Piano Progress, Book 1: Piano Book

This book refuses the false choice between pedagogy and artistry. By assembling repertoire from Bach through Bartók within a single graded sequence, Waterman and Harewood give students real music to play while building solid foundations in technique and reading. The carefully curated diversity means every student finds something that resonates with their musical taste, and teachers see progress reflected in repertoire that actually matters.

Opening these pages, you encounter music that speaks immediately to the ear despite its technical simplicity. The selections span centuries and styles without feeling scattered; instead, each piece invites genuine musicmaking while consolidating what technique studies teach elsewhere. There's a sense of discovery as pieces gradually become more expressive and pianistically idiomatic.

Early-stage piano students working through their first year or two of study, whether in private lessons or group settings. This book serves students aged 6 and up who have basic note-reading skills and are ready to move beyond isolated exercises into real repertoire.

• Approach the Bach and Classical pieces with attention to voice independence and clarity; even simple arrangements benefit from listening to each hand as a separate musical line
• With pieces by Romantic and modern composers, let the harmonic color and character guide your interpretation rather than defaulting to metronome-driven evenness
• Use the graded progression intentionally: revisit earlier pieces after learning new ones to notice how your understanding of phrasing and control has deepened

Anchor your early-stage curriculum with this book as your primary repertoire source. The graded structure means students build a solid library of pieces suited to recitals, studio milestones, and informal performance throughout their first two years. Pair it with a dedicated technique or studies resource to address specific mechanical needs while keeping the music front and center.

• Reading treble and bass clefs with increasing fluency
• Recognizing harmonic progressions and cadential patterns across different eras
• Pedaling control and harmonic resonance (introduced gradually as pieces demand it)
• Phrasing and interpretation across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and modern idioms
• Hand independence and coordination in simple polyphonic writing
• Tempo control and evenness in both hands across varied rhythmic patterns