Piano repertoire is full of scale patterns and other “runny” passagework. Often these parts of pieces are the most fun and exciting to play. However, they can also be difficult to get up to tempo or play reliably under pressure.

Do your students ever struggle to play their scale passagework accurately? fast enough? clearly? or with beautiful tone?

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Impromptu in E-flat Major Op.90/D.899, No.2 by Franz Schubert. This is a well-loved piece containing many scale patterns.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Sonatina in C Major by William Duncombe. This is a little piece which packs a lot of pedagogical punch and is a great exercise in duple and triple divisions.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Etude Op.82, No.65 by Cornelius Gurlitt, often given descriptive titles such as “Night Journey.” This is an evocative etude in left-hand melody.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Little Etude in A Minor by Ludvig Schytte, aka Petite Prelude or “The Harp” by Ludvig Schytte. This is an etude in broken chords that provides a wonderful opportunity for integrating theory knowledge and applying creative extensions.

When preparing for an upcoming recital or other piano studio performance event, it can be very tempting to ask, “Is this worth it?”

I saw a post this week in a Facebook piano teachers' forum where a teacher asked this question, lamenting how much lesson time she was spending on recital pieces. Of course, we know there’s all kinds of additional time needed outside of lessons to plan and prepare too!

I have had this feeling so many times. The weeks leading up to an important studio performance can be brutal, making you question your planning decisions!

So - is all of that work really worth it?

Today we’re talking about how to teach Deep Singer Op.108, No.12 by Ludvig Schytte. This is an etude in left-hand melody which shows up in many books, both elementary methods as well as historical repertoire series.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the first movement of Haydn’s Sonata in F Major Hob.XVI:23. This is a fantastic example of a well-crafted sonata movement for early advanced students and is great preparation for advanced works by not only Haydn but also Beethoven.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Minuet in G Major BWV Anh.114 by Christian Petzold, formerly attributed to JS Bach. This is a very familiar piece composed in basic counterpoint which shows up in many books, both elementary methods as well as intermediate repertoire series.

Today we’re talking about how to teach The Bear by Vladimir Rebikov. This is a great example of a late elementary/early intermediate piece that evocatively uses 20th-century idioms like the whole tone scale and the interval of a tritone.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Minuet in F Major by Leopold Mozart. This is a late elementary/early intermediate Baroque piece found within the Piano Adventures curriculum.

Today we’re talking about how to teach Bourée in E Minor GWV 827 by Christoph Graupner. This is an early intermediate Baroque piece found within the Piano Adventures curriculum.

Today we’re talking about how to teach Little Troll Op.71, No.3 (also known as Puck) from Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces. This is a fast, programmatic piece that students enjoy playing.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the final movement of Haydn’s Sonata in E Major Hob.XVI:13 - Finale: Presto. This is a fun, fast movement from the Classical era containing several octaves.

Does your student’s playing lack “musicality” or accuracy?

One quick way to improve your student’s playing in both areas is to encourage more listening.

Students who listen to a professional recording of their piece in the learning stages - even only once or twice - are likely to

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Bach Prelude in C Major BWV 846 from the Well-Tempered Clavier. This is an iconic piece that needs no introduction.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Courante in F Major HWV 488, also known as the Prelude in G Major HWV 442 by George Frideric Handel.This piece is a great example of why we practice our scales!

Today we’re talking about how to teach the first movement of the Sonatina in C Major Op.36, No.3 by Muzio Clementi. This is a fun, spirited movement with scintillating scales.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the first movement of the Sonatina in G Major by Thomas Attwood. This is a great option for a student's first sonatina movement.

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Gavotte in G Major HWV 491 by George Frideric Handel. This is a bouncy, patterned, Baroque piece at the early intermediate level.