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Anybody have experience with students playing duets at this level?

(one student is in Piano Adventures Primer and one is in level 2A).

The FJH In Recital early elementary book is too hard for the 2 kids I am working with. Any other book suggestions?
Thanks.

this would be for a recital in April, plenty of time to prepare.

8 Duets for Beginners by Jessie Blake
Chester's piano duets written and arranged by Carol Barratt

However, before I found these I was so disappointed by the lack of duets for beginners, I wrote my own. I still prefer my own!

I think duets are difficult at this level. It's hard enough for one kid to keep a steady rhythm. Most of the duets at this level are teacher-student duets.

I think I agree with that.

Unless you try duets with a total of 2 hands: One for each pianist! silly as it may seem, perhaps it can be of aid in specific situations, and this also means that ANY piano piece will do...

It is hard, but nevertheless important, to keep a steady beat at beginner level. Which is why I wrote my own, to make the parts easy enough that they would manage. They are student-student duets, so they get to swap parts.

Yes, it is, as Nikolas suggests, giving each player one hand, if it works...

This is my favorite for very young students:

Grand Duet

I agree with everyone else that it is hard to keep the rhythm steady at this young level, but, using fun duet would be one motivator to encourage young pianist to keep their beat to play with peers! I had so much fun last year by using this book and create three teams out from my very young students. They realize that they have to count or otherwise it is not fun, ha!

Yes, indeed. Mom of 2 young sibling students wants them to play a duet for recital end of April. I explained it probably won't happen but thought I'd ask around here anyway, in case some of you have kids who have done this.
I've had good luck with FJH's In Recital duet series, but even the easiest book may be too difficult for these 2 kids. I may try to write something out.

Barb... How beginners are the siblings? Could you (privately if not possible in public) send me a screenshot/pdf/something to see the level we're talking about?

Reason I'm asking is because I don't have access to the books you mention and as such I'm not able to readily tell the exact level of your students... that's why...

There's a duet book by Lynn Freeman Olson called First Favorite Duets. Quite simple. Also Kaleidoscope Duets 1 by Jon George, Two at One Piano also by George.

Thank you! I will take a look at both.

Ok, Barb (and everyone).

After this thread, I got a PM from Barb explaining a bit more about the level of the two siblings... And thought I'd give it a try. And ended up with three different short duets...

Since this is for beginners the score is in portrait format, and the piano parts are the one on top of the other. It's easier to read for young kids, I think.

The titles are humorous, and so are the tempo markings, as you'll notice. They are supposed to be fun to fiddle with and not much else...

So... enjoy...

http://www.musica-ferrum.com/documents/duets%20for%20barbara.pdf

WOW!!!!! These duets are PERFECT!!!! My students are going to have fun with these. We can sight-read them at our group lesson this weekend, too.

Thank you so much, Nikolas!!!

Barb,

Very glad you liked them.

I hope you'll let us know how the sight reading went with these... I think they're easy enough, but there are a tiny few surprises in there somewhere...

Nikolas, a student and I enjoyed your duets today! I had some extra time and so did the student, so we did some sight-reading. Our favorite of the 3 was "March on the April Recital" but they are all good and fun. We were chuckling together, and this particular student is normally pretty reserved...
Thanks again!

Oh I should add that this student LOVES "Cheap Ripoff", your solo. It's one of his favorites.

Nikolas, thanks for sharing your duets and wonderful sense of humor. This is going to be a lot of fun.

Barb: Woot! I'm so happy that my work is being appreciated it!

Ann: Much obliged! I just hope my humour is getting across, cause sometimes I'm not too sure...

Thanks for these, Nikolas! I tried the first two with a student today who has just passed her Grade 1. Perfect sight-reading fun for the end of the lesson - "The Lion and a random mouse" went down particularly well!

My student yesterday got a kick out of the title "March on the April Recital".
He kept repeating it and laughing. Humor is good!

We enjoyed your duets today at group lessons! Younger students and older students all had fun with them. One student changed the ending to the Lion and Random Mouse by having the primo person play a small glissando in the upper register (mouse gets away!). So then, every student wanted a turn at playing that duet, to decide whether the mouse gets away or not

haha!

Excellent ideas!

My own young students are having fun with the duets... Problem is that especially the male students love the 'lion and a random mouse' and laugh when they realise that the mouse doesn't get away.

My fun stuff is that if they miss playing the cluster at the correct time, the mouse gets away...

I think I should make more of these! In the coming week though, not over the weekend...