Museum Masterpieces, Book 1: Piano Book

Name: Museum Masterpieces, Book 1: Piano Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-42745
Price: 10.99 USD
Availability: InStock

10 Piano Solos Inspired by Great Works of Art

By Catherine Rollin

Level: Early Intermediate

Item: 00-42745

$10.99

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In Museum Masterpieces, Book 1, composer Catherine Rollin has created musical expressions of some of the great works of art found in museums throughout the world. The paintings that inspired these pieces are beautifully displayed on a four-page color insert at the center of the book, along with historical notes about each painting. Titles: American Gothic (Grant Wood) * Black Square and Red Square (Kazimir Malevich) * Carmencita (William Merritt Chase) * A Dash for the Timber (Frederic Remington) * L'étoile (The Star) (Edgar Degas) * Le fifre (The Fife Player) (Édouard Manet) * Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci) * The Nut Gatherers (William-Adolphe Bouguereau) * Reeds and Cranes (Suzuki Kiitsu) * Senecio (Paul Klee). A Federation Festivals 2024-2028 selection.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Museum Masterpieces, Book 1: Piano Book comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Museum Masterpieces

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 28

ISBN10: 1-4706-1542-8

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-1542-0

UPC: 038081483184

SKU: 00-42745

More about this title

About the Composer: Catherine Rollin

Catherine Rollin balances an active composing career with mentoring students who have earned recognition at the festival and competition level. She holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree with distinction from the University of Michigan and a master of Music degree from Oakland University School of Performing Arts, and has presented workshops and masterclasses in more than 200 cities across the United States, Canada, Japan, and Taiwan.

Rollin's compositions have earned commissions from Clavier Companion magazine, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the Michigan Music Teachers Association. Her work has been featured in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festivals Bulletin, and she has served as a judge for both the MTNA Student Composition Competition and the Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Contest. Among her most recognized achievements is the ASCAP award-winning Museum Masterpieces series, which was highlighted in a multimedia concert presentation by the Steinway Society in 2018.

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Why we love this

Each piece in this collection invites students into a real conversation with visual art, transforming paintings into sound. The color insert with historical context transforms what could be rote repertoire into genuine musical storytelling, making these pieces memorable enough that students will practice them without reluctance.

What to expect

The collection moves between intimate character pieces and broader narrative gestures, each rooted in the mood and movement of its source painting. Some pieces shimmer with delicate impressionism; others pulse with drama or quirky personality, always anchored to the visual world that inspired them.

Who it's for

Early intermediate pianists who respond to program music and benefit from visual inspiration. These pieces work well for students preparing for festival competitions, recital performances, or simply looking for repertoire that connects music to broader artistic expression.

How to get the most out of it

Study the painting and historical notes before touching the keyboard. Let the imagery guide your interpretation of tempo, dynamics, and phrasing rather than treating the score as abstract notation.
Listen for moments where Rollin mirrors the composition or movement of each painting through her harmonic choices and voice leading. These connections reward careful listening and strengthen interpretive choices.
Pay attention to the texture and orchestration implied in the piano writing. Each piece asks the pianist to balance melody, accompaniment, and harmonic color in ways that reflect the visual balance of its source artwork.

How to use it

The connected theme of art and music makes this collection natural for interdisciplinary programs or recitals with a curatorial angle. You might also draw individual pieces for student recitals, pairing them with brief program notes that invite the audience to see as well as hear.

Skills your students will build

Translating visual imagery into musical phrasing and interpretation
Balance between melody and accompaniment figuration in early intermediate repertoire
Pedal control for creating sustained harmonic color and texture
Reading and performing program music with stylistic awareness
Developing interpretive choices informed by musical context rather than technical habit