Incidental Music for Piano: 12 Extendable Pieces for the Young Silent-Film Pianist is an accessible collection of pieces intended for performance during showings of silent movies from the early 1900s. (For resources on putting on your own silent film recital, see Silent Film Celebration, a non-profit organization founded by Heather Smith, which offers silent film videos, sheet music, and other resources for piano teachers and students. Also check out my article, How to Organize a Silent Film Recital for Piano Students.)
While there are many extant volumes of incidental music for the advanced pianist (e.g., books here and here, plus public domain PDFs at sfsma.org or imslp.org), there are few collections available for the developing pianist. (Mine is the first, so far as I can tell!) The pieces in this collection are written for Late Elementary level students. If taught be rote, some of them are suitable for Early or Mid Elementary students.
The 12 pieces in this volume are titled by mood or character. When previewing a film, the action occurring in each film scene can be matched to an appropriate music selection.
Each piece is extendable, allowing it to be used flexibly to fill the time allotted for a given scene. Sections may repeated or not repeated as needed. The pianist is encouraged to create their own plan for the structure the piece using the provided Music Planning table. (If your students are like mine, they will enjoy having a say in how the piece goes!)
Sentimental Waltz (For Dancing Scenes, Skating, or General Use)
Love Theme (For Conversations, Weddings, and Other Sentimental Scenes)
Dramatic Tension Music (For Villian Scene or Other Excitement)
Uneasy Music (For Dramatic Tension, Sneaky Scenes, etc.)
Hero/Heroine Music (For Rescue Scenes, Successes, Weddings, etc.)
Pomp and Circumstance (For Victories, Weddings, Celebrations, and Happy Endings)
This is a studio-licensed product — meaning, the purchasing teacher is granted permission to print/copy from the PDF for educational purposes with your own students forever. The 8.5”x11” sized pages will print easily using a typical home/office printer. Your purchase also includes a set of audio recordings (MP3) for the pieces, so your students can listen to all twelve pieces.
Note: Interested in purchasing a HARDCOPY version of the book? Click here.
Level:
Late Elementary
Pages:
30 pages
Format:
PDF and MP3s (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
“The compositions are very accessible, engaging, fun, and written specifically with a younger student in mind. Students and teachers will love the music!” –Heather Smith
“I would highly recommend Joy Morin’s Silent Film collection. It’s definitely worth it! I had students playing some of the pieces at our silent film event a couple weeks ago, and Joy’s pieces were teacher AND student favorites!” –Valerie M.
“I have just received my copy in the mail, and I believe you have created a gem. Your pieces say so much with so few notes, and it never gets boring. Congratulations on this great book!” –Guilherme Lopes
Please note: This is a digital product, to be emailed after purchase.
NEW! Thank you for checking out my 12 Days of Christmas Projectcollaborative video kit for music teachers and their young musicians! In this project, students are assigned a short segment from the familiar 12 Days of Christmas carol to play on their instrument and video record. The teacher’s job is then to stitch all the student videos together into a final video that can be sent out to family and friends! Students will easily learn their part by ear/rote using the provided Practice Audio Tracks or by reading the provided sheet music notes.
Here’s my example video:
Within this kit, you will find everything you need to organize and create your own collaborative video project with your music students — no matter what instruments you teach or whether you are a single-teacher music studio or a multi-teacher school. It’s designed to work for practically any sized music studio. In it’s most basic form, the project is designed to work for 16-20 students, but there is much flexibility provided for working with more or fewer students.
For example, if you have a small or medium studio, you can assign students to cover two or more parts. This is especially great to do for students who happen to play more than one instrument. Just imagine how fun it would be to have the video involve piano, voice, guitar, ukulele, flute, violin, trumpet, sax, or French horn! (Transposed sheet music is provided.)
If you have a large studio or multi-teacher music school, you can involve more students by doubling them up on the same day so they will be dueting in the final video. It’s especially nice to pair up students on two different instruments. Or, students could sing the lyrics or provide harmony using the provided chord chart on piano, guitar, or ukulele for someone else’s part. The sky’s the limit! I encourage you to get creative to showcase the unique makeup of your music studio.
