In Tune with Ragtime: Early Intermediate/Intermediate Piano Book

Matz understands that ragtime holds genuine appeal for the pianists at this level. Rather than presenting ragtime as a historical curiosity, she frames these arrangements as genuinely playable pieces that develop real musicianship while keeping students engaged. The inclusion of syncopation exercises alongside the actual rags means students develop the rhythmic precision ragtime demands, making the concert pieces feel earned rather than approximate.

These rags snap with energy and humor. The syncopations create a bouncy, slightly off-balance quality that makes ragtime instantly recognizable and deeply satisfying to perform. There's something irreplaceable about the first moment a student successfully executes a stride bass line while maintaining a syncopated melody; it feels like they've cracked an entirely new code of possibility on the keyboard.

This collection fits early intermediate and intermediate pianists who are ready for something more stylistically specific than generic etudes or simplified classics. Students need basic technique and comfortable sight-reading, but the arrangements meet them where they are rather than demanding advanced hand independence or rapid passage work.

• Work the syncopation exercises before diving into the full arrangements. These focused drills train your hand against the temptation to straighten out the syncopated figures, which is the most common technical hurdle at this level.
• Keep the left hand light and rhythmically precise, especially in the stride patterns. Ragtime demands clarity from the bass line; heaviness will bury the syncopated melody.
• Read the historical notes and composer biographies provided. Understanding the context and era behind each piece gives students genuine interpretive choices rather than leaving them wondering why these rhythms feel so unusual.

Use this as a bridge between classical technique studies and jazz repertoire. The syncopation work here prepares students for swing interpretation and helps them develop rhythmic independence before tackling bebop or more complex jazz voicings. These pieces also work beautifully on recitals pairing period music with American vernacular traditions.

• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms with accuracy
• Stride piano technique and left-hand independence
• Maintaining steady tempo while navigating rhythmic complexity
• Understanding early 20th century American musical styles
• Balancing melodic phrasing with rhythmic precision