Palmer-Hughes Prep Accordion Course, Book 2B: Accordion Book

Palmer's Prep Course distills essential accordion foundations into an age-appropriate format without sacrificing musical substance. The inclusion of "Turn Around Tune" as a Federation Festivals selection means young accordionists can prepare a performance-ready piece while building core technical skills. Teachers appreciate how this book balances structured progression with accessible repertoire that keeps younger students motivated and engaged.

The music progresses from simple folk melodies and hymn-based pieces to more engaging rhythmic patterns and harmonic variety. There's a sense of gentle building momentum, with familiar songs grounding new technical challenges in comfortable musical contexts.

Young accordion students beginning their second year of study will find this book specifically calibrated to their developmental stage. The streamlined format and reinforced concepts make it accessible for players roughly ages 8-12 or equivalent experience level.

• Establish consistent bellows control before tackling the melodies. Palmer's exercises build this foundation systematically, so allow adequate time on each before moving forward.
• Explore the reeds gradually. Young hands benefit from working with limited reed combinations initially, then expanding as coordination develops.
• Pay attention to the coordination between hand and bellows changes. This book addresses the independence required, so practice these transitions slowly and deliberately.

Use "Turn Around Tune" as your Federation Festivals entry or as a recital showcase piece once students have worked through the preceding material. The complete book serves as the primary curriculum resource for a full academic year of accordion study.

• Basic reed and bellows control
• Reading treble clef in extended ranges
• Coordinating right-hand melody with left-hand bass and bellows management
• Recognizing and playing simple harmonic progressions
• Building finger dexterity and independence across the keyboard