Those who read this blog regularly will know that I host an increasingly popular Facebook Group called Adult Piano Returners (click on the group name to find out more). I started this group in September 2021 at the end of the pandemic as a way of connecting with adult pianists, and I also wanted to provide a safe space for like-minded players to talk – and play – ‘shop’! Adult Piano Returners is extremely active with members frequently posting videos of their playing as a way of building their performance confidence and benchmarking their progress, as well as obtaining advice from other members or from the numerous piano teachers and piano experts who are also in the group.
As might be expected online, members join from all around the world. They hail from disparate backgrounds, are of different age ranges, and, of course, showcase a whole variety of piano playing levels and abilities. Everyone is welcome, from beginners up to professional level: the piano can be an isolating instrument to learn and this type of piano playing ‘club’ is the ideal way to develop piano friendships – and it’s totally free to join!
Some members have formed ‘meet-up’ events and now enjoy regular ‘live’ performance sessions, whilst others have found duet partners, answers to a multitude of piano-related questions, unearthed interesting new resources, or located a new teacher; we don’t permit teacher advertising or tutorials, however, members often ask teachers in the group for lessons.
This week, group membership reached 20,000 and, as a celebration, Schott Music and myself are offering a couple of free sheet music downloads. They are both taken from my series Women Composers – A Graded Piano Anthology, which was published last year. This series won a Presto Music Award for the best ‘New Series Of The Year’, and has already proved a firm favourite with students and teachers alike.
The first piece, ‘The Boat’ by Felicitas Kukuck, comes from Book 1 and would be considered elementary level (around Grade 1/2). Click on the PDF download below for the score with information about the composer and practice tips, and listen to the piece by clicking the YouTube link:
The second piece, Prelude by Luise Adolpha Le Beau, comes from Book 2 and would be considered intermediate level (around Grade 5). Click on the links below to download the score and hear a YouTube performance:
Prelude by Luise Adolpha Le Beau
I hope you enjoy playing these pieces. If you’re not already a member of Adult Piano Returners, click here to join. Hope to see you there.
Find out more about Women Composers – A Graded Anthology For Piano, here.
This is a beautiful post, Melanie. I’m so glad to be back in the group.
Thank you, Barbara! And we are delighted that you are back. 🙂