Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews
Carolyn Miller is one of America’s most beloved educational composers, her many collections of original pieces and other educational titles consistent bestsellers in the States.
Miller’s many Willis Music Company titles are not as well known here in the UK, although the recent inclusion of her music in the Joy of Grade 1 Piano book, the Willis Student Recital Collection, and growing interest from the exam boards has begun to increase her visibility.
Selecting music for The Willis Student Recital Collection, I played through several complete collections of Miller’s music, and found myself spoilt for choice. Having become familiar with her previous work, I would say that her latest collection is among her best yet, and for those wanting to discover her music, it is a great place to start.
Piano Expressions has a delightfully imaginative and eye-catching cover, and brings us a generous selection of 17 brand new “captivating solos for the advancing pianist”. Suitable for players at UK Grade 2 to 5 level, they have an appeal that will surely make them popular with players and audiences, and a concise educational logic that will equally appeal to teachers.
Captivating Solos
Piano Expressions is a 44-page publication printed on white paper, and in the standard Willis Music Company style.
The opening Preface, Contents and Performance Notes are followed by well-spaced scores engraved with clarity in today’s typical music font. Fingering is included throughout, but is surprisingly minimal for this level, although I think it fair to say that the collection is intended for use with a teacher, and with an element of rote teaching and learning.
Introducing her new collection, Carolyn Miller writes in her Preface,
“This collection is larger than usual and contains a variety of styles… I tried to convey different moods and thoughts with each solo. One selection may be peaceful and serene, but it is followed by another that might fuel your adrenaline and make your fingers fly through the keys.”
The new titles included in this collection are:
- Treetop View
- Don’t Rock The Boat
- Cincinnati
- Castanets
- Jazz Kat Boss
- The Relay Race
- Hide And Go Seek
- Fountain Of Hope
- The Sneaky Scherzo
- The Mysterious Canyon
- Fireflies In The Forest
- Shooting Stars In September
- Wild Stallions
- The Legend Of The Samurai
- The Enchanted Castle
- Midnight Thunder
- Rhapsody For A Lost Love
Winning Pedagogy
The sequence in which these pieces are presented (as above) delivers them in approximate order of difficulty, although in every sense I would describe them all as ‘quick wins’, combining easily learnt pattern based music with material that makes the learning of essential technical skills great fun.
You can listen to a selection of the pieces performed by the composer in her YouTube playlist here:
Teachers introducing this material will easy spot the educational benefits of each piece throughout the book. To give a few simple examples, and starting with the opening pieces:
- Treetop View focusses on crossing hands, pedalling, and bringing out the melody.
- Don’t Rock the Boat offers the perfect catalyst for introducing the C minor blues scale (try adding some improvising).
- Cincinnati provides ideal material for teaching a four-chord song progression, as well as including Latin syncopations.
- Castanets is built around the F major scale, offering solid musical material for teaching the correct fingering pattern.
- Jazz Kat Boss is the first of the Swing pieces in the book, also introducing triplet rhythms as they apply in this jazzy context.
- And so on… you get the point!
Rather wonderfully, these embedded technical skills are worked out in pieces which, though consistently easy to grasp, sound significantly more difficult than they actually are. This inspiring music will undoubtedly prove a great way to engage enthusiasm and unlock learning potential.
The composer’s own Performance Notes, which appear as a two-page spread at the start of the collection, further highlight the most important pedagogic points in each piece, even offering an additional finger workout for one. This added (and very welcome) content will help any teacher quickly assimilate the material into their teaching practice.
Most of the pieces include drama, and conclude with a resounding ending, making them obvious choices for concerts and recitals! Meanwhile, the more lyrical pieces offer secure vehicles for self expression. And as Miller puts it in her introduction,
“Music lets us communicate feelings and inner thoughts, when articulating them out loud is difficult or confusing.”
As a teacher of many years myself (albeit fewer than Miller!) I’ve observed and experienced changing fashions, and I certainly feel that this collection is musically and educationally spot on for today’s students: accessible, memorable pieces with melody, rhythm, and harmony rooted on popular song, and well suited to a style and pace that works well for young and teenage learners.
Closing Thoughts
Those who are enjoying the content in The Willis Student Recital Collection and would welcome further material in a similarly inspiring vein, particularly for players at around Grade 3-4 level, should find their way to the front of the queue for this excellent new collection from Carolyn Miller.
To offer one last quote from the composer herself, which I think wonderfully sums up her desire to provide thoughtful and enjoyable content which has lasting merit,
“As you journey through this book, I hope each piece becomes magical to you, and that when you return to play it in a year, or 20 years, it is just as enchanting to play.”
The obvious and very natural blend of musical inspiration and educational content to be found in these pieces make Piano Expressions a superb addition to the piano education repertoire, indeed a truly magical one.
Pianodao Music Club members receive 15% discount from Sheet Music Plus.
Musicroom has now joined Sheet Music Plus.
Retail links are currently being updated. Thank you for your patience.
Pianodao offers over 700 articles and reviews that are FREE to access.
If you appreciate this content, please support and follow the site:
