
January isn’t my favorite teaching month. The weather in my city is cold and gray, and we even get something called an “inversion”, meaning there’s no sunlight for days. I find it difficult to muster up excitement during those first few lessons of the new year!
But this year, even if the weather is glum and I’m feeling the January Blues, I am genuinely excited about teaching the new pieces in 2024 that were released at the “Inventive New Music for Building Confidence” webinar. When my students get to play music that they’re excited about, it means they’ll practice!
Watch Short Summary of the Webinar!
Here’s Wendy talking about a short summary of each new release! See discounted bundles at the bottom of this post.
New Music from Wendy Stevens
Night Song is a beautiful early elementary level lullaby. It will leave your students feeling calm, reflective, and accomplished in how mature they’re able to sound. Sweet and expressive lyrics accompany the beautiful tune that is on all black keys.
Boysenberry is part of the Sophisticated Rote and Reading® series. These pieces bring a depth and maturity to Rote and Reading music that will appeal to late elementary level teens and adults especially. It perfectly captures the enchantment and almost childlike mystery that can be felt on warm summer days, when you may stumble across these berries growing wild.
Dandelion Yellow is a late elementary solo, also part of the Sophisticated Rote and Reading® series. Just like its color, this solo features a bright and cheerful sound. It’s easy to imagine the dancing heads of dandelion flowers in the breeze. The B section paints a picture of seeds being tossed by the wind to new destinations, giving students the chance to explore a full spectrum of personality and dynamics.
Burnt Umber is a somber late elementary solo that is the third in the new releases from the Sophisticated Rote and Reading® series. Mellow yet comforting and warm, this piano solo is easy to play expressively. It contains interesting harmonies that make it sound lie a piece much more mature than its playing level.
Sunlit Valley is a late elementary piano solo. Part of the “Exploring Beautiful Places” series, it appeals to teen and adult pianists. The vast range of dynamics make it a wonderful opportunity for students longing for more expressive pieces. Ranging from joyful brilliance to sensitive reflection, this solo contains an impressive sound that students will love playing.
Foggy Mooring is another late elementary “Exploring Beautiful Places” piano solo. It allows students to explore how dynamics and syncopation play together to form a specific mood. You can almost feel the cold and gentle rocking of moored boats in this somber and unhurried piano solo.
Quiet Retreat is another piece from the “Exploring Beautiful Places” series. It captures the slow, ambling pace of a vacation or retreat. The tender, mediative melody line and modal inflections add curiosity and interest to an intentional and calm piano solo that late elementary students will enjoy.
Pot O’ Gold is an elementary solo all about everyone’s favorite piano helpers – the Little Fuzzies! And while these little bundles of trouble can be a nuisance, they’re also determined little creatures! Knowing the obstacles that lay before them, they’re boldly going to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And they’ll be singing about their bravery and heart the whole way there!
Box of Chocolates features the Little Fuzzies and their crazy antics. This time, mom’s box of Valentine chocolates is the victim of these silly piano helpers! After eating every last piece, the little rascals fall asleep right in the box. Silly lyrics and a sneaky sound will make this elementary piano solo a Valentine favorite in your studio.
There are new Music Achievement Cards for the newest Little Fuzzies and Exploring Beautiful Places pieces! If you don’t already have these motivating, beautiful cards (read all about what they are and how to use them here), now is the time to get them. The prices do increase as we add more cards, but anyone who purchases them gets access to the new cards when they are added at no charge! So the best time to start collecting them is now!
So this means that if you’ve already purchased them, you’ll find these new Little Fuzzies and Exploring Beautiful Places cards in your account – just re-download the Music Achievement Cards PDF from your receipt or your account! Because these are a PDF, they can be printed over and over again – as many time as you need!
New Music from Jason Sifford
Carried Away is an intermediate etude with a perpetual-motion feeling that focuses on scale passages and arpeggiated first-inversion triads. The audience gets a wild ride across a gorgeous harmonic landscape. And students get to showcase their skills without feeling stressed out, thanks to the piece sounding more difficult than it is to play.
Drifting Away gives intermediate level students a chance to drift into a world of meditative calm and contemplation. This solo is filled with opportunities to explore the softer side of their dynamic range, a singing right-hand melody, and rich arpeggiated patterns. Audiences and students alike will enjoy being enveloped in a moment of much needed meditation.
Swept Away is an intermediate level tango. Featuring a sweeping left-hand accompaniment, classic tango sound, and a catchy and comfortable way to work on arpeggiated figures and dotted rhythms. With a romantic and clever sound, this solo will appeal especially to teens looking for an expressive piece.
New Black Key Smart Scales from Diane Hidy
Smart Scales give students a way to learn scales in a musical way so that they can learn to play more accurately in key signatures. With musically satisfying and beautiful melodies, teacher accompaniments, and a 6/8 meter that encourages movement, Smart Scales are beloved by teachers!
The new Black Key Smart Scales have more pages of practice than usual (because black key scales can be more difficult to learn). Even the Greatest Hits section is expanded. PLUS, there are new Scale Reference Pages! Now, you truly have everything you need to teach scales in one resource! Note: Reference sheets have been added to the original White Key Smart Scales. Just re-download your PDF and you’ll have access to those if you’ve already purchased the White Key Scales!
You can also purchase some as discounted bundles!
Different season? Different issues?
Are you looking for more pieces for a specific season? Do you need music that can help solve specific student problems? The newly updated Student Solutions Catalog is a FREE resource that helps teachers find music they need – quickly and easily! Find out how to use it and download here.





















I am always open to new music. I have several high school students who have really enjoyed your new publications.