Archive for category New Music
New Review of Irish Celebration
Posted by Wendy in Music for Teaching, New Music, Piano Teaching on March 3rd, 2010
Natalie has posted a review of my Irish Celebration piece on Music Matters Blog. Thanks, Natalie!
You can buy this piece of sheet music from any of the online music dealers, your local music store, or directly from Hal Leonard. See a “Closer Look” at the music and hear an audio sample on the Hal Leonard site.
Review #2-How Sweet the Sound
Posted by Wendy in New Music, Reviews of teaching materials on January 27th, 2010
If you have never checked out Susan Paradis’ website, Piano Teacher Resources, you must check it out. Many of the games that my students play each week are from Susan’s site! Especially useful to me have been her ideas and worksheets for games, steps and skips, and theory.
Yesterday, Susan published a review of my new book How Sweet the Sound. You can read the review here. Thank you Susan for taking the time to play through and review the pieces. I really appreciate it!
New Review of How Sweet the Sound
Posted by Wendy in New Music, Reviews of teaching materials on January 26th, 2010
Natalie, over on Music Matters Blog, has posted a review of How Sweet the Sound, my newest collection of sacred arrangements. She begins by talking about her performance of the first piece at her local music teachers’ meeting:
I had recently received Wendy Stevens’ newest book, How Sweet the Sound, and fell in love with the first arrangement – Day of Arising. It’s a gorgeous setting that just makes the piano sing
She then details several high points of many of the pieces and makes this statement:
Each of the other intermediate/late-intermediate arrangements are also enjoyable, offering the fresh, vibrant, elements that players of Wendy’s music have come to expect and love.
You can see a PDF sample and audio samples on the previous blog post. Prima Music has just notified me that they will be stocking this book. You can also order directly from the composecreate site:
How Sweet the Sound
10 arrangements for solo piano
Late Intermediate, 48 pages
$17.50
Published by Augsburg Fortress
New Sacred Book Published: How Sweet the Sound
Augsburg Fortress has published a new collection of my arrangements entitled How Sweet the Sound. The late intermediate collection consists of many well known hymn tunes as well as some newer, very interesting ones. Included in the collection are the following titles (and tune names). Click to listen to a representative sample (please excuse the less than wonderfully rich piano):
- There is a Balm (Balm in Gilead)
- Take Up Your Cross (Bourbon)
- We Walk by Faith and Not By Sight (Dunlap’s Creek) Isn’t Dunlap’s Creek the prettiest sounding title for a tune name?
- Thine is the Glory (Judas Maccabaeus)
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Picardy)
- Day of Arising (Raabe)
- How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds / Amazing Grace (St. Peter / New Britain)
- This is My Fathers World (Terra Patris)
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Trust in Jesus)
You can see a sample of How Sweet the Sound here. This book is easier than my first collection of sacred arrangements (Rejoice! Engaging Hymn Settings for Piano which was rather advanced).
You may purchase this book from me, Augsburg Fortress, your favorite online retailer, or ask your local music retailer to order it for you.
How Sweet the Sound
10 arrangements for solo piano
Late Intermediate, 48 pages
$17.50
Published by Augsburg Fortress
Winning Recital Pieces
Posted by Wendy in Music for Teaching, New Music on January 18th, 2010
I’m going to modestly suggest that some of my new pieces might fit this “winning” recital pieces category. 
Seriously, I have gotten good feedback on these pieces and do appreciate those of you who give new music and new composers a try! Below, I have also included some updated lists of other winning recital pieces (pupil savers) in my studio.
New Solo Pieces for Beginners:
If you are shopping for spring recital pieces and have some beginning students, you might also be interested in the pre-staff Piano Recital Showcase that came out late summer. This book contains 8 solos on the black keys or white keys in simple notation (no staff). Some of the fun pieces include: Bumper Cars • Cherokee Lullaby (my piece) • Fire Dance (also my piece) • The Hungry Spider • On a Magic Carpet • One, Two, Three • Pickled Pepper Polka • Pumpkin Song. See some samples.
Late Elementary “Pupil Saver:”
If you have students who love to play fast and with a flourish, they might be interested in Twister, an “easier than it sounds” Level 3 piece published last year. I have received an overwhelming amount of feedback on this piece from teachers with students who love the fast-paced, tarantella feel. Here is a music and an audio sample.
Read Susan Paradis’ review here.
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New Elementary Music:
Earlier this week, I told you about my new Level 1 Irish Celebration piece that would be great for spring recitals or St. Patrick’s Day. This is an elementary piece with only quarters, halves, dotted halves, and a few quarter rests. See a sample here.
