T.W. Owens: Keyboard Adventures
Rote Pieces for Beginners
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
Shipping Policy- Composer: Terry Winter Owens (1936-2007)
- Instrumentation: Piano
- ISMN:
Description
Rote teaching is a time-tested method in which the teacher demonstrates at the keyboard and the student learns by watching and listening and then imitating the teacher. Keyboard Adventures is intended as a supplement to traditional method books.
The rote approach allows beginning students to play relatively difficult music, with expression, in the first few weeks of lessons, before or while they learn to read music. Teachers do not need to have any background in rote instruction. Keyboard Adventures provides easy-to-follow teaching guidelines and techniques for presenting the pieces to students.
Many children have fairly sophisticated musical tastes and can become bored if they play only what they are able to sight read. and not every child is able to play by ear. The pieces in Keyboard Adventures introduce melodic, harmonic and rhythmic ideas that are far beyond the reading capability of beginning students - yet they are well within the beginner's ability to play and enjoy.
Keyboard Adventures also presents practice in transposition and lays the groundwork for learning the fundamentals of harmony, ear-training and improvisation. It capitalizes on the fact that large muscle control is more highly developed in young children than fine motor control; that is, movement of the whole arm as opposed to moving individual fingers. Rote teaching makes less demand on eye-hand coordination which is not always well developed in some young children.
The pieces in this collection range over the whole keyboard, with a great deal of crossing of hands so that students do not become fixed in five finger positions. Some students tend to become fixed in the middle of the keyboard and their hands can get tense. This can become a difficult handicap to overcome in developing a fluid technique which requires a flexible hand that is capable of easily changing direction and position.
Learning to play the piano must of course involve learning to read music. But by isolating the acquisition of one skill (learning to play) from the far more difficult skill (learning to read music) the student will find greater and more immediate satisfaction from music lessons and practice sessions. It is noteworthy that children learn to speak before they read. This can be applied to music lessons: play before or while learning to read.
Publishers use a lot of words to describe what they sell, and we know it can be confusing. We've tried to be as clear as possible to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Below are descriptions of the terms that we use to describe the various formats that music often comes in.
Choral Score
A score for vocalists that only contains the vocal lines. The instrumental parts are not there for reference. Generally, cheaper than a vocal score and requires multiple copies for purchase.
Facsimile
Reproductions of the original hand-written scores from the composer.
Full Score
For ensemble music, this indicates that the edition contains all parts on a single system (there are not separate parts for each player). In larger ensembles, this is for the conductor.
Hardcover
Hardbound. Generally either linen-covered or half-leather.
Orchestral Parts
Similar to a wind set, this is a collection of parts. In the case of strings, the numbers listed are the number of copies included, though generally these are available individually (often with minimum quantities required).
Paperback
When publishers offer multiple bindings (e.g. hardcover) or study scores, this is the "standard" version. If you're planning to play the music, this is probably what you want.
Performance / Playing Score
A score of the music containing all parts on one system, intended for players to share. There are not separate parts for each player.
Set of Parts
For ensemble music, this indicates that there are separate individual parts for each player.
Solo Part with Piano Reduction
For solo pieces with orchestra, this is a version that contains a piano reduction of the orchestra parts. For piano pieces, two copies are typically needed for performance.
Study Score
A small (think choral size) copy of the complete score meant for studying, and not playing. They make great add-ons when learning concertos and small chamber works.
Vocal Score
A score prepared for vocalists that includes the piano/organ part or a reduction of the instrumental parts.
Wind Set
For orchestral music, this is a collection of wind and percussion parts. The specific quantities of each instrument are notated.
With Audio
In addition to the printed music, the edition contains recordings of the pieces. This may be an included CD, or access to files on the internet.
With / Without Fingering (Markings)
Some publishers prepare two copies - a pure Urtext edition that includes no fingering (or bowing) suggestions and a lightly edited version that includes a minimal number of editorial markings.
Digital Download
Digital, PDF version of the score.
T.W. Owens: Keyboard Adventures
