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Beginner: 1^stPieces Primer One Two Three Four Keyboard_Classics

Intermediate: One Two Three Four

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Your NEW JUNE Music consists of three pieces I have written myself, all with an animal theme

FIRST is “The Stallion Gallops Free” in Primer Level

The Stallion Gallops Free sheet music cover

Here’s an exciting recital piece for Primer Level pianists. You can think of it like “There’s a Rabbit in the Garden,” longer than most Primer pieces and with plenty of opportunity to show off. In this case the tempo marking, “Like the Wind,” and the easy fingering encourage your student to put on a dazzling display!

SECOND is “A Whale’s Tale” in Level 2

Just as a whale lives under the sea, the melody in this new piece lives completely in the lower notes of the left hand. “A Whale’s Tale” is a great piece to introduce balance to the student—the important skill of playing the melody louder than the accompaniment. The performance should flow swiftly and smoothly as if swimming through a large body of water.

And YOUR THIRD June piece is “A Burro’s Burden” Primer Level

Determined to carry a heavy load, this burro (Spanish for donkey) is serious about the job ahead (read: minor key). And “if it’s more than I bargained for” your donkey won’t hesitate to let out its well known cry.

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Your NEW Music in May is the Cuban classic, “Guantanamera” in Level 4

With words by the Cuban national hero José Martí, “Guantanamera” is a nostalgic reflection of Cuba’s easternmost province. A rough translation would be, “Woman from Guantánamo, I am just an honest man from where the palm tree grows…With the poor of the earth I cast my lot.”

As this piece starts with such a clear and repeated C chord, one might forget to look at the key signature and assume there are no sharps or flats. But no! Beware! We are actually in G with an F-sharp in the key signature. It needs to be observed soon after starting—in the second measure there’s an F-sharp in the left hand.

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Happy Spring! APRIL’S first new tune is “The Banana Boat Song” or “Day-O” in Level 2

Harry Belafonte popularized this Jamaican tune with his stunning performances of what came to be known as “Day-O.” Far from a get-up-and-greet-the-day song, it is a work song, sung by laborers toiling through the night picking bananas. They did not work during the day because the daylight sun was too hot. In essence they sang, “The sun is up. Come here, boss, and count the bananas I loaded onto the boat (‘tally me banana’) so that I can go home and sleep.”

The right hand in this arrangement shifts back and forth between spanning a sixth, E up to C, and the familiar C position. The left hand meanwhile stays solidly in C.

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Second in APRIL is “Hey Jama,” a variation on “Frère Jacques” also in Level 2

Of the hundreds of variations around the world of “Frère Jacques,” you are now getting one from Somalia. Here, instead of Jacques being awakened to ring the matins bells, Jama is awakened to go to school. Thank you, Mama Lisa, for this version.

When you go to Level 2 you will see that you can choose between an adult printout and a child one. They differ only in the accompanying picture.

In this arrangement the harmonies are a bit unusual though pleasant to the ear. Do not forget the flat in the key signature which affects a B in the very first measure as well as many subsequent measures. Otherwise you get harmonies which are way too unusual for most people’s tastes!

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There is much music in MARCH for you! First, “From Caterpillar to Butterfly” appears in Level 1

You will find this piece early in Level 1 as the note reading is easy for this level. In addition, “From Caterpillar to Butterfly” contains a wide variety of instructions which make for both teachable moments and interesting sounds. These include pedaling, dynamics, a ritard-fermata-A-Tempo passage, a shift to an octave higher notated with 8va, and left hand crossing over right on the very last note. I hope you enjoy teaching and playing it as much as I enjoyed composing it.

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From Caterpillar to Butterfly sheet music cover

Second, in MARCH on your Level 2 page is, “Sonatina Piccola”

I have now written for you three short Sonatinas for Levels 1, 2 and 3 called respectively, “Sonatina Piccolina,” “Sonatina Piccola” and “Sonatina in G.” I am sure that your new Level 2 “Sonatina Piccola” will match and even surpass the popularity of its smaller “Piccolina” cousin. I have always enjoyed the challenge of writing classical forms at the easiest possible levels: in addition to these three sonatinas see my Gavotte in Keyboard Classics, my Musette in Level 3, and my Sonata Form Fun in Intermediate Level 1. Enjoy playing these accessible pieces found only on this site.

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Your FEBRUARY music includes three versions of “Jumping Jacks,” taken from
Purcell’s “Rigadoon” in Primer Level, Level 1 and Level 2

A rigadoon is “a lively jumping quickstep” according to The American Heritage Dictionary. This description inspired me to call the piece “Jumping Jacks” and to add staccato dots to encourage students to have their fingers “jump” from key to key.

In Primer Level, phrase markers emphasize the difference between staccato and legato touches. Level 1 is unusual in that the melody at first appears in the left hand. There is also an easy shift from Middle C position to “Regular” C position (hands an octave apart). The Level 2 version has slightly more complicated shifts of hand position typical of this level.

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Jumping Jacks / Rigadoon sheet music cover

February’s second offering is “Star Light, Star Bright” in First Pieces and Level 1

Star Light Star Bright sheet music cover

Half of the First Pieces version of “Star Light, Star Bright” is played by just two pointer fingers. Easy peasy! The notation, however is traditional, complete with rests and grand staffs. The Level 1 version is a great introduction to G position. There are no stretches down to F-sharp, no 3-note chords, and the melody appears in both hands. I would suggest that students play the melody while singing letter names—with no peeking at the keyboard! This would be a good strategy for practicing their music reading skills.

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In JANUARY of 2026 you get two dances! First, my own composition, “Artie’s Jig”
in Intermediate Level 1

You are getting two versions of “Artie’s Jig,” both in Intermediate 1. One version is written in traditional notation while the second is written as a lead sheet. I am hoping that non-pianists will use the lead sheet to play informally in folk, bluegrass or country bands. I therefore took out piano fingerings from the lead sheet as they might confuse fiddlers or other instrumentalists.

Artie, by the way, is a close relative’s dog. He is much loved and he loves back dearly.

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Artie on his morning walk

…and second is Minuet No.1 from Bach’s G minor Suite BWV 822 in Intermediate Level 2
as promised last month

There is only one other piece on this site in the key of G minor preceding this minuet—the minuet from the notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach in Intermediate Level 1. So these two minuets bring up the question, “How do you introduce a new key to the student?”

First, I recommend that exercises progressing through all keys be practiced throughout a student’s learning. My “5-Finger Patterns and Chords” on this site’s Exercises page is a good, systematic way to do this. Its introduction reads in part:

“In these pages you find the right notes without the benefit of reading music. Instead you use:

the visual patterns on the last page [a chord chart is provided]
your aural recognition when the exercises “sounds right,”
your understanding of half-steps and whole-steps, and
the tactile feel of the keyboard in your hands”

Thus, you will transpose exercises written in C to other keys…”

Secondly I recommend that the scale of the new key be practiced along with the piece. Scales can also be found on the Exercises page.

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