Shopping for these pieces:
All of these pieces and books can be found at the following online retailers: Sheet Music Plus, Music Dispatch, Piano Pal, Prima Music and JWPepper.
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Other Winning Recital Pieces:
I have updated the Pupil Savers document under Teaching Resources/Repertoire to reflect some of my student’s most recent “winning pieces.” You might also check out the Repertoire page for other lists of:
- Fun Duets
- Pieces that are easier than they sound
- Humorous Piano Pieces
- Pieces for 1 hand
- One piano-6 hands
- World Music
Irish Celebration Winners
Posted by Wendy in Good Deals, Music for Teaching, New Music, Piano Teaching on January 15th, 2010
I have used a random number generator to pick the winners of the Irish Celebration giveaway. And the winners are:
- Ruth Manweiler (#15)
- Julia (#13)
If you both would email me your mailing address, I will mail you a copy of Irish Celebration!
Thank you all for your interest in my new music. I appreciate those who are willing to take a chance on a new composer and new ideas!
Review of Irish Celebration
Posted by Wendy in Music for Teaching, New Music, Piano Teaching, Reviews of teaching materials on January 13th, 2010
Don’t forget to enter the Irish Celebration giveaway. You have until Friday, January 15th at noon to enter by commenting, blogging, or tweeting about the piece. Enter by leaving a comment on this post: Irish Celebration Giveaway.
Susan Paradis has posted a very thorough review of Irish Celebration on her useful piano blog. Thank you Susan for your kind words and thorough review!
Irish Celebration Giveaway
Posted by Wendy in Good Deals, Music for Teaching on January 12th, 2010
Yesterday, I introduced you to my new Level 1 Solo Irish Celebration. I will be giving away 2 of these pieces this Friday at noon (CST). To enter this giveaway, you can do any of the following:
- Leave a comment on this blog post and let me know how this piece might be useful in your studio.
- Tweet about the giveaway and link back to this post. (Be sure to leave an additional comment on the blog so you get credit for your tweet.)
- Blog about this piece and link back to this post. (Leave a comment about your blog post so you can get credit.)
In addition, I have been known to go ahead and send a few extra pieces out to those that look like they might be able to help me spread the word about the piece (in a teaching organization newsletter, at a teacher’s meeting, or any other ways you can think to help me get the word out). So, please send me an email (in addition to your comment/giveaway entry) if you think you might be able to help me spread the word. I really appreciate those of you who take an interest in my music. As a composer fairly new to the publishing scene, this is of great benefit to me and I am more than happy to send you a free piece for helping me spread the word (until I run out of copies)!
New Irish Celebration for Beginners
Posted by Wendy in Music for Teaching, New Music on January 11th, 2010
My new piece is out just in time for spring recitals and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Hal Leonard has just published a new Level 1 Solo called Irish Celebration in time for spring recitals and St. Patrick’s Day.
The piece is reminiscent of a peppy Irish jig and is complete with a catchy teacher’s duet (beginning with bagpipe sounds, but not limited to these). Containing only quarter, half, and dotted half notes (with a few rests at the end), Hal Leonard describes this piece, “Beginning piano students will love the dancing spirit of this little jig! The bagpipe sounds in the teacher accompaniment add to the fun mood of this toe-tappin’ Irish tune.”
Click here to see a sample of this piece. Come back tomorrow for information about a giveaway of this piece!
This solo can be found at the following online retailers: Sheet Music Plus, Music Dispatch, Piano Pal, Prima Music and JWPepper.
Reproducible Sight Reading Pieces
Posted by Wendy in Music for Teaching, New Music, Piano Teaching on January 7th, 2010
Both Kansas and Washington have a state music curriculum called Music Progressions. This year, KMTA asked me to compose some original sight reading pieces for levels 1-6. I have done this and 2010 tests will include these revised pieces.
I decided that now might be a good time to write some practice sight reading pieces as has been requested by many teachers in the past. Of course, the advantage of this is that I know exactly what the “real” sight reading pieces will be like and was able to compose in a similar style for the practice sight reading.
This item, called Sight Reading Practice Pieces, contains 2 pieces per levels 1-6, for a total of 12 pieces. Each piece is reproducible from year to year in your studio for your students. Since this is a PDF, the file will also allow you to print just what you need from year to year. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to see the files. If you can see this Rhythm Drill then you know you will be able to open the pdf files. If you cannot see the file, they you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader which will enable you to see all files on this site!
You can order these tests directly from this post. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Item: PDF Sight Reading Practice Pieces
2 pieces for each level (1-6); 12 pieces total
Reproducible
Price: $17.50
