In the words of Walt Disney, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island.” This collection, arranged by Nancy and Randall Faber, offers musical treasure from contemporary to classic for today’s piano students. Enjoy teaching Disney hits from Coco, The Lion King, Frozen,…
Primer Level
At the Primer Level we lay foundations. We are beginning everything that will follow. And, in the words of Plato, “You know that the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing.” Guiding a young student to form a…
To the student, Piano Adventures implies an exciting exploration. To the teacher, Piano Adventures implies a philosophy and mission to develop the student’s musical mind and heart. The process of guiding a young person to develop the mind (intellect) and the heart (expression) can help form valuable life skills: confidence,…
March is “madness” time—at least for basketball fans. We can imitate the idea of a basketball dribble at the piano. By bracing finger 3 with the thumb a student can confidently bounce his/her own “basketball” up and down the keys. As the coach, our young player is “in training” for…
Are familiar melodies easier to learn? Not necessarily! While familiar melodies are fun for students to play, learning the music may not be as easy as one would presume. Watch as Randall Faber discusses the potential stumbling points for the Primer level student, and presents solutions to create an engaging…
These aliens walk carefully, often repeating before they continue stepping up or down. Checking to see where the notes repeat prepares Patrick to play the piece. Imagining tiny Martians under his palms reminds him to play with a rounded hand position. Because his hands are in place before he begins,…
Establishing a natural, curved, strong, and flexible hand position is the basis of keyboard technique. Playing with a braced third finger is an effective approach. Both arch and fingertip are supported. Using a non-legato touch at the beginning helps direct the arm weight from the shoulder. “The Pecking Rooster” and…
How easily a princess can become a monster! Rests were introduced on the preceding page, and a tryout on the closed lid highlights the bits of silence after “monster” and “dungeon.” Since the melody has many skips, checking the finger patterns prepares David for the coordination required. A monster demands…
Vivian has fun responding to the challenge of the chant. She begins to expect the rests to follow a pattern, but catches the change. That’s careful listening! When she plays the chant on the piano, it’s clear from her body language that she’s feeling the rests. Playing “Come On, Tigers!” is…
Vivian is introduced to the C-D-E groups in a more challenging melodic contour, and the rhythmic feel for quarter, half, and whole notes is reinforced. Large rocking motions prepare her to sense the underlying musical pulse. Pointing to the notes while singing finger numbers strengthens the understanding of directional reading.…