My son aged 10 took his grade 3 piano today. Poor lad had to start his first piece about 5 times because he got flustered so I don't know if he'll scrape through....anyway to encourage him to continue should the worst happen I'd like to play some duets with him. Can anyone suggest a book of easy pieces we could learn and play together please? Not too challenging (ie not grade 4 yet) but something he will find manageable and will be fun because we're doing it together.

Thanks in anticipation!

i am doing something called Capriol Suite by Warlock(no 2 and 5) with my friend, i think it is quite easy.

Capriol Suite is great! I've played the string orchestra version, not the piano duet arrangement, though I hope to try the latter out at some point. I note that this piece is used quite thoroughly in the Ensembles syllabi (piano duet) - check there to see which movements are prescribed for Primary, as I imagine these will be the most appropriate level-wise.

Im doing some microduets with my piano teacher at the moment, they are quite fun and look about grade 2/3 (compared to my-about-grade-one-skils)

The book I'm currently using at the moment is the Classics for Piano Duets Book 1 by George Peter Tingley, and they are about Grade 2/3 as well, and the pieces used are quite good as well.

Car Expert

Ooh bad luck - something very like that happened to one of my students this time, and in the end the examiner suggested they move on to the next piece and come back to the sticky one at the end.

He did pass - (although not quite on that particular piece) - let's hope your son's result is good too.

Good idea to play some duets. The Oxford Piano Time series includes a couple of duet books (Duets with a difference and Mixed Doubles); might be worth looking at. I have to say I haven't used them, so I don't know exactly what the level is - I doubt if either is likely to be too difficult.
The OUP website is quite informative so there might be a bit more information there.

How about some Diabelli Sonatinas? They're good fun to play and not too hard.

I've also got a book called "The Joy of Piano Duets". It has several modern duets in there that should be the right standard.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I have to say that these forums are really excellent for ideas and general support - great stuff! (ps Love the car pictures!)

Martha Mier has been frequently mentioned on the forums because of her Jazz Rags and Blues books for solo piano - she also has Jazz Rags and Blues For Two duet books. I think Book 2 is around the grade 2 to 3 level. They are, as they say, jazzy pieces - and great fun! I enjoy playing them with my pupils too!

Thanks!

Car Expert

2 penguins?!

Don't worry, they're only virtual penguins

Car Expert

My sister and I played a few duets out of a book called 'Classical Piano Duets 2', which musicroom sell:

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/067245/details.html

We did them when we were grade 3, and they were lots of fun . The book claims the primo is grade 1 and the secendo grade 4; I'd say in reality the primo varies between grades 1 and 3 and the secendo between grades 2 and 4.

I was going to suggest Diabelli duets as well. I have very fond memories of playing loads and loads of these with my piano teacher and with my mum when I was young.

I love duets in all forms.

At the moment, I'm attempting to play a duet version of Pictures at an Exhibition... but I've got no-one to play it with (boo hoo!).