Piano Pedagogy Playlist

Luke Bartolomeo
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It's a great time to be a piano teacher! So many resources on the internet... and so much new music being written by contemporary composers for developing students. Join me each Monday when I'll share with you a piece or two from the contemporary repertoire. From beginner level to advanced, from old favorites to new discoveries, you and your students are certain to be inspired by the music featured on the Piano Pedagogy Playlist.

  1. 2d ago

    Looking Ahead, Listening Back: Amy Ferguson’s Moonlit Cactus and Migration

    This week, I present music of Amy Ferguson, a pianist, teacher, composer, and arranger whose self-published pieces grow from the practical needs of her own studio. Ferguson recently received wider recognition when her piece Relámpago won the 2026 Pianist magazine composing competition. I perform two contrasting solos: Moonlit Cactus, with its cool-jazz harmonies, two-handed syncopation, and opportunities for creative pedaling and sound exploration; and Migration, a peaceful C Mixolydian depiction of birds in flight. I’ll also give some observations on recording as a tool for honest musical evaluation, and using easier repertoire to help students develop good sight-reading habits. Moonlit Cactus Amy Ferguson [Intermediate] - https://www.amyfergusonstudio.com/store/p24/Moonlit_Cactus.html Migration Amy Ferguson [Late Elementary] - https://www.amyfergusonstudio.com/store/p50/Migration.html

  2. Aug 10

    Ordinary Things Lead To Extraordinary Playing

    Getting something right once is not the same thing as making it a habit. In this episode, I explore how fundamental skills become musical reflexes through two pieces by Dennis Alexander: Gentle Breezes and Sweet Jasmine. First, getting students to listen for the balance between a singing left-hand melody and understated right-hand chords in Gentle Breezes (early intermediate). Then, in the simpler Sweet Jasmine (Late Elementary), hear how subtle phrasing gives even elementary music direction and meaning. Along the way, I reflect on the struggle of remaining patient while holding firm to musical expectations and how the simplest, ordinary habits lead to extraordinary playing. Gentle Breezes (from Especially in Romantic Style, book 1) Dennis Alexander [level early_intermediate] - https://www.sheetmusicnow.com/products/especially-in-romantic-style-book-1-p469177?aff=108 Sweet Jasmine (from Especially in Romantic Style, book 1) Dennis Alexander [level late_elementary] - https://www.sheetmusicnow.com/products/especially-in-romantic-style-book-1-p469177?aff=108

    Ordinary Things Lead To Extraordinary Playing

  3. Aug 3

    A Morning at the Cottage and a Day on the Beach

    Season two begins with two contrasting selections to help us savor the many moods of summer. Chris Caine’s “Hanging Out on the Beach” brings syncopation, rhythmic drive, and a bright popular-style energy, while Martha Hill Duncan’s “Misty Morning” unfolds at its own unhurried pace. Along the way, we dicuss how all those crazy rules about beaming and ties can make syncopated rhythms easier to see-and play. 🔗 Digital Download: https://store.trinitycollege.com/discount/AWM824NEUNKM5?redirect=/collections/a-year-in-twelve-keys-diatonic-studies-for-piano/products/a-year-in-twelve-keys-diatonic-studies-for-piano&aff=182 🎵 Misty Morning (from Cottage Days) by Martha Hill Duncan 🔗 Digital Download: https://www.marthahillduncan.com/products/cottage-days?variant=19317210611769 🔗 Printed Edition: https://www.marthahillduncan.com/products/cottage-days?variant=19317210611769

  4. Jun 1

    A Fugue and a Hammock

    For the Season One finale of The Piano Pedagogy Playlist, we’re doubling up on Chris Norton’s A Year in Twelve Keysand exploring both the June and July movements before taking a short summer break. First, we’ll hear Fughetta, a lively contemporary miniature fugue that showcases the composer’s skillful contrapuntal writing and rhythmic energy. Then we’ll move into Dozing on a Hot Summer’s Day, a dream-like meditation built around a repeating ostinato that perfectly captures the feeling of a lazy summer afternoon. Two months. Two very different musical worlds. One final repertoire discovery before the podcast returns in August. Thanks for listening, have a wonderful summer, and I’ll see you again in August! June – Fughetta (from A Year in Twelve Keys) Chris Caine Advanced Digital Download July – Fughetta (from A Year in Twelve Keys) Chris Caine Late Intermediate Digital Download