The 12 Days of Christmas Project can be completed in as little time as one or two lessons, but I suggest at least getting organized 3-6 weeks before your projected release date. If you are a piano teacher with a multi-keyboard classroom with headphones, this project can be completed across one or more class periods. A friend of mine completed it during just one studio class with her students. You can decide whether you’d prefer students to record their videos either during lesson time or at home — it works well either way!
Here’s what’s included:
Teacher’s Guide (3 pages), providing tips and guidance for how to successfully organize the project
Timeline & Checklist (1 page), helping you stay organized and on track throughout the project
Planning Sheet (1 page), used for you to assign students to their own parts from the 12 Days of Christmas carol
Video Editing Guide (1 page), a step-by-step guide with accompanying video tutorial showing you how to combine student videos into a final collaborative video
Student’s Guide (2 versions, 1 page each), providing students and parents guidelines for how to practice and video record either at their lesson or at home
Student Partsfor piano or treble clef C instruments (12 pages), containing strips of sheet music from the 12 Days of Christmas carol to give your students
MP3 Practice Tracks (20 audio files), for students to use to learn and practice their parts
Teacher Score for Video Editing (2 pages), sheet music for you to reference as you edit the student videos into a final collaborative video
12 Days Clipart (13 PNG image files), artwork licensed from artist Jesse Steury to add a fun visual element to the final video
Late Elementary Piano Solo (3 pages, $10 value!), studio-licensed sheet music arrangement you can give any piano students who wish to learn how to play the entire song
BONUS: Sheet music parts and full-length solos for C (Treble and Bass Clef), B-flat (Treble and Bass), E-flat (Treble), and F (Treble) instruments (60+ pages), for students who sing or play cello, trumpet, baritone, saxophone, French horn, etc. The full-length solos are studio-licensed ($10 value each), which means you can use this sheet music for years and years with your students
Duet Accompaniment (2 pages), a piano accompaniment you can record for the video project…or use to accompany the full-length solos on any instrument.
MP3s of the Duet Accompaniment and Duet Accompaniment + Solo (2 audio files), a recording of the Duet Accompaniment you can add to the video project or give your students as a backing track to enjoy when they play the full-length solo
Chord Chart, for pianists, guitarists, or ukulele players to use to add harmony (optional)
…and more!
In short, this kit will provide you all the guidance and materials you need to successfully pull off a collaborate video you can send out to your studio families and friends to celebrate the holiday season!
As a purchaser of this kit, the terms of use allow you unlimited printing for life for use with your own students. A STUDIO LICENSE for single teachers or a MULTI-TEACHER LICENSE for music schools is available. Either way, you and your students will be able to make use of this resources as often as you’d like for years to come! The 12 Days of Christmas project makes for a great annual tradition around the holidays.
The video-editing stage is arguably the most challenging aspect of the project (plan for it to take up to 3-4 hours). I would probably NOT recommend this project to anyone who is uncomfortable with technology and/or video editing — unless you’ve got a friend or family member who can help you with that step. That said, the provided Video Editing Guide, YouTube video tutorial, and Teacher Score for Video Editing will show you exactly what to do!
Would you like to see a video walkthrough of all the included pages? Watch it here.
Copyright – All files downloaded from ColorInMyPiano are protected by copyright law.
Studio License – Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted, such as sharing with other teachers. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Non-Transferrable – Purchase items from ColorInMyPiano are non-transferrable and must not be shared with other studios, teachers, or students of other teachers. Multi-teacher studios should purchase separate files for each teacher.
Responsibility – In all cases, the customer is ultimately responsible for their copyright compliance and the legal ramifications of their copy activity.
MULTI-TEACHER LICENSE (for multi-teacher music schools)
Copyright – All files downloaded from ColorInMyPiano are protected by copyright law.
Multi-Teacher School License – Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher and all employed teachers at the same school to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted, such as sharing with teachers at other music schools. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Non-Transferrable – Purchase items from ColorInMyPiano are non-transferrable and must not be shared with other studios, teachers, or students of other teachers. Multi-teacher studios should purchase separate files for each teacher.
Responsibility – In all cases, the customer is ultimately responsible for their copyright compliance and the legal ramifications of their copy activity.
What if I need a transposed part that’s not included in the kit?
The kit includes parts transposed for most common music instruments in C (treble and bass clef), B-flat (treble and bass clef), E-flat (treble clef), and F (treble clef). But if there’s something else you need please let me know! I’d be happy to generate a special part just for you! Email me HERE.
Please note: This is a digital product, to be emailed after purchase.
This cheery mid elementary level piano solo includes a teacher duet. Joy composed this piece as a Christmas gift for her students in 2014. All rights are reserved on this composition; however, permission is granted for you to print/copy from the PDF for educational purposes. Enjoy!
The PDF contains two versions of the music: 8.5”x11” sized pages that will print well at home, and 12”x18” pages that you could have printed at your local print shop (you could probably request them to print on 11”x17” paper instead because it is more common in the U.S.).
Level:
Mid Elementary
Pages:
3 pages
Format:
PDF (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
SINGLE USER LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchaser to make a printout for personal use. Sharing the digital file/printouts with others is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Ever needed music clipart/graphics to spice up your projects, but found yourself disappointed with the available options? Look no further! My handdrawn sets are fun and adorable, and you won’t encounter any incorrectly-drawn notes or symbols. (You can read more about WHY I created these clipart sets here.)
There are currently FOUR different sets available, as well as a combined bundle:
Handdrawn Music Notes & Symbols set (55 designs)
Curly Music Notes & Symbols set (61 designs)
Hearted Music Notes & Symbols set (48 designs)
Smiley Music Notes & Symbols set (77 designs)
BUNDLE: Get all four sets and save! (241 designs)
Each clipart collection can be used for making your own social media graphics, recital programs, flyers, invitations, worksheets, games, T-shirt designs, etc.. Your purchase includes a Limited Commercial Use License, which means the sky’s pretty much the limit! Use these images in Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Apple Pages, Keynote, Google Docs, Google Slides, Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva.com, or whatever programs you prefer.
Here’s what will you’ll get:
.PNG raster (regular) versions of each design. They are high resolution with transparent backgrounds. The longer side is 2-8 inches at 300 dpi (600 – 2400 px).
.SVG vector versions of each design. They can be scaled indefinitely and the fill color can be changed from black to any color you wish. (Watch my tutorial video below to learn how!)
3 jpg files (a preview image, terms of use, and instructions)
Video Tutorial: How to use my Handdrawn Music Notes & Symbols in Microsoft Word and Canva
After you make your purchase, you will receive an email containing the download link for a compressed .ZIP folder containing all of your files.
Questions? Or would you like show me how you’ve been using my handdrawn clipart? Please send me an email via the contact form page.
Happy creating!
Format:
ZIP folder containing .PNGs and .SVGs (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Limited Commercial Use License
LIMITED COMMERICIAL USE LICENSE
Permission is granted for the purchaser to use the purchased files to create their own digital/print projects for personal and limited commercial uses. The purchaser is not permitted to distribute, resell, alter, modify, or create derivative works from the file(s) themselves. The license is not transferable to another user.
There are some restrictions to be aware of when it comes to a Limited Commercial Use License. Below are examples of acceptable and non-acceptable use.
Acceptable Use:
Unlimited projects for yourself, family members, and friends.
Projects for commercial use to be sold to customers.
Making physical crafts/artwork and selling them at craft fairs and/or online.
Printing and selling physical non-customizable products such as T-shirts.
Making flyers for a client, and then printing and distributing them.
Using the purchased files in your favorite software such as Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, and Adobe Illustrator to make an ‘end product’ to sell.
Non-acceptable Use:
Distributing the purchased files in any manner, including: selling, giving away for free, or as part of a package of products.
Allowing more than one user to use the purchased files to make projects for personal or commercial use.
Creating a digital product to sell/distribute which consists of or closely resembles the design element of the purchased files.
Allowing end users to customize and print on-demand products using the purchased files.
Where the Train Tracks End is a jazzy, mid-intermediate level piano piece by Joy Morin. It is in rondo form (ABACA) and the key of B minor. The piece opens with finger snaps over a descending bass line, which leads into the syncopation and laidback vibe of the main theme. The B section consists of flashy-sounding patterns that race up the piano, while the C section is upbeat with a walking bass line. There is an opportunity to improvise towards the end of the piece. This three-page piece is perfect for recitals as well as for personal pleasure. You are bound to enjoy Where the Train Tracks End!
