Reviews

Play at Sight for Piano
Christine Brown
Faber Music
ISBN10:0-571-52506-7
EAN13:978-0-571-52506-5
£7.95

This is an excellent book for any beginner pianist wanting to improve their sight-reading skills and for any teachers who would like to understand what is involved in good sight reading. Christine brown inspires confidence with her contention that ‘all can improve if the necessary skills are developed’ and goes on to prove it with her 4 part book. It covers pre-Grade 1 to Grade 2 levels and is systematic and clear with one week’s work per page and helpful strategies for successful completion of each part. The tunes (and they are tunes, not tortuous tests) progress gradually from three notes to two staves and eventually to varied keys, dynamics and articulation. In addition to the actual music, the introduction is the most practical exposition of the skills required for good sight reading and should be read by every teacher.

Reviewed by Fiona Lau