Book Reviews – Pianodao

Music & Neurodiversity

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

A few years ago I heard Karen Marshall give a presentation on teaching students with dyslexia at a teacher conference, and was so impressed by her insight that I suggested she might consider writing a book to share her expertise more widely.

Whether my words served to plant a seed or water an existing one, I am thrilled to see that the idea has at last germinated into a fully-fledged handbook. Music & Neurodiversity, recently published by Collins Music, is a 144-page “practical guide for teachers and parents”, and is in my view an essential read.

Though modest in appearance, the book is a densely packed publication that punches well above its weight, so in this review I am going to unpack the contents and hopefully explain what makes it a special publication.

Music Teaching for Special Educational Needs

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Faber Music continue to produce outstanding books to support instrumental teachers, the latest of which is Music Teaching for Special Educational Needs: a guide for instrumental teachers, written by David Baker. According to the publishers,

”This comprehensive guide provides a solid foundation for teachers wanting to understand and support music students with additional needs. It covers dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder and visual, auditory and physical disabilities, and is packed with up-to-date information, helpful pedagogical starting points, case studies, practical advice, ideas for reflective practice and further reading.”

This is undoubtedly a timely book, and one which promises to usefully fill a significant gap in the market for an accessible introduction to these topics, so let’s take a closer look from a piano teaching perspective…

Instrumental Music Education

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

‘Instrumental Music Education’, newly published by Bloomsbury Academic, is a compendium of well-researched articles written by a team of 27 authors, all associated with the music department at the University of York, compiled and edited by Elizabeth Haddon.

For those interested in academic insight into instrumental teaching trends, this is a wide-ranging and thought-provoking book sporting 19 chapters, each a distinct article covering an area of special interest.

An endorsement of the book from Professor Stephanie Pitts, University of Sheffield explains that:

“This collection offers insights on topics as varied as dealing with transfers from one instrumental teacher to another, overcoming barriers to practice, and understanding cross-cultural differences in teaching philosophies. There is inspiration here for new and established teachers, as well as for music education researchers seeking an up to date overview of research-informed pedagogy.”

Instrumental Music Education is available as a FREE ebook here, with open access funded by the University of York. This gives you the chance to explore it for yourself without further commitment, while of course guaranteeing that the publication wins five stars for ‘value for money’.

Bloomsbury have also produced physical hardback and paperback editions. My review is based on the handsomely presented hardback (whose excellent aesthetics I think justify the price) but I will focus attention on the content, common to all versions, and recommend readers sample the ebook in the first instance.

Women and the Piano

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

When I reviewed Susan Tomes’ book The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces, I concluded that it,

“… is quite simply an essential purchase for any piano enthusiast, offering as it does a veritable feast of salient information and insight into the instrument and music which we love so much.”

Those who enjoyed that book will undoubtedly be eager to read it’s sequel, and are in for a treat. Tomes’ latest book, Women and the Piano: A History in 50 Lives, is another compelling read…

Paul Harris • How to Sight Read

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Leading music educator Paul Harris’ Improve Your Teaching! series of slim, affordable handbooks has grown into a formidable and essential resource for instrumental teachers, notable previous titles including Teaching Beginners, Simultaneous Learning, The Virtuoso Teacher and Unconditional Teaching.

For the latest title in the series, Harris revisits the topic of sight-reading, with which his name has been rather indelibly linked over the years thanks to his bestselling series of Improve Your Sight-Reading! student books. Subtitled, “The art and science behind developing sight-reading technique”, the book offers itself as:

“A companion to the Improve your sight-reading! series revealing sight-reading as a technique that can be both taught and learnt by all who wish to develop it.”

To find out more, read on…

The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

With impeccable timing at the start of a new academic year, Faber Music have just released The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler, an accessible new guide written by Christopher Tarrant and Natalie Wild, which hopes (and in my view deserves) to become a standard text for A’ level and undergraduate students.

While not a piano book, this publication certainly merits the attention of any advancing pianist or teacher with an interest in the core classical tradition; as the dominant instrumental form from the mid-eighteenth century onwards, the symphony’s parallel development and symbiotic relationship with the sonata undoubtedly make an understanding of the former helpful for a full appreciation of the latter.

With that in mind, let’s take a look…

More Than Music Lessons

The Pianodao Bookshelf
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Merlin B. Thompson (shown above) is a forward-thinking music educator with over forty years teaching experience in private studio, conservatory and university settings. His career has taken him around the world, and podcast enthusiasts may know of his excellent series, The Music Educator’s Crucible.

Subtitled “A Studio Teacher’s Guide to Parents, Practicing, Projects and Character”, Thompson’s book More than Music Lessons was published a few months ago by Rowman & Littlefield, and is one of those books which could prove to be a game-changer for any instrumental teacher who takes time to absorb and apply the author’s key messages.

According to the author’s introduction,

“More than Music Lessons shifts the focus away from established music curricula to something of equal importance: the personal and interpersonal dynamics of students’ own musical life. This book demonstrates what can happen when music teachers take an interest in and have an ongoing appreciation for their students’ home life, sense of self, musical interests, personal and world views, culture and spiritual individuality.”

The book has a four-part framework with sections on Parents, Practising, Projects and Character. In this review, I will touch on the content and give a general overview of the publication itself, hopefully enticing teachers to take a closer look for themselves…

How to Practise Music

How to Practise Music is an affordable pocketbook packed with practical tips to empower your musical progress. The book is my first with leading international music publisher Hal Leonard.

How to Practise Music is described by the publishers in these words, and is available in both UK and US versions (Practice/Practise):

“The essential, pocket-sized companion for every musician. Accessible and authoritative, How to Practise Music is an ideal guide for anyone learning to play music. Suitable for instrumentalists and vocalists of any genre, this comprehensive handbook will give you a better idea of how to practise music, good reasons for doing so, and the confidence to succeed. “

Purchase Here • UK Edition

Purchase US English Edition here

Digital Versions • Amazon Kindle • Apple Books.

The book is also available from the RNIB Bookstore, which aims to open up the world of reading to those with a print disability, including dyslexia, partial sight, and blindness.