Education Composers

Naoko Ikeda • Kanade

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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When compiling Naoko Ikeda: The Graded Collection three years ago, I had the pleasure of selecting the Japanese composer’s best solo piano pieces from more than thirty publications, popular in her homeland and in the USA, but relatively little known here in the UK.

For those wanting more of Naoko Ikeda’s music to follow that Grade 2-5 anthology, as well as fans of her music everywhere, her latest collection from The Willis Music Company is Kanade, and offers “14 Beautiful Piano Solos”. I would suggest that the pieces here would suit Late Intermediate players, around UK Grades 5-6.

Two of these pieces, Foggy Blues and Manhattan Swing, were previously published internationally as single sheets, and I included both in The Graded Collection. The rest are new, with 11 fresh solo compositions, and an arrangement of Bellini’s Vaga luna, che inargenti.

First Steps Piano

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Darragh Gilleece is an Irish pianist, composer, and educator. His distinguished career includes serving as an examiner for the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). His original music appears in their grade syllabus, bespoke method books, and now in two collections published by Forsyth Music.

The first book includes 16 original pieces suitable for students from around (UK) Initial to Grade 2, while the second ranges from around Grades 2-5.

Gilleece’s music in these collections is traditional with a modern twist. Pieces are highly appealing in their tone, packed with valuable learning content, imaginative, and well-crafted. My review below includes the composer’s recordings of a couple to give a flavour.

Kristina Arakelyan’s ‘Musical Vegetable Patch’

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Armenian-British composer Kristina Arakelyan is rapidly gaining recognition as a leading voice in contemporary classical music, with works performed by top artists in concert halls worldwide. She is also an accomplished concert pianist, and in my view her 2025 album Dreamland, featuring her own solo works, confirms her as an important pianist-composer for our time.

Readers may recognise Arakelyan from the updated Piano Time method series reviewed here, and be familiar with her beautiful piece Daydream, which appeared in the ABRSM Grade 2 syllabus in 2023-24. In this review I will consider her latest foray into piano education, a slim publication from publishers Stainer & Bell.

The Musical Vegetable Patch bears the lofty subtitle ‘introducing the classical music periods to early-grade pianists’, and includes at its heart six elementary pieces suitable for players at around UK Grades 1-2. Each showcases a different musical style, and is blessed with a title that mixes the name of a famous composer with, erm, a vegetable.

This highly imaginative and educational collection aims to enthuse youngsters while gently introducing them to music periods, styles, and composers. And each page includes a quirky, hand-painted ink and watercolour illustration by Rosie Brooks (also of Piano Time fame). Let’s find out how this distinctive and nutritious concept plays out…

Carolyn Miller • Piano Expressions

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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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.

Jakub Metelka • Puppet Theatre

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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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!