Basic Library
A practical series containing five sets of a dozen exercises each. These technical exercises, each named for a different physical exercise, are meant to be done each day before practicing. The trademark stick figures add character to each exercise. The accompanying CDs and General MIDI Disks make practicing fun.

A Masterworks Method for Developing Pianists series pairs motivating performance repertoire with thoughtful technical studies. Each level contains a Repertoire book with CD and a Technique book, both with convenient page-by-page correlations. When used together, the books give students a deep understanding of the art of music, performance practices, and the necessary skills to play the piano with technical ease. The Technique books are designed to give students a highly structured program of technical development. They include basic keyboard patterns (five-finger patterns, scales, chords, cadences, and arpeggios in the major and minor keys found in the Repertoire books), exercises and etudes, and other necessary technical drills for mastering each piece in the Repertoire books. Suggestions for efficient practice are also included.

The Exploring Piano Classics: A Masterworks Method for Developing Pianists series pairs motivating performance repertoire with thoughtful technical studies. Each level contains a Repertoire book with CD and a Technique book, both with convenient page-by-page correlations. When used together, the books give students a deep understanding of the art of music, performance practices, and the necessary skills to play the piano with technical ease. The Repertoire books include pieces from the major style periods, selected and graded based on festival, competition, and examination lists from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Background information on each style period, its instruments, composers, and the music itself is included. The CD recordings of the repertoire are performed by internationally known clinician and teacher Nancy Bachus. The Preparatory level is an introduction and features easy to follow pictures and diagrams which teach the students how to learn proper technique and proper keyboard etiquette.

The Exploring Piano Classics: A Masterworks Method for Developing Pianists series pairs motivating performance repertoire with thoughtful technical studies. Each level contains a Repertoire book with CD and a Technique book, both with convenient page-by-page correlations. When used together, the books give students a deep understanding of the art of music, performance practices, and the necessary skills to play the piano with technical ease. The Repertoire books include pieces from the major style periods, selected and graded based on festival, competition, and examination lists from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Background information on each style period, its instruments, composers, and the music itself is included. The CD recordings of the repertoire are performed by internationally known clinician and teacher Nancy Bachus. Level 1 features historical notes on the composers and actual classical pieces written by famous composers such as Satie, Gurlitt, Hook, Haydn, Bartok and more.

Basic Library
Fingerpower offers short, progressive technic exercises for students of all ages. Equal attention is given to both hands. The series may be used with all piano and keyboard methods. The Primer book, at the elementary level, features exercises employing blocked and broken thirds, easy thumb crossings, legato and staccato, melody and accompaniment, sharps and flats and simple cross hand patterns. The exercises in Level 1, at the late elementary level, feature blocked and broken triads; broken thirds, fourths and fifths; legato and staccato; phrase development; rhythmic variety and 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. Level 2, at the early intermediate level, covers ascending and descending trills, chords, chromatic scales, contrary motion, thumb crossings, hand expansion, 6/8 time, syncopation and wrist rotation. Level 3, at the intermediate level, covers chord inversions, hand stretching, interlocking hands, legato thirds, sixteenth notes and rests, and sustaining each of the five fingers in both hands. Level 4, at the late intermediate level, covers chromatic hand contractions, finger expansion, grace notes, legato triads and thirds, scales in contrary motion, thumb passages, tremolo and two-octave arpeggios. Level 5, at the early advanced level, covers arpeggios in parallel and contrary motion, ascending and descending broken octaves, diatonic and chromatic octaves, finger repetition, legato sixths, and sustained octaves and thirds with tremolo. Finally, Level 6 at the advanced level, offers major and minor scales and arpeggios in all keys, melodic and broken chord patterns, chromatic broken chord inversions, major preludes in all keys and minor preludes in all keys.

Basic Library
The exercises in Hanon for the Developing Pianist are compiled from Charles-Louis Hanon's classic book The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises. These exercises have enjoyed tremendous popularity since their debut, and are still the most widely used technical studies in the pianist's library today. Hanon (1820-1900) espoused the most advanced pedagogical thoughts of his time, and sought through his exercises to codify these ideas into a system for strengthening the fingers equally. His ingenious exercises continue to have great merit today for developing finger independence and agility. This book includes informative historical and biographical facts, and retains composer comments and practice instructions from the original edition. Phillip Keveren's orchestrated accompaniments (available on both CD and General MIDI disk) feature a variety of engaging styles - from Baroque to Jazz - and are sure to motivate students to play their best. Both practice and performance tempos are included for each exercise in the book.

Basic Library
After acquiring basic reading skills, students at the late elementary level are ready to begin this innovative series designed to emphasize artistry in the early stages of piano study. The series introduces basic technical skills and expands the student's knowledge of style, form and artistic ideas. The Technique books give students a verbal vocabulary by describing 12 basic technical skills and accompaniment patterns needed to play music artistically and with technical assurance. They also explain these skills in detail (i.e. elastic wrist, two-note slurs, finger independence) and offer exercises to master them. Most of the technical skills in Level 1 involve the use of arm weight. The twelve basic technical skills covered in Level 2 are elastic wrist, strong fingers, wrist rotation, two-note slurs, balancing torso and forearm, finger independence, slurs, forearm staccato, push-off staccato, rolling wrist, arm-to-arm independence and damper pedal technique. Most of the skills in Level 2 involve pivoting the arm. Among other things, Level 3 covers distribution of arm weight and opening/closing the hand in Hanon exercises, arpeggios, and scales. The Repertoire books provide original music by Catherine Rollin, and employ the technical skills taught in the Technique books.

This one collection contains the complete Op. 299 (Books 1 & 2) of Carl Czerny. They're the more advanced of Czerny's best-known exercises and emphasize the development of rapid passage work for both hands. Includes historical and performance notes, easy-to-read new music engraving and a brilliant CD demonstrating possible tempos to which students may aspire. A new book in the Schirmer Performance Editions series.

Sportacular Warmups combines sports and music into progressive finger "workouts." Each book contains material designed to strengthen the fingers, increase flexibility, and help the student master the many technical skills needed to perform. Students can relate the musical exercise to a similar activity in the five sport areas: basketball (i.e. fouls and overtime), baseball (i.e. slow curve), track and field (i.e. hurdles), extreme adventure sports (i.e. skateboarding), and soccer (i.e. charging and head ball). Each section ends with a solo made up of exercises from that section, making for an excellent review. The series progresses from the early elementary level (Book 1) to the intermediate level (Book 4).

Pianist and pedagogue Dr. Matthew Edwards has edited this new volume in the Schirmer Performance Library. Czerny's studies in opus 849 provide a convenient bridge between the Practical Method for Beginners, Op. 599 and The School of Velocity, Op. 299. The studies are presented as legitimate literature, emphasizing their musical potential, in conjunction with their technical benefit. Included is a complete CD with all the works in the collection, performed by Dr. Edwards.