Piano Safari For the Older Student Repertoire and Technique 1

Piano Safari for the Older Student – Piano Repertoire & Technique Book 1

Piano Safari Older Student Book 1, Repertoire & Technique, is the core lesson book for teens and adults starting piano with the Piano Safari method (SKU PSOSRep1).

Many first-year piano books are written with young children in mind. This one is written for older beginners. The teaching approach is the same as the children’s series, with pieces learned by ear alongside pieces learned by reading. But the music has mature titles and styles, like jazz, blues, a medieval-style piece, and waltzes, and the pace is quicker. Piano Safari’s Teacher Guide notes that older students usually learn to read notation faster than children and are more coordinated, so the book moves ahead sooner. For example, the pedal shows up in Unit 1.

Who is this book for?

Publisher level: Older Student Level 1, listed by Piano Safari as Early Elementary.
Approximate student level: Early Elementary to Elementary.

It’s for true beginners age 12 and up, including adults. Piano Safari’s Teacher Guide describes the Older Student series as working for ages 10 through adult, so a mature 10- or 11-year-old may fit here too. No reading experience is needed. Piano Safari says students usually take about one academic year to finish Level 1.

What’s inside Piano Safari Older Student Book 1?

Five units. Each concept is introduced through a rote piece, then practiced in reading pieces, and supported by technique, improvisation, and a few classical “challenge” pieces.

Unit	Reading	Technique
Unit 1	Keyboard and white-key names; pre-staff reading with finger numbers	Arm drop; syncopated pedal
Unit 2	The staff; landmark notes Treble G, Bass C, and Middle C; unisons and 2nds; time signatures	Non legato touch
Unit 3	Unisons and 3rds	Legato touch
Unit 4	2nds and 3rds combined; counting with numbers begins	Fast repeated notes; three-note slur
Unit 5	Naming any note on the staff; reading from any starting note	Forearm rotation

Kinds of pieces: rote pieces (taught by imitation), reading pieces, technique exercises, improvisations (including a twelve-bar blues), and challenge pieces from the standard repertoire. The challenge pieces include Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” Beyer’s “Snowy Owl,” Reinagle’s Minuet, Op. 1, No. 2, a Czerny March, and Wohlfahrt’s “Determination,” Op. 87, No. 15.

Rhythm: students start counting with “Ta” syllables, with eighth notes from the beginning, then switch to counting with numbers in Unit 4.

By the end of the book, a student reads unisons, 2nds, and 3rds from any note on the staff, uses legato and non legato touch, and pedals.

Do I need the Sight Reading & Theory Book too?

Piano Safari designed Level 1 as two books with matching units, and its Teacher Guide says both are needed. This Repertoire & Technique Book teaches the pieces and motions. The Sight Reading & Theory Book 1 (SKU PSOSSR1) gives the short daily reading exercises and written theory that build reading fluency.

At August Muse, we sell the two books separately rather than as a pack. That makes it easy to replace one lost book, or to buy only what your teacher assigns.

How is the book used?

It’s written for lessons with a teacher. Audio tracks cover the rote pieces and technique exercises. Reading pieces are left off on purpose so students learn them by reading. The audio download code is on the title page. Free Reminder Videos on Piano Safari’s website show how rote pieces go, which helps between lessons. MP3/MIDI accompaniment tracks are sold separately by Piano Safari.

Where does it fit in the series?

This is the first book in Piano Safari for the Older Student. Next comes Older Student Level 2: Repertoire & Technique Book 2 (SKU PSOSRep2) and Sight Reading & Theory Book 2 (SKU PSOSSR2), both at August Muse.

Not sure whether your student belongs here or in the children’s series? Piano Safari’s children’s method begins with Repertoire Book 1 (SKU PSRep1), designed for children starting around age 6 or 7. The Older Student series is written for teens and adults, with more mature themes and a faster pace.

Product Details

Field	Detail
Title	Piano Safari for the Older Student: Repertoire & Technique Book 1
Series	Piano Safari for the Older Student, Level 1
Instrument	Piano
Product type	Method / lesson book
Publisher level	Older Student Level 1 (Early Elementary)
Approximate student level	Early Elementary to Elementary
Recommended ages	12 and up (Teacher Guide: 10 through adult)
Authors	Julie Knerr Hague and Katherine Fisher
Publisher	Piano Safari, LLC
Pages	101
Media	Downloadable audio tracks (code on title page); free Reminder Videos online
Companion book	Sight Reading & Theory Book 1 (PSOSSR1), sold separately
SKU	PSOSRep1

Frequently asked questions

Can an adult use this book?
Yes. It’s written for beginners 12 and up, including adults.

How is it different from the children’s Piano Safari books?
Same teaching approach, but more mature pieces and themes and a faster pace. Pedal, for example, comes in Unit 1.

Is the technique in a separate book?
No. As the title says, repertoire and technique are together in this one book. Sight reading and theory are in the companion book.

Can I buy just one of the two Level 1 books?
Yes. We sell them individually. Piano Safari designed them to be used together, so check your teacher’s list.

Best For

• Teen beginners age 12 and up
• Adult beginners starting lessons
• Older students who want music that doesn’t feel written for little kids
• Students who learn well by ear and want to read well, too
• Teachers using Piano Safari with older beginners

Available at August Muse

Piano Safari for the Older Student: Repertoire & Technique Book 1 is available at August Muse in downtown Elizabethton, TN, along with its companion Sight Reading & Theory Book 1. Come in, or call ahead and we’ll hold a copy for you.