Piano Safari for the Older Student – Piano Repertoire & Technique Book 2
Piano Safari Older Student Book 2, Repertoire & Technique, is the second lesson book for teens and adults in the Piano Safari method (SKU PSOSRep2). It picks up where Older Student Book 1 leaves off.
This book covers a lot of ground. Each of its five units opens with technique, then moves to pieces that use it. Students start with major pentascales and simple triads and finish with their first full scale, C major, along with chord inversions, a chord progression, and one-octave arpeggios. Reading grows the same way, from 2nds and 3rds to every interval up to the octave. Keeping technique and repertoire in one book makes it easy to see how each exercise shows up in the music.
Who is this book for?
Publisher level: Older Student Level 2, listed by Piano Safari as Elementary.
Approximate student level: Elementary to Late Elementary.
It’s for teens and adults who have finished Piano Safari Older Student Repertoire & Technique Book 1. They should read 2nds and 3rds from any note, count with numbers, and use legato, non legato, and the pedal. Piano Safari’s Teacher Guide describes the series as working for ages 10 through adult.
What’s inside Piano Safari Older Student Book 2?
| Unit | Technique | Reading focus |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Major pentascales; building triads; rotation; circular motion | 2nds and 3rds; notes on the staff |
| Unit 2 | Minor pentascales; repeated triads; an etude | 5ths |
| Unit 3 | Black-key pentascales; mixed articulation; arpeggiated triads; Hanon No. 1 | 4ths |
| Unit 4 | Pentascale review; scale preparation; extending intervals | 6ths |
| Unit 5 | C major scale (each hand); chord inversions; chord progression; one-octave arpeggios | 7ths and octaves |
Kinds of pieces:
- Reading pieces — learned from the page
- Rote pieces — taught “quasi-rote,” mixing listening, imitation, and reading
- Challenge pieces — from the standard repertoire, by Alexander Reinagle, Albert Loeschhorn, Louis Köhler, Anton Diabelli, James Hook, and Carl Czerny
- Duets — for teacher and student, or for two students
Other new skills include sharps, flats, and naturals, half and whole steps, triplets, syncopation, and more pedal.
How does Book 2 compare with the children’s series?
Many pieces here also appear in Piano Safari’s children’s Repertoire Books 2 and 3, in a book written for older students with a different order and pace. That’s useful for teachers and for families with kids in both series. It also means a student switching from the children’s books may recognize some music. If you’re unsure which series fits, your teacher can help you choose.
Do I need the Sight Reading & Theory Book too?
Piano Safari designed Level 2 as two matching books. This one teaches the technique and pieces. Sight Reading & Theory Book 2 (SKU PSOSSR2) gives the reading drills, theory, and composition pages for the same units. We sell them separately at August Muse, so you can buy what your teacher assigns or replace one book.
How is the book used?
It’s written for lessons with a teacher. Audio tracks cover the rote pieces, with the download code on the title page. Reading pieces aren’t on the audio, so students read them for real. MP3/MIDI accompaniment tracks are sold separately by Piano Safari.
Where does it fit in the series?
It follows Older Student Repertoire & Technique Book 1 (SKU PSOSRep1). Next is Older Student Level 3: Repertoire & Technique Book 3 (SKU PSOSRep3) and Sight Reading & Theory Book 3 (SKU PSOSSR3). Level 3 builds on the key-based work that starts in Unit 5 here. All are at August Muse.
Product Details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Piano Safari for the Older Student: Repertoire & Technique Book 2 |
| Series | Piano Safari for the Older Student, Level 2 |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Product type | Method / lesson book |
| Publisher level | Older Student Level 2 (Elementary) |
| Approximate student level | Elementary to Late Elementary |
| Recommended ages | 12 and up (Teacher Guide: 10 through adult) |
| Authors | Julie Knerr Hague and Katherine Fisher |
| Publisher | Piano Safari, LLC |
| Pages | 108 |
| Media | Downloadable audio tracks for rote pieces (code on title page) |
| Companion book | Sight Reading & Theory Book 2 (PSOSSR2), sold separately |
| SKU | PSOSRep2 |
Frequently asked questions
Does this book have scales?
Yes. Unit 5 teaches the C major scale hands separately, plus C major chord inversions, a chord progression, and one-octave arpeggios.
Is Hanon in this book?
Yes. Hanon No. 1 is in Unit 3.
Can an adult use it?
Yes. The Older Student series is written for teens and adults.
Can I buy it without the Sight Reading & Theory Book?
Yes, we sell them individually. Piano Safari designed the two to be used together, so check your teacher’s list.
Best For
- Teens and adults who finished Older Student Book 1
- Second-year older beginners ready for their first scale
- Students who like technique and pieces side by side
- Learners who want early classical pieces alongside newer styles
- Teachers using Piano Safari with older students
Download the audio from the title page code in the first week. It’s the quickest way to stay on track with the rote pieces.
Stop in and flip through it. You’re welcome to compare it with the Book 1 you’re finishing.
Available at August Muse
Piano Safari for the Older Student: Repertoire & Technique Book 2 is available at August Muse in downtown Elizabethton, TN, along with Sight Reading & Theory Book 2. Come in, or call ahead and we’ll hold a copy for you.
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