Suzuki Piano School New International Edition Piano Book and CD, Volume 1: Piano Book & CD

The newly recorded performances by Seizo Azuma transform what could be rote repetition into genuine musicianship. Teachers report that students listen more intently and internalize phrasing and tone quality far more readily when they hear a professional pianist model each piece. The spacious new engraving, with one piece per page and clearly marked tempos, makes the transition from listening to practicing seamless.

The pieces move from the familiarity of folk melodies and beloved songs into small character pieces that hint at the wider piano repertoire ahead. The musical landscape expands gradually, with each new selection building hand independence and encouraging students to hear music beyond simple melody.

This book is designed for absolute beginners and early elementary pianists starting the Suzuki journey. Parents and teachers implementing the Suzuki method will find the multilingual text (English, French, German, and Spanish) particularly valuable in diverse teaching contexts and international settings.

• Listen to Azuma's recording all the way through before beginning to learn a new piece, then revisit specific measures as you work through the written studies
• Match the tempo markings now included in this edition to the recording to develop an accurate sense of pace from the start
• Use the right-hand and left-hand studies positioned at the top and bottom of each page to target technical challenges before tackling the full piece
• Return to the recorded performance frequently during practice, not just at the beginning, to refine tone quality and musical phrasing alongside mechanical accuracy

This volume forms the foundation of Suzuki piano study and typically spans the first six months to a year of instruction. The coordinated book and CD pairing makes it ideal for home practice, where consistent listening and imitation are central to the method's philosophy.

• Reading treble clef notation and basic rhythmic values
• Hand position and finger independence in both hands
• Legato and staccato articulation
• Balance between melody and accompaniment
• Listening for phrasing and tone quality through recording model
• Basic music theory concepts (note names, intervals, simple time signatures)