Joy composed this piece in 2017 as part of a “Pedagogical Commissioning Project” organized by her Ohio-based colleague, Andy Villemez. The project brings working composers in direct conversation with music teachers and their students. Each student is paired with a composer who writes a piece based on the student’s current technical and musical abilities, personality, and interests. Joy wrote the piece Where the Train Tracks End specifically for a student named Brielle in Durham, NC.
Level:
Mid Intermediate
Pages:
3 pages
Format:
PDF and/or MP3 (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License OR Single User License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
SINGLE USER LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchaser to make a printout for personal use. Sharing the digital file/printouts with others is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Grace is a late-intermediate piano solo composed by Joy Morin. It features an expressive, syncopated melody supported by a flowing, broken chord accompaniment. This two-page piece is perfect to play for events — such as recitals, weddings, or church services — as well as simply for personal enjoyment. You or your students will love playing Grace!
Read more about the backstory of this composition here.
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
SINGLE USER LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchaser to make a printout for personal use. Sharing the digital file/printouts with others is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Please note: This is a digital product, to be emailed after purchase.
Simplicité is a charming, mid-intermediate piano solo composed by Joy Morin. It features an expressive melody supported by a flowing accompaniment consisting of broken fifths. This two-page piece is perfect to play for events — such as recitals, weddings, or church services — as well as simply for personal enjoyment. You or your students will love playing Simplicité!
Read more about the backstory for this piece here.
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
SINGLE USER LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchaser to make a printout for personal use. Sharing the digital file/printouts with others is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
“Congratulations, and thank you Joy! You are part of my teaching in many ways. Just yesterday, in fact, I started another student playing ‘Simplicité!'” –Ursula
“The little boy playing your piece [Simplicité] LOVES it – (and so do I and his parents and his grandparents!!).” –Laurie
Please note: This product is a digital download, delivered by email after purchase.
Newly revised! The Trick-or-Treat! rhythm game is FUN way to start out your lessons for 4-6 weeks around Halloween time (although I’ve also had teachers tell me they use at all year round!). It’s easy: just pull out the cards you’ve assembled, and put some candy or treats in a bowl. Your students will be thrilled to see you present this game every year. Your students will have a blast — and you’ll see their rhythm skills improve.
How does the game work?
Inform your student that you have a bowl of treats — but that they must EARN their treat by playing a rhythm game. 🙂 Choose the appropriate deck for your student (Levels 1-5). Explain to your student: There are TRICK cards and there are TREAT cards. When a TREAT card is drawn, the game is over and it’s time to choose a treat. When a TRICK card is drawn, the student performs the rhythm on the card and then draws again.
All five levels of cards contain rhythms that are in duple meter and triple meter. The rhythms get progressively more advanced with each level. The easiest rhythms contain only quarter notes and eighth notes (or, macrobeats and microbeats, to use MLT-based terminology). The more advanced levels contain sixteenth-note combinations, elongations, rests, ties, and upbeats. The leveling information is detailed clearly for the teacher on a cheat sheet (see photo above).
The first week you present the game to your students, I recommend starting with Level 1 (even if they can handle more advanced rhythms). Over following weeks, you can bump up to the next levels or stick with the same level if more practice is needed. This approach really works! You’ll be impressed with how your students do from week to week.
Students will draw an average 4 or 5 rhythm cards before drawing a TREAT card. However, if you decide you’d like the game to last longer, simply remove one of the TREAT cards from the deck.
Here are a couple of game variations I use with my students:
YOUNG BEGINNERS: Instead of asking the student to read the rhythms, ask them to echo after you. This is so good for developing their ears and preparing for reading down the road!
SMALL GROUPS: Play the game normally, except ask the entire group to help perform the rhythm cards drawn by each individual.
Buy the 44-page Trick-or-Treat! PDF download now, and here’s what you’ll get:
Introductory letter to the teacher
Leveling cheatsheet and tips for gameplay
Instructions for assembly (this is a digital product; meaning, you must print and assemble the game yourself)
Card holders for each of the five levels
Five levels of rhythm cards (152 cards total)
Price: $9.00
Click here to read the blog post announcement about this resource and learn more about how I used this game with my students.
