Clavier Companion - March/April 2013 - 55

couragement. In these cases, the teacher must step in with alternate
suggestions, which can include tasteful and meaningful simplifications, or pieces “in the style” of masterworks that give a satisfying
sound with less technical effort. Examples of some works that
emulate the sound of masterworks with less demand include
William Gillock’s Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style 2 and Robert
Vandall’s preludes.3

Encourage musicality
In my experience, the most satisfaction comes when adults can
play something musically, when they can really have command of a
piece and give a convincing performance that has something to say.
The quest for many students is for the ability to feel like a real
pianist. They often don’t find it in difficult pieces, where they
struggle just to play the right notes at the right time. I try to work
with my students to temper the level of difficulty and select pieces
they can truly master. This is often a tough sell at first, but one
beautiful performance is usually all it takes for adult students to
realize how much fun it is to play with artistry.

Broaden horizons
Letting adults choose their own repertoire is great for motivation, and it helps them fulfill their dreams. But many adults aren’t
really aware of the broad spectrum of music that exists, and they
may just default to a style that they know. Over time, they will
appreciate your efforts to introduce new sounds, composers, and
repertoire into their experience. One effective technique is to build
familiarity before it is time to choose a new piece. If you think
you’ve got some good ideas for repertoire that your students might
enjoy, have them listen to recordings a few weeks before you want
them to select a new piece. This will place the new repertoire in the
student’s frame of reference. For example, if a student has only
“chosen” popular pieces, encourage her to listen to some Schumann
or Chopin for a while. Offer a choice of pieces from that listening.
The student will feel like she is choosing familiar repertoire, but
you will have succeeded in introducing something new.
1

Most notable are the work of Malcolm Knowles in the field of Andragogy and the work
of Allan Tough on self-directed learning in adults.
2
Alfred Publishing Company, 2008.
3
Alfred Publishing Company, 2006.

Slow, accessible, and mature
by Diane Hidy
y first consideration is whether the piece will sound good
played slowly. Most adults practice at a slow tempo for
quite a while. If the piece is full of passing dissonances
which could sound like wrong notes, adults often become confused
and aren’t sure whether they’re playing it correctly.
The next thing I look for in a piece for an adult student is emotional depth. Does this piece say something complex enough to
sustain an adult’s interest through the sometimes-lengthy learning
process? One of my students, Sandy, a successful microbiologist,
explained, “I don’t want to play pieces that I can imagine a little kid
playing. I don’t want anything playful. I want something with real
emotional depth. I’m attracted to pieces in minor keys because they
stir up more turbulent emotions.” Adult students look for something that reflects their own emotional maturity. I search for pieces
that appeal to my own emotions. I screen for details like melodies
with unusual intervals and harmonies that use suspensions and rich
chords.
Many students have no idea that accessible pieces that will satisfy their longing for a deep musical experience even exist. This is
where the expertise of the teacher comes in. There are many volumes of music now available that have sensitive, well-composed
pieces that are leveled appropriately. Keith Snell’s collections called
Essential Piano Repertoire 4 are the books I choose most often.
Because the pieces are so carefully graded, I can send a student
home with the book and CD and let them make their own choice.
Sometimes I pick for them if they need more guidance.
My favorite is the Level Five book. I find two of the pieces in
this collection, Streabbog’s The Orphan and Rebikov’s Waltz in Fsharp Minor, are particularly successful choices for adults.

Excerpt 1: The Orphan, Op. 64, No. 4, by Louis Streabbog, mm. 1-4.

Rebikov: Waltz in F-sharp Minor
This piece is filled with longing. I find the left-hand waltz bass
easier to teach than more typical ones. The rhythmic interest actually makes it more memorable for the hand and mind. This piece
takes advantage of the ability of an adult hand to open to four note
chords, but never asks for those four notes to be played at once. It’s
the best of both worlds! The harmonies are sophisticated and the
melody is filled with emotion. Though short, it feels substantial
(see Excerpt 2).
Excerpt 2: Waltz in F-sharp Minor by Vladimir Rebikov, mm. 1-4.

Excerpts 1 and 2 from Essential Piano Repertoire, Level Five, selected and edited by Keith Snell
© 2006 Neil A. Kjos Music Company. All Rights Reserved . Used By Permission 2013

Streabbog: The Orphan
The continuous left-hand eighth notes support the melody in
the right hand. The melody is soulful without being sentimental.
The left hand is written so that blocking the chords is quite easy. It
has enough emotional content and interest to keep an adult satisfied throughout the learning process (see Excerpt 1).
MARCH/APRIL 2013

Kjos Music Company, 2007.

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Clavier Companion - March/April 2013

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