Jason Sifford – Pianodao

Jason Sifford • Here Be Dragons

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Jason Sifford has established himself as one of America’s most respected composers of educational piano music, and a jewel in the crown of music publishers The Willis Music Company.

Promoting his music more widely, I wrote a rave review recommending his two KEYBOP books when they appeared, and subsequently selected three of his pieces to appear in my Willis Student Recital Collection.

Introducing Sifford’s lavishly illustrated new collection, Here Be Dragons, Willis Music write,

“Cultures from around the world tell of thrilling tales and legends about magical flying creatures. This intermediate piano collection was inspired by these fantastical beasts and aims to provide performance material and adventurous music-making for all pianists with vivid imagination.”

This new collection is billed as suitable for Intermediate to Early Advanced players, and sounds exciting, so let’s brave ourselves and take a look…

Willis Student Recital Collection

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

My latest piano collection for Willis Music Company is a bumper anthology which builds on the success of the Graded Gillock series and Naoko Ikeda Graded Collection, and features 40 pieces written by composers from across the leading publisher’s best-selling catalogue.

This collection focuses on performance pieces, suitable for studio recitals, school concerts, and local music events. With that in mind, I have particularly sought out music which is both inspiring for the learner to play, and enjoyable for audiences.

The pieces appear in progressive order, Elementary to Late Intermediate, UK Grades 1-6. The full list appears below, and to give you a taste of the superb music in this bumper anthology, I have recorded a playlist of 15 out of the 40 pieces:

Willis Music Company at 125

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

It is easy for musicians and teachers to overlook the immense importance of the publishers who supply us with a fresh and continuing flow of excellent sheet music, from improved editions of established favourites to new performance works and educational resources.

The 125th anniversary of the founding of Willis Music Company, one of the world’s great educational music publishers, offers an opportunity to reflect on the incredible contribution to the world of piano education that their groundbreaking publications have made for more than a century, and their continuing impact on the content of our daily teaching, learning, and playing.

Around the world, and continuing every day, literally millions of learners have sat at the piano with a Willis Music score on the music desk in front of them.

We owe the Willis Music Company a huge debt of gratitude, so let me first say Thank You and Congratulations to everyone at the company.

And now let’s consider the inspiring story of this great business (which I have adapted and shortened from the company’s website here) and celebrate the far-reaching impact their publications have made to generations of players…

Willis Music’s ‘Strange Sounds’

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

With autumn well upon us, and a new school year firmly underway, many teachers and players will no doubt be looking for repertoire to enjoy as we approach Halloween.

Each year I am asked to recommend suitable music for the annual spook-fest, and for late elementary to early intermediate players, around UK Grades 2-4, a recent compilation of “10 Bewitching Piano Solos” from The Willis Music Company could be just the ticket.

Intrigued? Let’s tiptoe through the gate and investigate the secrets within…

Jason Sifford’s KEYBOP

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

New from the Willis Music Company, Jason Sifford’s two books of Keybop each offer “11 jazzy solos for the young pianist”.

Not another set of jazzy books for young pianists, I hear you say. But stay with me, because these ones are really worth a look…