J. S. Bach taught his children using the music of his day. He didn't think of using styles that were 100 years old to inspire and develop musical skills in his children. Respected piano pedagogues Christopher Norton and Dr. Scott McBride Smith have created American Popular Piano with this premise in mind. They've taken contemporary music styles and written highly motivating, musically sound material for piano students. Best for students age nine through adult, the method begins at the Preparatory Level with tunes on the grand staff in C Major. Each Repertoire book is chock full of tunes in a variety of contemporary dance styles including Blues, Bossa Nova, Cha Cha, Jazz Waltz, and Ska, just to name a few! These styles will grab your students' attention and keep them motivated while they develop a lifelong love of playing the piano. Sophisticated teacher duets are included so the students' ear develops, preparing them for more advanced playing and listening! A CD is included with each Repertoire book, offering equally sophisticated instrumental accompaniments to tunes in the Repertoire and Etudes books. Etudes books at every level offer solid, step-by-step opportunities for improvisation and also include classical and pop etudes.

Level One is designed for advanced beginners who can already play hands together. Tasks and lessons include whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, dotted half notes, whole rests, half rests, quarter rests, and dotted half rests. Dynamics are encouraged and taught as well as the useage of crescendos and diminuendos. Phrasing techniques such as slurs, legato, staccato and accents are introduced. The time signatures that are taught are 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4 and the key signatures that are utilized are C Major, G Major and F Major. Repeats, 8va, ties, fermatas and ritardandos are taught as well.

Level 2 is designed specifically for students in their early years of study who are ready to learn full triads, pedal techniques and more advanced rhythmic figures. Everything taught in Level 1 is included as well as tenuto phrasing and grace notes, 8vb, Fine, DC al Fine, Coda, DS al coda and the key of D Major.

Level 3 is designed for late elementary to early intermediate students and introduces basic syncopation, accidentals and swing eighth notes as well as a review of everything learned in Levels 1 and 2.

Level 4 is geared towards early intermediate students who are ready to play pieces that have frequent jumps and spans of more than a 5th, triplet eighth note and triplet sixteenth note rhythms. The key signatures of A Major and B-flat Major are introduced as well as the 6/8 time signature. A review of the concepts of Levels 1-3 is also included.

Level 5 is written especially for early intermediate to intermediate level students. More difficult theory and musicianship skills are introduced, comparable to the techniques that are learned from classical sonatinas. Levels 1-4 are reviewed throughout the book as well.

Level 6 is composed for the intermediate to late intermediate student. This level includes melodies that involve an increasing range of simple scale-type crossings and position changes. The melody is often found on the top of triads. Harmonies become more sophisticated but textures are still relatively uncomplicated with minimal inner voices. Rhythm includes syncopation involving ties, rests and shifting accents as well as minimal use of sixteenth notes. Technical requirements call for increasing speed, lightness and a broader range of dynamics, some pieces use octaves. Improvisation expands their skill set to include basic "vamping" skills; adds step-by-step building blocks ofr basic melodic and vamp construction; introduces terminology and labels for scales, modes, and jazz chord notation (charts.) Comparable pieces from classical repertoire include the easier pieces from Bartok's For Children, sz. 43; Clementi's Sonatina Op 36 No. 2 and No. 3; and selections from Bach's Anna Magdelena Collection.

The melodies in Level 7 involve more complicated scale-type passages and position changes, including some leaps. The melody is often found on the top of triads and 4-note chords. Harmonies become more sophisticated and textures become more full with larger stretches. Coloristic textures are used more as well as more advanced syncopation. Technical requirements demand reasonable speed, agility and accurate leaps. Improvisation advances step-by-step building blocks for melodic and vamp construction; more advanced terminology and labels for scales, modes and chords; and an increased complexity of interplay between the hands.

The melodies in Level 8 involve a broader range of leaps and turns as well as frequent position changes. The harmonies make full use of jazz harmonies with frequent repeated notes and double-note figures. Rhythm articulation becomes more complex with a variety of off-beat accents and syncopation. Technical requirements require a full range of speed and movement at the intermediate level. Improvisation continues to advance the step-by-step building blocks for melodic and vamp construction and level-appropriate terminology Comparable classical pieces include Bach's Menuets and French Suites, Haydn's easier sonatas, Heller's easier studies and Muczynski Fables Op. 21.

Many musicians in your performing groups are sure to be playing music and forming bands outside of school; why not offer them this series to help them along? Put together by the faculty of the Berklee School of Music, it deals with the techniques they need to succeed including: learning by ear, improvising, music theory, how to read a lead sheet and more. This will make them better musicians both inside and outside of school!