<p>This is a lazy way out, I know, but...
I am looking for popular piano music for students in the late elementary through intermediate levels. I've become tired of the Faber and Alfred collections, and many "pop" piano repertoire books have not been updated for over 10 years- the kids in elementary and junior high have never heard these songs.</p>
<p>Does anyone know publishers, especially if you have a website, of good "teaching level" popular songs? I'm especially interested if I can see a sample of the music online- I will not order music blindly.</p>
<p>I don't know, but let me know if you find something! I'm going to start teaching again after Labor Day. It seems that I always end up using sheet music, because kids specifically request certain pieces, but aren't interested in any of the other pieces they're packaged with. In general I find it very hard to teach "pop" songs, because the rhythms are so tricky, and if I find a piece "simplified," and the student already knows the song from the radio, they want to play it the way they (think they) know it, rather than the way it is written. Plus, so much pop music is written for the singer rather than for piano, so the accompaniment is not much fun to play alone. </p>
<p>I do have a seasonal (Christmas) book that has proven to be popular with my students -- "Christmas Solos for Beginners" (level 2) arranged by Richard Bradley. (Bradley Publications.) It has most of the traditional songs in nice (tho' easy) arrangements, but also includes some newer pieces like "Where are you, Christmas?" from the Grinch. Or "The Chipmunk Song" (Christmas, Don't be Late), or "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth." This book gets a lot of use every year.</p>
<p>I'd be interested in hearing what books and/or pieces you've found especially useful or fun or well-received. (And anybody else - teacher or student). I teach mostly beginners, (and generally use the Faber books.)</p>
<p>My kids have piano books with Billy Joel music (a favorite in this house) and a number of (believe it or not) decent Disney music books. We also have a number of Christmas books...I'll see if I can get the publishers of these. We also have a bunch of Scott Joplin rags...not exactly "pop" but a lot of fun to play. But they do have complicated rhythms. Oh..we also have some jazz piano books. My son got a little tired of Clementi sonatinas and his teacher started doing a great mix of music.</p>
<p>I have been using mostly the Alfred books for my "meat and potatoes" elementary teaching material; I also use Faber. The Faber elementary pop books (Funtime, Chordtime, etc.) are OK...I usually find the kids want to do two or three songs and then the rest are too fuddy-duddy for them. (I Want to Hold Your Hand? C'mon- it doesn't even sound right played on the piano. What were they thinking?)</p>
<p>The thing that gets me is that you (or they) buy an entire book and get a few songs of enjoyment out of it. And lately, it doesn't seem like there is a lot of "new" pop for elementary students- the Faber series hasn't been significantly updated. So the kids who are in 4th and 5th grades haven't even heard half those songs. They just want to play something for their friends and themselves that's FUN and COOL and I don't blame them!</p>
<p>Maybe it's because there's been so much hip-hop chart toppers lately (which do not translate well into piano music), that there is such a dearth of easy pop books.</p>
<p>I can remember growing up and LOVING the Brimhall pop books. </p>
<p>I agree about the ragtime music- so much fun. It's a big advancement when the kids finally "get" those huge LH interval jumps though. When they get to that point, a whole new ball game opens to them.</p>