I have 3 pupils of around grade 3 - 4 standard. The have just played a trio for the first time in our local music festival and it went very well (3rd place). I'm looking for some more pieces for them to try - any suggestions? Fun things rather than heavy duty stuff please!

Frank Bridge? We did one of them for our school concert, and although the one we did (Salterrelo) was fiendishly difficult, there are some easy ones in there too (I think).

Hi Sue

Was it Cheltenham by any chance, if so the young lady who announced the piece has the most beautiful accent, where is she from? and by the way, if it is you, I had you placed 2nd, but I didn't agree with many decisions by that particular adjudicator and it is the first year I have come away with absolutely nothing, although all my students played really well.


As for the finding music thing, I haven't entered any trios, but the best place to browse is probably a trip over to Oxford in the holidays, if you go into Blackwells music shop they have a whole section devoted to 4 hands, 6 hands and 2 pianos, having said that I liked the look of the Riverdance that the winners did.

D

I assume by piano trio you mean piano, violin & cello rather than piano 6 hands ...

Haydn is possibly a good start. Quite a variety as he wrote loads and they are readily available - 45 listed in one catalogue of his works.

I had assumed you meant 6 hands at one piano. Laura Shur has written quite a few, I think. Well worth a search. She's a piano teacher herself & knows how to write succesfully for pupils.

Yes, I did mean 6 hands on one piano!

Digby - yes it was us at Cheltenham (15 and under class). I had worked really hard with the girls on playing well together as an ensemble - ie getting a good balance between the parts, and staying in time with each other. I too thought they should have made 2nd place, on that basis (thanks ) - the 2nd place girls were poorly balanced (primo mostly drowned out by other 2) and timing was poor (but they played a more ambitious piece..). However, the initial aim of doing the trio was to get the girl in the middle to perform in public for the first time - job done! The young lady you mention is from Maryland USA.

I thought several of the adjudicators were ready to be put out to pasture. The chap who adjudicated the choir classes for our school was hopelessly old fashioned - criticised us roundly and had nothing, but nothing nice to say to the young folk, grrrr.