Hi guys,

I've spent the day at the piano composing two new pieces for my students to play. I'd love for you to print them off and have a play then give me some feedback. Be totally honest!

The first is called Sunday's Park ( http://freepdfhosting.com/68f922d8dc.pdf ) and is a simple little jazzy piece. I am still undecided about whether or not the D in the beginning of the 4th bar (and when this patter repeats) should actually be syncopated like the others (coming half a beat earlier). What are people's opinions on this? Need to add it to the score, but should be played about crotchet=108

The second piece is a bit of a silly one. It's called Montage ( http://freepdfhosting.com/bf86b6a8b9.pdf ) and is just my cheesy impression of a 1980's TV theme. Not particularly original, but a bit of fun! Should be played about crotchet=117

Just a note on my compositions in general - I have no real knowledge of composition techniques, I just enjoy writing nice or fun tunes for my students to play. So the biggest question is - would you give these pieces to your students to play? If not, what is it about the pieces that you think they wouldn't like?

I think my biggest problem is repetitiveness. I really have to break away from using the same pattern continuously, especially in the left hand!

I'm looking forward to reading your responses!

Many thanks,

Amy

I'm not a teacher, but the pieces look great fun, and I would have loved to be given something like that to break up the usual pieces that I would have been learning. They bring in a new style into learning, and would really make them count, they couldn't get away without doing it.

Thanks for the reply pcsb - i'm glad you liked the pieces!

Well it's been a few days now and i'm hoping a few people have had a chance to check out the pieces. I'd still love some more feedback, especially regarding the syncopation in the jazzy piece.

Thanks!

Hi

These are nice pieces in the Wedgewood Jazzing about styles. I did think the semiquaver notation in the Montage was not particularly easy on the eye, and may put off young learners rather? I like the LH riff, and the piece is easy enough to play when you get past the notation, so unless you are particularly using it for teaching the reading of semiquavers I would multiplay everything by 2! If you accept that premise you may also like to write staccato notes rather than notes with rests which may also increase readability. The RH triplet figure would probably look more instantly readable then too.

You may like to transpose one of the pieces to give your students more practice playing in different keys too perhaps?

Well done!