Helen Marlais
Pianist, Pedagogue, Pedagogical author.
Intuitive Journeys is a late intermediate through advanced collection of piano solos that invites students to explore the emotional messages behind the notes written on the page. Students are encouraged to use their instincts and imagination to create their own musical experience, and enjoy the process of self-discovery.
Sure to be a modern classic, this witty, accessible collection is for the adventurous late intermediate/early advanced student. Ms. Roubos expresses her unique voice by mixing contemporary and traditional harmonies that transport you to the English sea in Rachael by the Sea; Berceuse combines crunchy seconds with soothing sounds; and Flowers in the Breeze sways back and forth as the...
The natural musicality present in this collection demands the same kind of careful attention that we expect from the standard canon of repertoire. These teaching pieces follow in the modern tradition of pedagogical works by Bartók, Kabalevsky, and others; they are written to challenge a student’s mind, fingers, imagination, and soul.
In Musical Treasures, Volume 1, students will find numerous character piano works that will broaden their musical understanding and imagination. These inventive and fun-to-play pieces will bring them closer to the intricate world of sound. This collection explores various aspects of piano playing, including different articulations (State Fair), syncopated rhythms (Dance of the Coconuts), legato...
Musical Treasures, Volume 2 is an original collection of contemporary compositions by Andrey Komanetsky that provides a wide variety of interesting pieces for the intermediate level student. The pieces are composed using a broad palette of sounds, articulations, and other compositional techniques for students to gain experience in the contemporary medium. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Simple...
This book is part of the Intervallic Reading Series that focuses on reading intervals and patterns rather than note by note. Along with playing on the white keys, students will also play pieces on black keys utilizing a giant flat sign. This giant flat sign indicates that all notes on the staff are to be...
Following the format set forth in Book 1, On Stage! Book 2 progresses from the elementary to late elementary level by applying new and more advanced intervallic reading techniques. Some of the concepts include blocking (playing together) intervals,identifying intervals including the octave, identifying whole tone scales, melodic and harmonic intervals, half and whole steps, triads,...
On Stage! Book 3 is written for the early intermediate/intermediate student and focuses on refining and advancing sight-reading skills. Included are concepts such as labeling and identifying AB and ABA1 forms, blocking and identifying intervals within a piece, chords and their inversions, seventh chords, and more.
Outside the Box is a unique collection containing ten pieces that experiment with contemporary compositional techniques, altering such elements as melody, harmony, and form to create a completely new sound. Students will learn interesting ways to create new sounds and have fun playing music that is definitely “Outside the Box!” TABLE OF CONTENTS: Pandiatonicism –...
The Phantasie Variations, Op. 12 were commissioned by Phyllis Alpert Lehrer for her Merkin Hall Debut Concert near Lincoln Center in 1980. The piece uses two 12-tone rows, opening with the first row in retrograde, as if regressing back into a subconscious dream state. The rows go through many transformations stylistically in a variety of...
