Premier Piano Course, Lesson 4: Piano Book

Alexander and his co-authors have crafted a level that balances genuine musical content with accessible technique. The mix of jazz, ragtime, and classical repertoire keeps students engaged while the carefully sequenced introduction of minor scales, arpeggios, and chord inversions builds understanding rather than overwhelming. This is exactly what Level 4 students need: substantial pieces that feel rewarding to learn and perform.

The music sparkles with variety. One moment you're swinging a jazz number with energetic rhythms, the next you're exploring the reflective quality of a minor key. The blend of styles creates a sense of discovery, and the introduction of more sophisticated harmonic concepts opens new expressive possibilities without sacrificing the fun of playing.

Level 4 piano students ready to expand their harmonic vocabulary and rhythmic independence. This book serves students roughly in their third year of piano study who can read both clefs and are developing musicality alongside technical skills.

• Approach the triplet figures with even spacing; many students rush the third note. Tap the rhythm separately before adding it to the melody.
• Work the sixteenth note passages slowly, allowing the hand to settle into the faster motion. Speed comes after accuracy and comfort.
• When learning the arpeggios, map out the hand shape before playing. Visualizing the chord and its inversions helps with fluency and prevents fumbling.
• Use the TNT recordings available at alfred.com/ppcdownloads to hear a performance model, but develop your own tempo and phrasing through careful practice.

Use this book as the primary repertoire for students in their intermediate stage of private study or group piano class. The pieces work beautifully for student recitals, offering enough variety that a teacher can program two or three selections from a single student's practice without repetition of musical style. The jazz and ragtime selections make effective recital openers that engage audiences immediately.

• Reading and executing triplets and sixteenth note patterns
• Constructing and recognizing natural and harmonic minor scales, one octave
• Playing one-octave arpeggios from chord roots
• Understanding and playing chord inversions (root position, first inversion, second inversion)
• Developing independence between hands in jazzy and syncopated rhythms
• Interpreting musical styles ranging from classical to jazz and ragtime