0:12 | What to do if a student happens to draw a TREAT card first thing! (This is a rare occurance.)
0:33 | How to teach a student how to perform the rhythm patterns on the TRICK cards accurately. They need to be able to (1) identify the meter, (2) count in before speaking/counting the rhythm pattern, and (3) maintain the meter as they speak/tap the rhythm pattern. (More tips on this below.)
1:00, 1:20, and 1:42 | Watch Robbie chant more rhythm cards.
2:00 | Robbie draws a TREAT card, ending the game.
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
My Trick-or-Treat rhythm game has been purchased by over 150 teachers. Check out what a few of them have to say about it below:
“My students love the ice cream intervals and rhythm cards, but I think they especially look forward to the Halloween trick or treat game! Thank you!!” –Kaly
“I remember finding your free items in your shop and buying a couple games and music history things back in 2016 when I started teaching. I didn’t get on your email list until last year when I realized you were incorporating MLT in your teaching. I love MLT and would love more games that involve MLT sequenced topics! The Trick or Treat game is perfect. :)” — Alyssa
“I’ve followed your blog for about 1.5 years now and I’m always looking for new ideas and games to use in my studio. My students love the Trick or Treat game —- we actually play it all year long!” –Donna M.
The “Notes To Self” Inspirational Wall Art Kit (PDF) contains the digital materials you need to create interactive wall art to inspire those within your social sphere. It’s a great way to promote positivity and camaraderie amongst your circle of friends, family members, clients, co-workers, or students. I created the “Notes To Self” wall kit with my piano students in mind, but they are perfect for any setting where people gather for a common purpose: schools, workplaces, gyms, churches, music/dance/art studios, and more.
Those who approach the “Notes To Self” wall art are encouraged by the sign to “Take one to-go, for you or somebody else!” I drew the sticky notes designs myself and digitized them for this kit because I wanted to make it easy for anyone to create their own “Notes To Self” wall art.
To create your own “Notes To Self” wall art, here’s what you’ll need:
An open wall space
An inkjet printer
Printer paper
3’x3′ sticky notes (here’s the “Super Sticky” Post-It notes I recommend, in my favorite color set) 🙂
The “Notes To Self” wall art kit (PDF) available for purchase in my shop.
The PDF contains a special template for sending the sticky notes through your printer so that the hand-drawn sayings and inspirations will be printed upon them.
Complete assembly instructions are included within the PDF, including a link to this YouTube video. Once you’ve printed the designs onto your sticky notes, you can arrange them onto your wall.
I’ve created two different sets of “Notes To Self” designs. You can choose one set or the other — or combine the two.
The “Inspiration Set”, containing 96 sticky note hand-drawn designs.
The “Bible Verses Set”, containing 42 sticky note hand-drawn designs.
If you’ve ever wished for ways to brighten the days of those within your circle of influence, the “Notes To Self” wall art kit might be right for you. It’s fun to admire the wall art and choose just the right sticky note to take home or gift someone special. 🙂
The Terms of Use allow the purchaser to print from this PDF as desired, forever, as long as you are using them for your own personal projects. This means the amount of sticky notes you could generate for special people in your life over the years is innumerable.
After purchasing this PDF, you will immediately receive an email containing the download link. Upon clicking the link, your computer will automatically put the PDF into your computer’s “Downloads” folder. Please move the file to a memorable place on your hard drive so you can access it for years to come. If you encounter any problems with this process, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thanks for reading!
Pages:
11 pages — Bible Verses set 20 pages — Inspiration set
Format:
PDF (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchaser to make unlimited printouts for their own students or community members. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
Here are a couple of photos I received from piano teachers who are using my “Notes to Self” wall art kit in their studios.
“The post-it’s are a big hit in my studio!”
Elanna Foster
Ontario, CA
“My students and I love your “Notes to Self”. Parents take them too and we are all inspired. I have a student who has built her own “Notes to Self” bulletin board. See attached photo. I can see a change in her since she started collecting them. I love her color-coding!”
