Michael Aaron Piano Course: Performance, Grade 3: Piano Book

These Performance books distill Aaron's decades of teaching wisdom into focused, playable repertoire that reinforces exactly what students need at Grade 3. Rather than padding lesson books with filler pieces, Aaron selected works that strengthen the technical and musical priorities of the level while keeping students engaged.

Accessible yet satisfying. These pieces sit comfortably under the hand without shortchanging musicality. Students hear themselves making real progress, not struggling through pieces built for a higher level.

Grade 3 piano students ready to move beyond exercises into purposeful performance repertoire. This book works equally well for private lesson teachers reinforcing their curriculum or classroom music programs introducing students to the Aaron method.

• Return to the original lesson book alongside this performance material; the concepts taught there will illuminate how to shape phrasing and articulation in these pieces.
• Map out hand position shifts before the first rehearsal so students can focus on musicality rather than mechanical logistics.
• Record yourself playing each piece at performance tempo; hearing it whole helps students internalize the arc and timing.

Pair this with the corresponding Grade 3 Lesson book to create a complete unit. Use these pieces in student recitals, informal performances, or as technical warm-ups before tackling more ambitious repertoire.

• Sustained musical phrasing across simple melodic lines
• Consistent tempo and rhythmic accuracy at moderate tempos
• Hand independence between melody and accompaniment patterns
• Basic dynamic contrast and expressive tone production
• Sight-reading fluency with Grade 3 notation and rhythm patterns