Welcome to the MaxMusic Piano eSheet Club! It’s a monthly surprise package designed specifically to bring more joy to you and your students!
“This has been amazing Rebekah! It’s so much fun to get new music the beginning of each month. Tremendous value! Thank you!!” ~ Tanis Cowan
May 2022 – Kaleidoscope Dream
Levels: US, Late Elementary. AMEB, 1. ABRSM, 1. RCM, 1.
Teaching hints
- Here’s a piece that reflects mesmerizing slow cascade of colours in a kaleidoscope as you turn it towards the light!
- Explores rolling eighths and dotted-quarters in 6/8 meter. Rhythms are limited to eighths and dotted-quarters. No quarter-eighth combinations.
- An ideal introduction to (or study in) 6/8 meter.
- If your student is new to 6/8, teach the key pattern on the piano by rote prior to introducing the notation. Let the student copy the feel of the rolling 6/8 first.
April 2022 – Don’t Hurry, Be Hoppy
Levels: US, Elementary. AMEB, Preliminary. ABRSM, Initial. RCM, Prep B.
Teaching hints
- Here’s a charming piece about bunnies who are encouraged to let go of worries and fears, and learn how to trust. This is written about my student, Penny, and her two bunnies, Binky and Cottonball.
- Ideal for spring, Easter or for any time of year (as spring and Easter aren’t specifically mentioned in the piece!).
- Explore the waltz style, two-note slurs, staccatos, accents, sharps, flats, harmonic fifths and thirds, crescendos and diminuendos and D.S. al Fine indications.
- Available with and without lyrics (both versions included). Because some students are “younger” and others are “older” at this level, I’ve included both to give you the choice.
March 2022 – A Little Piece of History, Dribble and Pass, and Higgledy-Piggledy
US: Early Elementary; AEMB: Junior/Preparatory; RCM: Preparatory A.
Teaching hints
A Little Piece of History
- This piece is in the Classical style and the broken C chords in the left hand are a very early intro to Alberti bass.
- Play with an elegant non-legato except for the three-note slurs.
- In line three the harmonies sound like hunting horns. Kids love the harmonies as hands play together.
Note: The YouTube recording differs from the eSheet, as the piece was edited slightly after the recording was made. The eSheet is correct.
Dribble and Pass
- Dribble and Pass lands in your studio for kids who love basketball!
- It’s a great chance to teach the contrasting touches of staccato and legato. The staccatos imitate the bouncing basketball, and the legato phrases are smooth like the arc of the ball through the air as it’s being passed from player to player.
- Teaches or reinforces reading the space Cs and navigating them on the piano keys.
Note: The YouTube recording differs from the eSheet, as the piece was edited slightly after the recording was made. The eSheet is correct.
Higgledy-Piggledy
- Explore contrasting touches of staccato and legato and reading up a step from middle and space C.
- The left hand at the end poses a challenge. Warm up each skip (3rd) separately, alternating fingers back and forth. When played through, ask students to sing, “Skip up, skip down, G.” I teach the ending first and then say, “Well, you just learned the hardest part. Now, let’s learn the rest.” This means my students are playing towards the part they know best.
- This piece comes in two versions. The version with lyrics has fewer dynamics, possibly for younger children. The version without lyrics has more direction with dynamics, possibly for kids who are too old for lyrics.
February 2022 – Spy Game
Levels: US, Late Elementary. AMEB, 1. ABRSM, 1. RCM, 2.
Teaching hints
- When there’s a top secret message to deliver or a letter to intercept and decode, enter the savvy spy who knows how to play by the rules of a different game! Spy music is jazzy, rhythmic, mysterious and fun to play.
- In this piece you’ll find repeating blues scale patterns, a steady pulse like a beating heart, and special missions for the right hand and left hand as both play the spy game.
- This Late Elementary piece can pivot to adventurous Level 1 students or Level 2 students who like lots of repetition. The levels are not marked on the sheets, themselves, so if you have an Early Intermediate student who is online and wants a quick win, why not pass this by them? (Don’t you find that with online lessons it’s better to stick to more accessible music?)
January 2022 – Joy in the Morning
Levels: US, Late Intermediate. AMEB, 5. ABRSM, 5. RCM, 6.
Teaching hints
- “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. … There was however, a night to endure before the morning dawned.” This text comes from Psalm 30. Joy in the Morning was also a novel by American author Betty Smith, one of my mother’s favourites, and a book I also read in my teens.
- Somehow, as I composed this piece these words kept coming to me. The global pandemic is one of the most difficult things we have collectively endured. Yet, after this dark time, I believe there will be more joy.
- Develop the sense of the long melodic line and shaping of the phrase as it leads forward to its apex point.
- Agogic accents are encouraged. When a move feels too far for the strict time, it’s okay to take your time.
- The left hand features closed and open chords in a semi-Alberti bass pattern.
There’s nothing better than engaging your students with music they love to play, at the MaxMusic Club price!
“Can’t wait for my monthly surprise! Super excited about this, Rebekah! :)” ~ Jennifer Foxx
“WOW what a deal!!!” ~ Tanis Cowan
“This is so pretty! I’ll be looking forward to new music from you every month. ~ Adrienne Alton-Gust
“Thanks for offering this again!” ~ Andrew Sims
“Looking forward to 2022’s selections!” ~ Adrienne Alton-Gust
“Thank you, Rebekah! My students love your music!” ~ Kathy Anderson
“Thank you very much for offering this music club!” ~ Ruth Peterson
“Love receiving the sheets every month, Rebekah! By the way, my student received lovely comments from the adjudicator at our Canada Music Week festival for your song, “The Way Back Home”. She commented…. a sensitive performance of this exquisite piece, you demonstrated a sincere connection with this piece.” ~ Marilyn Loosemore
“I’ve enjoyed the club so far — and am greatly appreciative of the price-point. :)” ~ Karen Long
“Looking forward to another year of delightful pieces!” ~ Brenda Powers
Invite your friends! They’ll get the savings, too!
Rebekah Maxner 
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