“Prompts for Piano” is an e-book designed to provide an easy way for teachers to guide beginner and elementary students through composition or improvisation.
One of the first challenges of starting a composition is getting inspired. Simply telling a student to compose a piece is too broad of an assignment that often causes the student to become overwhelmed.
The other challenge to helping students with composition is helping them learn how to make music that sounds like the topic they have chosen.
“Prompts for Piano” is designed to provide solutions for those two challenges. Each of the 20 prompts provides a topic idea accompanied by a brief written description and an image, intended to help inspire the student and generate enthusiasm for the project.
The “goals” listed on the prompt are intended to help the student successfully create a piece that will sound like the topic they have chosen. For example, for a piece about rain, students might be encouraged to use staccato sounds.
At the end of the PDF, there are a few pages of staff paper included to print for your students.
To begin a composition assignment with a piano student, I allow the student to choose one of the prompts. I keep printed copies of the prompts near my piano, but I also have the PDF loaded onto my iPad so I can print directly from there (I use the GoodNotes app for this). Students are usually very excited about the topic they choose, which leads nicely to a discussion about how we can go about creating music that will emulate that subject.
Over the course of the next few weeks/months, the student slowly adds new measures and properly notates their composition onto staff paper. When it is finished, I transcribe their composition into Finale and ask them to illustrate their composition. You can read more about how I go about composing with my piano students here. On the right is an example of a composition created by one of my students. And here is another example, on video:
Have you ever thought about doing a summer composition project, or holding a composition recital with your students? Using these prompts can help make sure that your students choose varied topics during a studio-wide composition project.
Your purchase includes a Studio License allowing you to print as many copies from this PDF as desired, forever – as long as you are using them with your own students. You may also use the PDF as needed for online teaching purposes with your students.
Download a sample page from Prompts for Piano Set #1 below. Enjoy!
Beginner/elementary students, but may also be appropriate for some intermediate students
Pages:
28 pages
Format:
PDF (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
What is the difference between Prompts for Piano Set #1 and Set #2?
They are the same, format-wise; but the 20 prompts in Set #2 are completely different from the 20 in Set #1. If you are trying to decide which set to purchase, it may also be helpful to know that Set #2 includes a few prompts that are slightly more “advanced” — perfect for those students progressing into intermediate levels. If you have lots of students, you may wish to buy both sets so your students have lots (40 total) of choices!
Prompts for Piano has been purchased by over 400 teachers! Check out what a few teachers have to say about it:
“My students and I have been using this set of prompts with amazing success this summer. I love the goals and the prompts. I have three students who have already completed their first composition and they are over the moon with excitement at what they have accomplished. I never imagined I would be able to guide them through this process so easily.” –Heather Best
“I’ve enjoyed the support and encouragement from your blog and site for about 3 years now. The Composition and Improvisation prompts as well as your Composition Summer Camp plan was a big hit when I used it in 2019.” –Shelley P.
“I used several of the free printables this past summer for piano kits for my online students, but my favorite purchase has been the Prompts for Piano book. My students love creating new pieces with those guiding ideas. Thank you!” –Angela R.
Please note: This is a digital product, to be emailed after purchase.
The Eras of Music History Kit has been designed to make it easier to incorporate more music history into our students’ musical education. This kit contains a series of PDFs designed to help students gain a better understanding of the music from the main four eras of Western music history: the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras.
The four “era booklets” are the core component of this resource. Each booklet discusses the stylistic characteristics of the music, the evolution of the piano, and the popular forms composers used. The back of the booklet features a list of major composers and a list of important works from the era. The information has been carefully researched and written in a concise, clear way intended for students age 7+. This kit also contains a PDF for creating a timeline with composers’ pictures.
Here is a full list of what this kit includes:
Four PDFs of the era booklets (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern).
Four PDFs of the worksheets that correspond to the booklets.
A single-page PDF containing a handout with a brief overview of the four eras.
A single-page PDF of the historical context timeline.
A multi-page PDF for assembling a composer timeline to hang on the wall.
The license to be able to print from the PDFs as much as desired throughout your teaching career, as long as you are using the printed materials with your own students.
The resources within this kit are suitable for all kinds of settings:
Monthly group classes for your private students.
