The Festival Collection, Book 1: Elementary to Mid-Elementary Piano Book

Opening this book feels like being handed a small museum of keyboard music. Each piece is a small but complete musical thought, from the crisp elegance of a German dance to the dreamy warmth of an exotic waltz, all within reach of developing hands.

Elementary pianists ready to move beyond method books and encounter real repertoire from established composers. Teachers who want their students to understand that technique and artistry are built on a foundation of genuine masterworks, not simplified pedagogical inventions.

• Listen to the recorded version first, before assigning the piece. Note where the melody sits, how the accompaniment patterns work, and what the overall character demands. This 5-minute investment shapes how your student will approach the learning process.
• Pay attention to the period and style of each composer. A Baroque dance from Praetorius calls for different articulation and phrasing than a Romantic waltz; studying them back-to-back in the same book gives students a visceral sense of these differences.
• Use the levelings as a progression tool within the book itself. Move through pieces in order to build technical comfort before tackling pieces that require more independence between the hands or faster passagework.

Select individual pieces as recital repertoire throughout the year, or group pieces from the same composer or period for a thematic student recital. The variety across all four centuries means you can program a short concert series where each student learns a different period's style and language.

• Period-appropriate articulation and phrasing across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary styles
• Hand independence through varied accompaniment patterns and textures
• Technique suited to individual piece demands without overdoing technical display
• Interpretation through comparison with professional recordings
• Sight-reading fluency across multiple composers and time periods