  5. May 25

    Around the World in Six Dances

    This week, we’re taking a musical trip around the world with Wynn-Anne Rossi’s newly released series Dancing With the World. Designed as a four-volume collection spanning multiple levels, the series explores traditional dance styles from a variety of cultures and transforms them into engaging piano repertoire for students. In this episode, I’m focusing on six selections from Volume 2, written for late-elementary and early-intermediate pianists. Along the way, we’ll explore the dances that inspired these pieces and consider why Dancing With the World could become a wonderful framework for a themed recital, summer camp, or studio-wide project. Pack your dancing shoes and your passport! Story of the Khon (from Dancing With The World, vol. 2) Wynn-Anne Rossi Late Elementary Digital Download Printed Edition Bhangra Meets Bollywood (from Dancing With The World, vol. 2) Wynn-Anne Rossi Late Elementary Digital Download Printed Edition Deep Purple Tango (from Dancing With The World, vol. 2) Wynn-Anne Rossi Digital Download Printed Edition Whirling Dervish (from Dancing With The World, vol. 2) Wynn-Anne Rossi Late Elementary Digital Download Printed Edition Wild Hopak (from Dancing With The World, vol. 2) Wynn-Anne Rossi Early Intermediate Digital Download Printed Edition

  6. May 18

    Summer Road Trip with Christopher Goldston

    School’s almost out, summer is calling, and this week on The Piano Pedagogy Playlist we’re packing up the car and heading out on a musical road trip. Join me for a journey from Chicago through the Great Smoky Mountains and on to Myrtle Beach as I explore music by Chicago composer Christopher Goldston, along with one special selection connected to the legacy of his mother, Margaret Goldston — one of the most influential voices in late twentieth-century piano pedagogy. Along the way we’ll encounter energetic pop-inspired rhythms, mountain scenery, rolling ocean waves, a dramatic seaside cadenza, and a touching musical collaboration that feels as though the trip wasn’t only geographical, but also across generations. Open Road Christopher Goldston Early Intermediate Digital Download Mountain Waterfall (from The Great Smokies) Christopher Goldston Intermediate Digital Download Seagulls Over Myrtle Beach Margaret Goldston Intermediate Digital Download Wishing Christopher Goldston Intermediate Digital Download

  7. May 11

    The Quiet Legacy of Seymour Bernstein

    Last week, the piano world lost the American pianist, composer, teacher, and author Seymour Bernstein at the age of 99. In this special episode of The Piano Pedagogy Playlist, I reflect on Bernstein’s extraordinary life and legacy — not only as a concert artist, but as one of the great master teachers of American piano pedagogy. Although Bernstein enjoyed a successful performing career, he made the remarkable decision at the age of fifty to step away from the concert stage permanently, devoting himself instead to teaching, composing, and writing. He never seemed to view teaching as something lesser than performing. In many ways, he appeared to see it as the deeper artistic calling. I also share some thoughts on Ethan Hawke’s beautiful documentary Seymour: An Introduction, which offers a moving portrait of Bernstein’s artistic philosophy, humanity, and lifelong devotion to music. The second half of the episode features a miniature recital of four pieces from Bernstein’s collection Birds: • The Purple Finch • The Hummingbird • The Vulture • The Nightingale These impressionistic character pieces beautifully showcase Bernstein’s gift for writing imaginative, expressive, and pianistically satisfying music for students. — Remembering a musician who devoted his life not only to piano playing, but to the people learning to play. — The Purple Finch (from Birds vol. 1) Seymour Bernstein Intermediate Printed Edition The Hummingbird (from Birds vol. 1) Seymour Bernstein Intermediate Printed Edition The Vulture (from Birds vol. 1) Seymour Bernstein Intermediate Printed Edition The Nightingale (from Birds vol. 2) Seymour Bernstein Late Intermediate Printed Edition Watch the documentary now, for free! Seymour: an Introduction

  8. May 4

    May in Motion: Graceful Dances at Two Levels

    On the first Monday of each month, The Piano Pedagogy Playlist features a piece from Chris Caine’s A Year in Twelve Keys—a collection that explores all twelve key signatures using only the notes within each key. For May, we turn to Dance in May, an expressive and graceful work in 3/4 time that deliberately avoids the feel of a traditional waltz. Instead, the piece invites students to think in longer phrases—shaping a continuous, legato line while navigating octave writing, carefully choreographed hand-offs of the melody, and nuanced pedaling. As a companion piece, I’m playing Pink Tulips from “A Splash of Color” by Dennis Alexander. Though significantly simpler from a technical standpoint, it does share a similar sense of motion. Subtle surprises in harmony and phrase length give the piece a sense of expansion and musical curiosity. Together, these two works offer a thoughtful look at how we can help students develop a sense of flow and expressive timing across different stages of study. Dance in May (from, A Year in Twelve Keys) Chris Caine Late Intermediate Digital Download Pink Tulips (from, A Splash of Color) Dennis Alexander Early Intermediate Printed Edition

    May in Motion: Graceful Dances at Two Levels
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About

It's a great time to be a piano teacher! So many resources on the internet... and so much new music being written by contemporary composers for developing students. Join me each Monday when I'll share with you a piece or two from the contemporary repertoire. From beginner level to advanced, from old favorites to new discoveries, you and your students are certain to be inspired by the music featured on the Piano Pedagogy Playlist.

Information

  • Creator
    Luke Bartolomeo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Piano Pedagogy Playlist
  • Show Website
    Piano Pedagogy Playlist

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