Designed for students in Levels 1 and 2, this delightful book includes 10 arrangements of favorite Hymns, Spirituals and Sunday School songs. Pieces are in pre-reading notation and include a duet accompaniment part for a parent or teacher. Titles: Amazing Grace * Deep and Wide * Do, Lord * For the Beauty of the Earth * I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy * Jesus Loves Me * Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow * Rise and Shine * Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus * This Little Light of Mine.
Discover MakeMusic Cloud: thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Christine H. Barden shaped early childhood music pedagogy as a core architect of Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts method and continues to influence how young pianists begin their journey. Based in Reno, Nevada, she maintains a thriving independent studio where her students regularly earn recognition in piano performance and composition, while she also directs Music for Little Mozarts preschool classes that introduce the youngest learners to the keyboard.
Her credentials span continents and decades. A San Francisco State University piano graduate who studied with Vladimir Brenner (pianist for the NBC Symphony Orchestra), Barden spent four years in Europe developing her craft before becoming one of the first American teachers to train with Yamaha Music Foundation instructors in Japan. She then served 17 years as a national staff member with Yamaha, directing curriculum and serving as National Chief Instructor for their music education system. Her workshop presentations at major conferences across the United States, England, Norway, and Singapore have shaped countless teachers' approaches to young learner instruction.
Why we love this
These arrangements strike the balance young students need: recognizable melodies that connect to spiritual traditions, notation that doesn't overwhelm emerging readers, and built-in duet parts that transform practice into a shared musical experience. The choice of repertoire spans well-known hymns, African American spirituals, and Sunday school songs, giving families and studios actual content for early sacred music repertoire that's often hard to find at this level.
What to expect
Warm, familiar, and gently ceremonial. These songs carry the comfort of tradition while remaining joyful and accessible to small hands still finding their way around the keyboard. There's a sweetness here, both in the melodies themselves and in the intimate picture of a young student and adult making music together.
Who it's for
Families and studios working with Level 1 and 2 piano students who want to add meaningful, recognizable songs to their early repertoire. Homeschool parents seeking sacred music content for young pianists will find immediate usability here, since the pre-reading notation removes barriers while the duet structure creates opportunity for meaningful collaboration.
How to get the most out of it
Keep the parent/teacher accompaniment part steady and unhurried; the student part will feel supported and secure when the foundation feels grounded
Encourage students to sing the melody while playing to strengthen the connection between voice and keyboard
Work through the duet slowly at first, then gradually find a tempo where both parts can speak clearly without rushing ahead
How to use it
Slot these pieces into a service or family concert where young pianists can perform recognizable sacred music without the technical demands that typically accompany church repertoire. They also work beautifully as cumulative repertoire throughout a semester, with each new song building confidence in navigating different melodic shapes and teaching familiar text through melody.
Skills your students will build
Reading pre-notation symbols accurately
Playing right and left hand parts that move independently
Ensemble awareness and listening while performing the duet part
Connecting text and melody in sacred contexts
Building confidence with repertoire rooted in recognizable cultural and spiritual traditions
You May Also Like
Scan to Complete Your Purchase
Use your phone's camera to scan the code below
You'll log in on your phone and the order will be added to your account