Music appreciation courses for homeschooling students.
Stay tuned — in the future I plan to make available an additional set of booklets including the Renaissance Era and the Impressionistic Era.
Instructions: After purchase, you will receive an email with links to download the “.zip” file. Your computer will likely put the file into a folder called “Downloads,” but you will want to save the file to another location on your computer’s hard drive where you can easily find it again — so you can print from it for years to come. When you double-click the “.zip” file, your computer will uncompress the file into a folder containing a series of pdfs. The folder contains everything you need, beginning with the pdf of teacher tips, followed by the era booklets/worksheets, and then finally the history timeline pdf.
ZIP file containing multiple PDFs (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
“My favourite purchase from you is your Eras of Music History kit. It is a great resource!”
–Sara
Please note: This is a digital product, to be emailed after purchase.
The goal of the “Music of the World” camp is to increase the students’ awareness of and appreciation for cultures that are different from their own – through experiencing the music and studying the instruments of other countries. Students will have a blast hearing the music from other cultures and learning about each counties’ musical instruments, landmarks, and animals.
This camp is appropriate for private students of any playing level (ages 5-12 will enjoy this camp the most) as well as for new students with little or no music background. This camp is designed to be a 4-day camp that meets 2 hours each day; however, you can easily find ways to expand on this curriculum if you would like to use it over other periods of time.
Each day of camp, students will travel to a different country around the world — and they will collect stamps in their passports to prove it!
Day 1: Australia – Students will learn about the Aboriginal people and a few of their musical instruments. They will also make their own didgeridoo, which is one of the oldest instruments in the world!
Day 2: China – Students will learn about ancient Chinese culture and make their own gong.
Day 3: Ghana – Students will learn about the drum ensembles that are popular throughout West Africa and make their own drum.
Day 4: Peru – Students will learn about the Andean people and make their own panpipes.
What is included in this curriculum:
Teacher lesson plans, which includes instructions for making 4 different world instruments.
A PowerPoint presentation for each country, highlighting important facts and history as well as providing photos of instruments, animals, and landmarks. The PowerPoint presentation can be shown from your lapbook computer. Alternatively, a PDF version of the slides that can be used on the iPad (or other tablet) is available to purchasers for free upon request by email.
A PDF for printing and assembling a passport for each student.
A PDF of authentic-looking passport “stamps.” At the beginning and end of each day of camp, give each student an entry or exit “stamp” that they can glue inside their passport.
A PDF of the lapbook materials, which should be printed for each student. As students watch the PowerPoint slides and listen to the teacher discuss the country and play recordings of music examples, they can work on cutting out and assembling their lapbooks.
A link to a YouTube playlist of music that you can use throughout camp.
The only other necessary items you will need to purchase for this camp include file folders, scissors, crayons, lots of gluesticks, printer ink (black-and-white is adequate), paper, and the materials to make the instruments.
Purchase of the Music of the World camp includes the Terms of Use to print from the curriculum as much as desired for years to come, as long as the purchaser is using the materials with his/her own students. (Please do not distribute the files to others in any other way.)
You can read more about when I held this camp with my students here.
Instructions: After purchase, you will receive an email with links to download the compressed “zip” file. Be patient as the file downloads, because it is a very large file. Your computer will likely put the file into a folder called “Downloads,” but you will want to save the file to another location on your computer’s hard drive where you can easily find it again — so you can print from it for years to come. When you double click the “zip” file, it will unarchive into a folder containing all of the camp files. If you have any trouble downloading the file, please contact me and I will find a way to get the file to you!
ZIP folder, containing PDFs and Powerpoint documents (email delivery)
Terms of Use:
Studio License
STUDIO LICENSE Permission is granted for the purchasing teacher to make unlimited printouts and use the digital files for the purpose of teaching their own students. Sharing printouts or the digital files beyond that purpose is not permitted. The purchaser is not permitted to resell the item(s), or alter, modify, or create derivative works.
“I was so happy when I discovered Joy’s Music Camp Curriculum “Music Of the World” I used it at my then relatively new summer Music Camp & it was a huge success! It made my life so much easier because I didn’t have to do a lot of work! It was already done for me.” –C.J.
