Pianodao

Pianoworks Christmas

The Christmas Shortlist
Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales

I am often asked to recommend a fairly basic Christmas piano book, suitable for Elementary players at around Grade 1 to Grade 2 level, with a selection of traditional carols along with a few more contemporary favourites, and in straightforward, well-crafted piano-friendly arrangements.

Within my teaching practice, Pianoworks Christmas has proven to be that perennial chestnut, and in a crowded market remains my all-time top recommendation for a basic, no-frills Christmas piano songbook.

Although part of the superb Pianoworks series of books for older beginners, the collection has no links to the actual method itself other than branding, and of course the fact that it appeals to adult players as much as it does to youngsters.

Pianoworks Christmas has proven to be hugely and consistently popular with players of all ages, year after year. It’s simply a great book, which essentially reviews itself. But here are my thoughts on it, sample pages, and a full list of its contents…

Calming Christmas Carols for Graded Piano

The Christmas Shortlist
Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales

With so many Christmas-themed piano books on the market, and with yet more appearing to challenge our established favourites each year, it takes something quite special and distinctive to stand out from the crowd.

Calming Christmas Carols for Graded Piano, published by The Willis Music Company, is certainly unique, and may prove to be one of those ‘must-have classics’ that we didn’t realise we needed until it appeared.

Delivering “15 Peaceful Pieces for Piano Grades 1-5” freshly arranged by Alistair Watson, with three designated for each level from Grade 1 to Grade 5, the collection obviously has one eye on the education market, the other on appealing to the vogue for music with a relaxed vibe.

Cleverly, and rather uniquely positioned as the progressive collection to which learners can reliably return each year throughout their Elementary to Intermediate piano journey, and thus maximising the book’s continuing value to teachers, learners, and parents, the concept is certainly attractive. So let’s find out how well it lives up to its promise…

Music We Might Have Played

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

This year is my 50th at the piano and, oh my, how the piano scene has changed in half a century! So it is fitting that the latest publication I have had the honour of working on celebrates the positive transformation of our repertoire in recent years.

Written in partnership with the brilliant musician, composer, broadcaster, and writer Jack Pepper, and with a foreword by Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, Music We Might Have Played brings together nineteen solo pieces in a wide range of styles, written by composers from around the world whose piano music we were both unaware of when growing up.

Essential Piano Technique: Levels 2-3

Educational Resources
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Penelope Roskell’s Essential Piano Technique series has already established itself as a benchmark resource for introducing healthy piano techniques in an imaginative and musical way.

The first three books appeared in 2023. Primer A, Primer B, and Level 1 publications take the beginner up to around Grade 1 in the UK, and in my review here I concluded,

“I cannot overstate how highly I recommend these three volumes. Beautifully presented, but modestly priced, they establish a new benchmark for teaching children the foundations for a healthy piano technique.”

With the latest two additions to the growing series, Roskell provides a similarly useful and significant resource for players progressing through Late Elementary to Intermediate level, Grades 1-4.

In this review, I will look at these Level 2 and Level 3 books in turn, and consider what part they might play in piano lessons and the development of learners…

Carolyn Miller • Piano Expressions

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

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.

Edition Peters Piano Classics

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

In recent years, Edition Peters have published biennial Piano Anthology collections of exam pieces linked to each new ABRSM syllabus, recently adding Grade 5, 6, and 7 volumes to their popular, long-standing Grade 8 series.

These offer great value, and a broader range of music than the exam board’s own Selected Exam Piece publications. You can read my review of the 2025-26 Edition Peters Piano Anthologies here. I have often recommended these useful collections, and it is only a pity that due to regular syllabus changes, they have a short shelf life.

Sound the trumpet, strike the drum, and give a warm welcome to the recently arrived Edition Peters Piano Classics. Unshackled from any specified syllabus, this sturdy anthology has been designed for longevity, and offers a compelling selection of repertoire that will surely have wider international appeal, beyond just those taking UK grade exams.

Presenting a judicious selection of 32 “selected examination and performance pieces“, with scores revived from their past and present Edition Peters Piano Anthology publications, this bumper compendium offers a broad range of core classics suitable for the advancing player at around Grade 8 level.

Read on for a full list of pieces (including their previous ABRSM grading), and my general thoughts about this hugely rewarding anthology…

Halloween Favourites

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

As Halloween approaches, many teachers and players ask about top choices of easy, but spooky, piano music to enjoy on these darker evenings.

Most method books and many anthologies include suitably scary thrills, but when it comes to whole collections dedicated to exploring the ghoulish and macabre, here are my top choices.

Most of these collections are suitable beyond the October month of Halloween, offering fantastic, magical music that can be enjoyed around the year.

Between them, these titles will thrill players from elementary to intermediate level, as shown. Simply click on the images and titles below to read the full reviews…

Jakub Metelka • Puppet Theatre

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Jakub Metelka is one of the notable new names contributing to the burgeoning piano education literature in recent years. His distinctive music stands out by avoiding clichés, presenting imaginative and thoughtful challenge, earning him recognition as a significant voice in the developing pianist’s repertoire.

I have reviewed all three of Metelka’s previous collections:

Jakub Metelka: Modern Piano Studies

These imaginative and appealing miniatures cover every major and minor key, addressing important aspects of technique and notation-reading at upper intermediate level.

Jakub Metelka: Little Virtuoso

Metelka has created a superb resource for the ‘Little Virtuosos’ of the title: I cannot think of another collection that so imaginatively caters for eager youngsters who have quickly reached early advanced level.

Jakub Metelka • The Secret Garden

Jakob Metelka’s ‘Secret Garden’ presents 15 “modern nocturnes” for prodigious youngsters, and is thus a more lyrical counterpoint to his ‘Little Virtuoso’ collection. And these pieces are again superb…

Metelka’s pieces often have a clear learning objective, combined with appealing musical content. But many of them prove to be rather harder to play than first impressions suggest: he clearly aims to challenge learners, while expanding their musical understanding, technique, and expressive engagement.

Now he brings us a fourth collection. Puppet Theatre is aimed at less advanced players, delivering his easiest pieces to date. But are they really all that easy, or is Metelka up to his usual tricks? Let’s find out!