Succeeding at the Piano, Recital Book - Grade 4: Piano Book

A curated concert program compressed into one book. You'll move from the formal elegance of a Haydn minuet to the lyricism of Gräfe's Musette, then into the waltzes and contemporary character pieces that keep your fingers engaged and your ears interested.

Grade 4 piano students ready to move beyond pure technique exercises into repertoire that sounds finished and musical. These pieces work equally well for students preparing for recitals, festivals, or competitions, or simply for those who want to play real music.

• Study the "Before Playing" points before touching the keyboard; they frame interpretive choices, not just technical hurdles.
• Record yourself playing through the selections to build listening skills. Hear what you're actually doing versus what you intended.
• Treat the arranged pieces (Tales from the Vienna Woods, Musetta's Waltz) as full concert works, not simplified versions. Shape them with the same care you'd give original compositions.
• Use the variety of styles as a chance to adjust your touch and pedaling approach piece by piece rather than defaulting to one default sound.

Pull selections from this book to anchor different moments in a recital or showcase. A student might open with the Telemann Fantasie, close with a contemporary piece from Kevin Olson or Timothy Brown, and use the arranged waltzes as a bridge between classical and more modern sensibilities. The variety also makes it ideal for festival requirements that specify "contrasting styles."

• Stylistic interpretation across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and contemporary idioms
• Listening discrimination between original compositions and arranged repertoire
• Score analysis through the "Before Playing" framework
• Pedal control and touch adjustment based on compositional context
• Self-evaluation skills using "After Playing" reflection points