It is often a red-letter day when a young child is given his or her first instrument to explore, learn and play. That violin, trombone, flute or tuba can soon become part of their very identity, as they study and practice the instrument, compare notes with kids who play other instruments and eventually, for many, become part of an ensemble, band, or young person’s orchestra. Their fellow budding, young pianists have little to none of these experiences. They may perform solo in school or in and around the community, but they rarely play with others, missing out on the tremendous musical skills that ensemble playing yields, not to speak of the pure fun and joy that come from playing music with others.

And what is a piano teacher to do? There is scant high quality ensemble repertoire at the lower levels, and their students are nowhere near to playing great, standard repertoire . . . the Archduke Trio and Trout Quintet lay many years ahead, if at all. My 1st Chamber Music is our attempt to remedy that situation for young, forming, emerging musicians. Carefully graded on a scale of 1-10 within the intermediate level, it is a series of 19 great, famous compositions - from Mozart, through Brahms, stopping at Stephen Foster, and continuing on to Bartók, Stravinsky, and Irving Berlin -  arranged and transcribed for piano with a small group of instruments, the instrumental makeup of the ensembles varying from composition to composition.

Most of the pieces are on the brief side, but perceptive educators can join two or three together to make a satisfying presentation. The end result for the students will be as if they were playing the Archduke Trio. Well, almost. Each composition is sold with a full score and a complete set of parts. On a whim, we may be adding pieces to the series from time to time, which we will announce on the site. Suggestions are most welcome. Be ready, and prepare for the future by buying all 19 current titles at a discount. Should you do so, any and all subsequent titles will be gratis!