Together at the Piano, Book 4: Early Intermediate Piano Book

A tour through American musical heritage and classical tradition. You move from the folksy charm of "The Arkansas Traveler" to the elegance of a Mozart concerto excerpt, the syncopated energy of blues, and the spiritual comfort of "It Is Well with My Soul." Each piece feels complete and genuinely musical, not like a stepping stone.

Early intermediate pianists ready to explore a wider range of musical styles within a single book. Students who benefit from studying both familiar melodies and classical excerpts will find solid repertoire for recitals, lesson-book supplementation, and developing interpretive skills.

• Map out hand position shifts before the first run-through. Several pieces move across the keyboard, and marking these transitions prevents fumbling and builds confidence in sight-reading.
• Listen to performances of the original pieces (especially "The Washington Post March" and "Pavane") to understand the character McLean's arrangements are meant to convey. This context helps shape your interpretation rather than playing the notes in isolation.
• Practice the left-hand patterns separately. Early intermediate students often neglect accompaniment work; isolating the LH first establishes independence and prevents the RH from overshadowing the harmonic foundation.
• Pay attention to dynamic markings as indicators of phrasing, not just volume. These arrangements use dynamics to shape melodic lines, and respecting them creates coherent musical statements.

Build a student recital around these pieces, selecting 2-3 contrasting arrangements to showcase range and versatility. Alternatively, use individual pieces as supplementary repertoire throughout the year alongside your primary method book, pairing them with specific technique goals you're working on at that time.

• Navigating hand position changes across multiple octaves
• Reading and executing varied harmonic accompaniment patterns
• Interpreting dynamic shapes as musical phrases
• Playing with stylistic awareness across folk, classical, blues, and hymn traditions
• Building independence between hands at the early intermediate level