Each piano student shapes his own journey with the help of a cooperating teacher.
For one particular pupil, who came to his first lesson not reading a note of music, his burning desire to learn ignited a playful romp through a set of duets. These are sourced from Faber’s Accelerated Adventures for the Older Beginner.
For our first few lessons, I used the PRIMER Piano Adventures, because I felt the Accelerated album moved too quickly, but at this FIFTH LESSON juncture, we’ve transitioned to material that seems custom-made in the adult hemisphere.
Because I’m not a dyed in the wool Method book teacher, I will wean him off the usual mass-marketed, spoon-fed pablum, and introduce repertoire that is “position”-less and drawn from contemporaries of the Masters. (Turk, Beyer, et al) But that’s in the offing.
For now we’re relishing a musical journey that’s enriched by ensemble playing.
(To this effect, I record Secondo parts or teacher accompaniments that I send to my adult students in progressive tempos. These enable baby-step practicing with harmonic enrichment)
FABER MINUET
MIDNIGHT RIDE
