The Perfect Start for Solo Playing, Book 3: Piano Book

These pieces refuse to sound like exercises, even as they systematically reinforce hand positions from the method book. The titles alone signal that Olson understands elementary students: Bernie's Banana Tree and Waltz of the Giant Gorillas promise fun, but the scores deliver real musicality through dynamic shaping, tempo variation, and pedaling choices that teach genuine interpretive decision-making.

Playful and purposeful. Some pieces bounce with rhythmic energy (Rockin' Rhythm lives up to its name), while others invite lyrical phrasing and careful listening to harmonic color. The narrative quality in titles like Waltz of the Giant Gorillas creates space for imagination, making practice feel like storytelling rather than drill work.

Elementary pianists who have completed or are working through the Note Reading book and are ready for pieces that demand more musical interpretation. These arrangements work equally well for students in private lessons and group piano classes who want material that entertains without sacrificing pedagogical purpose.

• Map the dynamic and tempo markings before playing. Have students circle or highlight every change so they see the architecture of the piece before their hands touch the keys.
• Encourage students to describe what their piece is about in their own words. If Bernie's tree is magical, what does that magic sound like in measure 5? This shifts focus from accuracy alone to purposeful playing.
• Introduce pedaling gradually. Not every piece requires it, but when it appears, experiment with dampening and releasing at different points to hear how it changes color.
• Use the hand position reinforcement as a confidence builder rather than a limitation. Point out which passages stay in one position and which require shifts, so students recognize their growing independence.

Slot these into a spring or end-of-year recital where young students can perform pieces that sound polished and expressive after relatively modest preparation time. They also serve as natural stepping stones between method book exercises and more substantial elementary repertoire, giving students proof that they've become real musicians capable of interpretive choice.

• Playing across multiple hand positions (G, F, and D) with fluency
• Responding to dynamic markings and tempo changes to shape musical phrases
• Using the pedal intentionally for color and resonance
• Executing octave shifts and position changes within pieces
• Finding expressive intent in written markings and translating that into sound
• Reading rhythm and melody in treble clef with greater rhythmic complexity