HOME      ABOUT US      COMPOSERS      RECORDINGS      DEALERS      CONTACT US      CUSTOMER SERVICE   Brass Jazz Music by Young People Piano & Organ String Woodwinds Pedagogical Materials Holiday Music NFMC List Seymour Bernstein                                Piano                    IMPROVISATIONAL ENSEMBLES    These volumes contain original and folk tune ensembles that develop improvisational skills. Students play the tune and are then given instructions to improvise and play chord changes. In Volumes 1 and 2, students can work with the simple chord progressions in a fun format, until they can play and improvise with these progressions well. These books are great for drilling the tonic-subdominant-dominant relationships (with occasional diversions to substitute chords), which transfers into their classical study as well. Adults love the easy and successful improvisation/composition exercises. Title Description Features Improvisational Ensembles Vol. 1 comp. and arr. Elizabeth Manduca Cat.# 10013 $6.00 Babbling Brook • My Computer's Gone Awry • SHARK! • English Folk Song • Vienna Vamp • Bohemian Bop    These seven ensembles for 2 to 5 pianists develop improvisation in a format that is always successful for the student. Scales used for improvisation include pentatonic, locrian, phrygian, Gm, F, Em. This book can be used as a model for composition. These are great for special studio recitals on improvisation. • Late elementary. Improvisational Ensembles Volume 2 Larry K. Allen, Elizabeth Manduca, Mark Manduca Cat.# 10015 $8.00 Ancient Scottish Melody • Reverie No. 1 • Reverie No. 2 (Jazz Waltz) • C Levels • Take a Piece of Bamboo    These five ensembles for 3 to 4 pianists are exciting rhythmic challenges and especially effective with junior high and high school students who want to explore jazz styles in a group format. Scales used for improvisation include Em, dorian and mixolydian. • Early intermediate. I've Been Workin' on the Railroad arr. Elizabeth Manduca Cat.#10035 $5.00 Three or four pianists can play this jazz/rock arrangement. One player has the melody with chordal accompaniment; the second player has chords plus a bass line which can be improvised on; the third player has a fun bass line. There is a written-out solo for the fourth player who can use this as a model for further improvisation. • Early intermediate • Score and parts included. • Good for teaching improvisation. Latin Fantasy for Three Pianos Larry K. Allen Cat.#10025 $6.00 This energizing ensemble for three pianos (can be done on two pianos) explores Latin rhythms and gives the student the opportunity to improvise in this style. This is a piece students practice over and over, and love to play with their friends. Suggestions for percussion parts make this a terrific recital showstopper! • Intermediate Canon in D Johann Pachelbel arr. Elizabeth Manduca Cat.# 10036 $6.00 For four keyboards. This popular piece has been arranged for a mixed level group to play the arrangement as written (45 bars) or to improvise new melodies within the harmonic context. This is a good study of chord progression and melodic development. Score and parts are included. • Mixed level - late elementary to intermediate Intriguing Improvisations for Piano Peter Arnstein Cat.# 10027 $7.00 These late elementary pieces are partly written out and partly left blank, with the blank areas to be filled in by the performer's improvisation or composition. Suggestions for filling in those blank areas are given for each piece. There are completely written out versions which can be used to give the students ideas to start their own improvisations, or they can be learned as finished pieces themselves. Arnstein has some humorous and clever pieces called The Impudent Right Hand, The Incredible Shrinking Scale, Rats in the Sewer to name a few. This is a great book for group classes where the students are learning basic improvisation and composition. • Late elementary • 17 pieces, 37 pages • Good book for group classes where the students are learning basic improvisation and composition. Bossa Para Toro for Two Pianos, Four Hands Mark Manduca Cat.#10009 $4.00 This work in Latin Style is designed to facilitate improvisation. This is a great pice for students to play the syncopated Latin rhythms. The place where the student can solo is designed around the D Phrygian mode. The player who plays the "accompaniment" may substitute their own voices and rhythm patterns. Students love playing this piece, and no matter how inexperienced they are as improvisors, they sound great in the format given. Chord changes are given throughout the work. • Intermediate • A fun way to learn improvisation • Duration 3 minutes • Score form only. Mi Corazon Perdito for One Piano, Six Hands Elizabeth Manduca Cat.# 10075 $3.50 A beautiful melody with lush chords in a Spanish ballad style. This piece is also a short study of 2-against-3 rhythms. The chord changes are included, and there is staff paper for composing new melodies over the accompaniment. This is a good selection for use in group classes. • Late elementary • Staff paper included for composing new melodies over the accompaniment • Duration 2 minutes.