Books – Twedt Piano Studio

Textbooks and Training

Don't you hate product images that make products look better than they actually are in real life? For a refreshing change, here's what The Practice of Harmony looks like after it soaks in 30 gallons of water overnight and dries over a two-week period. Photo: Chad Twedt — Shown above: The Practice of Harmony (5th Edition) after soaking in 30 gallons of water overnight and drying over a two-week period. High-quality product photography (c) 2011 Chad Twedt

The Practice of Harmony by Peter Spencer – College theory textbook and workbook in one that I use with students after they’ve completed level 2 of Alfred books. Students can feel free to purchase any edition of the book, no matter how old (here is a link to the 5th edition). Used copies are fine too, as long as there isn’t too much writing in the book already (students may need to erase writing if it’s too much).

Rhythmic Training by Robert Starer – Textbook used in college sight-singing/dictation courses for the rhythmic training portion of the class. Why should rhythmic training wait until college? I start students on this book when they have completed level 2 of Alfred books.

The Piano Student’s Guide to Effective Practicing – Highly recommended for all students. Also recommended: The Parent’s Guide to Effective Practicing.

Composers

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician by Christoph Wolff
Lives of the Great Composers by Harold Schonberg

Piano and Pianists

Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings by David Dubal
Essential Canon of Classical Music by David Dubal
Great Pianists: From Mozart to the Present by Harold Schonberg
Music Reading For Keyboard: The Complete Method (Musicians Institute Essential Concepts) by Larry Steelman
Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano by Carl Humphries
Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist by Charles Rosen
What Every Pianist Needs To Know About The Body by Thomas Mark