Hey everyone!
I would like to ask about some suggestions for 8 year old student who had 3 years of piano lessons.But its about all info I have for now and I just need some teaching books ,music pieces suggestion etc.
Thanks.

What has he been doing for the last 3 years?
Is this a transfer student to you?

It's hard to suggest books without knowing the student's level, but as far as methods go I like John Thompson or Bastian. Thompson is an older method, and I feel advances more quickly. Bastian course books are more modern in presentation/graphics, and tend to stay in certain keys more. Many on this forum like Faber and Faber, which is also quite good. I like to supplement with exercises in Dozen-A-Day. All these books go from Primary up to intermediate/advanced.

You'd have to meet the student first to determine which level would be appropriate. When I get a transfer student, I usually go with the method they're used to from the previous teacher, and then sometimes switch to another method.

As far as pieces go, I supplement with selections used for NYSSMA. Level One - First Sonatina by Lynn Freeman Olson, Level Two The Green Dragon by Maxwell Eckstein, Level Three, Burgmueller, etc, etc. etc.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

EDWARDIAN,
I'm from NY, too. Do you supplement with just one NYSSMA piece per method book level? For example, I have a student returning who's in level 1 Faber. If she stays in level 1, would you just supplement with the Sonatina? Or do more than one piece from NYSSMA?

thanks!
BevP

Hi BevP!

I sometimes use one or more, depending on the student and their capability.
Sometimes by the time they have mastered the one NYSSMA piece (so it's ready for the adjudication) we've reached another level. Others can do more, as you know, so maybe we try two, three or more on a level (NYSSMA level that is).

And I feel the NYSSMA "levels" can differ from the method "levels" and the method level for Thompson can be different from Bastian, Faber, etc. There are cross-overs between the methods, as you know.

Anyway, I guess my answer is it depends on the student, and how much and how quickly they can handle the material. I love Olson's First Sonatina because it's in three sections, each with a different mood, and they only need to do one for NYSSMA. I find, though, that the pieces are so appealing to them that many of my students want to do all three sections. I used to like Jane Hergo's Five FInger Frolics, but then they took it off the list of approved pieces. Hope they put it back in the new NYSSMA manual!

Thanks for your post.

Joan

Length of study and age alone are very poor indicators of a student's needs. It would be completely irresponsible to assign repertoire without knowing more.

Sorry, that wasn't very helpful. Here's what should be done:

Interview the student and parent, and find out:

What method books they've used.
What repertoire they've studied.
What festivals and recitals they've participated in.
Who their previous teacher was.
What the student's musical interests are.
What the parents' goals are.

Have they done any of this:
http://www.georgiamta.org/studentactivities.php

The student's technical proficiency:
- Pentascales?
- Scales?
- Triads?
- Chord progressions?
- Exercises?
- Cross-hand arpeggios?

The student's reading ability:
- pitch recognition
- interval recognition
- reading approach
- reliance on fingerings
- 8th notes? dotted quarters? ties? rests?
- fluent in bass and treble clefs?