Premier Piano Course, Jazz, Rags & Blues 2B: Piano

Mier's approach to the 2B level avoids the trap of oversimplification. These pieces genuinely teach jazz and blues concepts while remaining solidly within the technical reach of early intermediate students, and the duet accompaniments transform solo practice into collaborative music-making that keeps rhythms and harmonies anchored. The page-by-page correlation with Lesson Book 2B means you're not retrofitting supplementary material; you're using a unified curriculum designed to reinforce exactly what students are learning.

The collection balances the tight syncopation of ragtime with the laid-back groove of blues and jazz, creating music that feels fresh and playful rather than academic. These pieces capture the energy and character of the styles they represent while keeping the technical demands reasonable enough that students can focus on tone quality, phrasing, and style rather than fighting the mechanics.

Students working through Level 2B of the Premier Piano Course who benefit from repertoire that reinforces lesson concepts without feeling like drills. Teachers looking for contemporary styles that feel authentic rather than watered down, and students ready to explore jazz and blues idioms within a structured curriculum.

• Feel the swing eighth-note subdivision before playing any jazz piece, even if it's written straight. The difference between reading the notation and hearing the style lives in that internal pulse.
• Have the duet partner establish the harmonic foundation first during early rehearsals. Once that's solid, the student soloist can focus on phrasing and style without worrying the chords will drift.
• Explore the differences between ragtime and jazz rhythmically with your student. Ragtime sits strict and syncopated; jazz breathes around the beat. Playing both styles back-to-back highlights what makes each distinctive.
• Use the Federation selection pieces ('Walkin' Jazz' especially) as performance benchmarks. Preparing for festivals pushes students to refine details they might otherwise overlook.

Assign pieces alongside corresponding Lesson Book 2B pages to reinforce harmonic and rhythmic concepts students are encountering in their written work. The duet accompaniments make these suitable for student recitals, informal performances, or studio classes where ensemble playing strengthens both musicianship and confidence. Federation festival selections provide natural performance goals within the school year.

• Swing eighth-note articulation and interpretation
• Syncopated rhythmic reading across multiple jazz and ragtime styles
• Blues scale passages and improvisational thinking
• Accompanying awareness and listening to a duet partner
• Tempo control in moderate jazz and boogie-woogie contexts
• Pedal use for sustain and color in jazz voicings