improvisation as a legitimate discipline rather than an intuitive afterthought. Chung respects the classical training your students already possess, building on their theory knowledge and technical foundation rather than asking them to start from scratch. The 450+ music examples mean you can assign concepts with confidence, knowing students have concrete models to learn from and imitate.

Systematic and encouraging. Rather than throwing concepts at you all at once, this text builds methodically from foundational ideas toward sophisticated improvisational thinking. The 450+ examples make each idea concrete and playable right away, creating a sense of tangible progress rather than abstract theory.

Classically trained pianists who have solid music theory knowledge and technical facility but have never explored improvisation. Teachers looking for a systematic, comprehensive resource that respects their students' classical background while opening entirely new musical possibilities. Piano students interested in jazz or seeking to develop musicianship beyond the repertoire tradition.

• Work through the examples aloud at the piano before assigning them. Your familiarity with the material will help you diagnose where students struggle and which concepts need reinforcement.
• Assign the jazz chapters strategically. Students don't need to complete the entire text before exploring jazz concepts; these chapters work as a standalone introduction when your student shows genuine interest in that idiom.
• Use the online lesson plans and FAQ section on the companion website. Chung has already anticipated common teaching questions and misconceptions, saving you preparation time.
• Have students document their improvisations (recording or notation) as they progress. The step-by-step structure creates natural checkpoints where comparing early attempts to later ones demonstrates genuine growth.

Integrate this into your music theory or musicianship curriculum as a capstone unit that synthesizes harmonic knowledge into real-time musical thinking. For student pianists preparing for college auditions or performances, the jazz chapters offer a distinct repertoire category that showcases versatility. Use it as independent study material for advanced students ready to deepen their connection to the instrument beyond classical scores.

• Harmonic improvisation grounded in classical music theory
• Real-time melodic construction and development
• Style-specific improvisation in jazz contexts
• Reharmonization and harmonic substitution
• Spontaneous musical decision-making under structural constraints
• Application of classical technique to free compositional thinking