The boy in the picture looks pretty bored, doesn’t he?
I think he needs a new and inspiring piece of music!
Do you remember receiving a brand new piece of music from your piano teacher?
Do you recall the wonderful feeling you’d get when opening the clean, crisp pages for the first time?
I sure do.
What a joyful experience it was!
There’s something special about introducing a student to new and inspiring music.
This reason alone helped me fall in love with festival competitions.
My teacher, Mrs. Jackie Hudson, always picked the best pieces for me to play.
The vibrant and colorful pictures on the front covers and the clean smell of the new pages inspired me to practice (something Mrs. Hudson was super thrilled about).
Of course, the music had to be good as well!
And it always was.
The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) sure knows how to put on a good piano festival.
I’m always impressed at the attention to detail in every aspect of the festival.
They’ve produced a nice teacher resource of music titles suitable for students of all levels.
The NFMC Festival Bulletin is an excellent resource. And they’re always updating it. So you can trust its contents are relevant!
There are other sources for new and exciting music; PracticeHabits.co of course, and others.
I’m a huge fan of the Festival Collection series produced by F.J.H. Music Company Inc.
It’s perfect for actual classical pieces (no arrangements) and runs the spectrum from beginning to advanced students.
Many of my students have made their way through these books.
The repertoire contained in the Festival Collection series is excellent for festivals, auditions, and recitals.
Here’s a quick list of several other fantastic and inspiring resources I’ve used in my teaching journey –
- The Complete Book of Scales, Arpeggios, and Cadences
- Music and technical exercises arranged by Keith Snell
- Most anything by Dennis Alexander
- Alfred’s Music for Little Mozarts
What about you?
Are you in the market for some new and creative piano music to inspire your students this Summer?
I sure do hope so.
Well-crafted and inspiring music sparks imagination and creativity in piano students and encourages healthy practice habits!
