BOOK 1

Music Moves for Piano

By Marilyn Lowe

In cooperation with Edwin E. Gordon

A Piano Series Based on the Music Learning Theory of Edwin E. Gordon

Designed to Develop Audiation and Keyboard Performance Skills

2004 Music Moves LLC

All Rights Reserved

G-6439
2004 Music Moves LLC
www.musicmovesforpiano.com
info@musicmovesforpiano.com
ISBN: 1-57999-343-5
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Music Moves LLC.
Printed in the United States of America.

Table of Cont
ents
Contents
Pattern CD Listening Assignments....................................................v
Symbols for Performance Pieces...................................................vi
For the Parent..................................................................................vii
Unit 1 (CD Tracks 1-2)
The Piano Keyboard...................................................................1
Song to Sing - Duple Meter.......................................................1
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation...........................................2
Popcorn.......................................................................................3
Unit 2 (CD Tracks 3-5)
The Piano Keyboard: Eyeball Game.............................................4
Song to Sing - Triple Meter..........................................................4
Separated and Connected Styles of Articulation...............................4
Macrobeats and Microbeats..............................................................5
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation................................................6
Indian Dance...................................................................................7
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater...........................................................8
Unit 3 (CD Tracks 6-9)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation...............................................9
Song to Sing - Old MacDonald.....................................................9
Flute and Bassoon.........................................................................10
Lizards...........................................................................................11
Falling Leaves...............................................................................12
Unit 4 (CD Tracks 10-12)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation............................................13
Song to Sing - Big Ben................................................................13
Hide and Seek .............................................................................14
Cotton Candy...............................................................................15

Unit 5 (CD Tracks 13-15)

Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation.............................................16
Song to Sing - Ring Around the Rosy..........................................16
Twin Kangaroos.............................................................................17
Lazy Day.........................................................................................18
Unit 6 (CD Tracks 16-17)
Macrobeats/Microbeats in Duple Meter .........................................19
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................19
Song to Sing - Frere Jacques.......................................................19
Party Time....................................................................................20
Unit 7 (CD Tracks 18-20)
The Piano Keyboard -- White Keys.................................................21
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................21
Song to Sing - Down Came a Lady..............................................21
Porpoise at Play............................................................................22
The Bumblebee............................................................................ 23
Unit 8 (CD Tracks 21-22)
Macrobeats/Microbeats in Triple meter ....................................... 24
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation ........................................... 24
Song to Sing - Folk Song from Wales....................................... 24
Route 76.........................................................................................25
Unit 9 (CD Tracks 23-25)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................26
Song to Sing - Latvian Folk Song................................................26
Old MacDonald............................................................................27
County Fair....................................................................................28

iii

Unit 10 (CD Tracks 26-27)

Major Tonality - Tonal Syllables....................................................29
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................29
Song to Sing - Major Song...........................................................29
Major Tonality - When DO is G...................................................30
Big Ben..........................................................................................31
Unit 11 (CD Tracks 28-29)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................32
Song to Sing - Hot Cross Buns...........................................................32
Sneaking..........................................................................................33
Unit 12 (CD Tracks 30-31)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation.............................................34
Song to Sing - Russian Folk Song Two.............................................34
Spinning.......................................................................................35
Unit 13 (CD Track 32)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation.............................................36
Song to Sing - Daughter, Come Home........................................36
Major Tonality - When DO is F.....................................................37
Unit 14 (CD Track 33-34)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation.............................................38
Song to Sing - Minor Song......................................................38
Rolling Hills..................................................................................39
Unit 15 (CD Tracks 35-36)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................40
Song to Sing - This Old Man...........................................................40
Little Bird........................................................................................41

iv

Unit 16 (CD Tracks 37-38)

Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation.............................................42
Song to Sing - Handkerchief Dance.......................................42
Rope Swing.....................................................................................43
Unit 17 (CD Track 39)
Harmonic Minor Tonality -- Tonal Syllables.............................44
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation ..............................................44
Song to Sing - Circle Dance............................................................44
When DO is C - Tonic Arpeggio and Tonic-Dominant Cadence....45
When DO is C - Major Scale.........................................................46
When LA is A - Tonic Arpeggio and Tonic-Dominant Cadence.....47
Unit 18 (CD Tracks 40-42)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation..............................................48
Song to Sing - Slovakian Folk Song.............................................48
Folk Song from Wales..........................................................................49
Carousel..............................................................................50
Unit 19 (CD Track 43)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation .................................................51
Song to Sing - Russian Folk Song One.......................................... 51
When DO is F# - Tonic-Dominant Cadence.................................... 52
Unit 20 (CD Tracks 44-46)
Exploration/Creativity/Improvisation ............................................53
Song to Sing - French Cradle Song............................................... 53
Down Came a Lady.........................................................................54
Springtime One and Springtime Two................................................55

Symbols Used ffor

or Beginning P
er
Per
erfformance Pieces
S1-- Starting finger (starts the piece).
S

S -- Starting finger of the other hand.

S -- Starting key (starts the piece).

A square means that the hand

stays in one place.

S -- Starting key for the other hand.

A circle means that the hand moves.

Recordings
Track
1

Pattern CD

Track
1

Home Study CD

Count the sets of two or three black keys from either side of the keyboard to find the playing location.

vi

Unit 1

Music Information
For the Teacher

Duple Meter
Major Tonality
DO is E

Separated Style

Check List
Lesson

Home

________

Solo

________

________

Performed with Duet

________

________

Student Duet

________

________

Connected Style

________

________

Separated Style

________

________

Played Loudly

________

________

Played Softly

________

________

Chant RP

________

________

Perform RP

________

________

Create with RP

________

Track
2

Student Duet
(Lower Staff)
S1

S2

Student Part
Fingers and Hands
Moving Hand

S1

Hand Does Not Move

S1

S2

S2
S2

S1

Unit 4

Music Information
For the Teacher

Triple Meter
Dorian Tonality
RE is E

Separated Style

Check List
Lesson

Track
12

Home

________

Solo

________

________

Performed with Duet

________

________

Student Duet

________

Student Duet
(Lower Staff)
S1

Student Part
Fingers and Hands

________

Connected Style

________

________

Separated Style

________

________

Played Loudly

________

Moving Hand

Hand Does Not Move

________

Played Softly

________

S1

S2

________

Chant RP

________

________

Perform RP

________

________

Create with RP

________

S2

S1

S2

S1

S2

15

Unit 10

Major Tonality - When DO is G

When DO is G
For the Student

Student Activities
G

Learn to Find G
1. G is a white key.
2. Find G in the set of three black keys.
3. Practice finding G in different places.
Sing the Tonic-Dominant-Tonic Cadence
1. Sing the syllables for the tonic Major triad.
2. Sing the syllables for the two arrangements
of the dominant.
3. Sing the ending tonic pattern.
Play the Tonic-Dominant-Tonic Cadence
1. Play the cadence with one finger. Keep all
the fingers together.Do not isolate one
finger.
2. Play the cadence with a separated touch.
Use the fingers shown in the pictures.
3. Play and sing the cadence.

Find G on the Keyboard

G

G Major Tonic-Dominant-Tonic Melodic Cadence

First, play with one finger.

Second, play with these fingers. Follow the arrow movement, and play as sung in class.
Mi
Do

So

Ti

Ti

Teacher Reference:
Do

Mi

Re

So

Ti

Fa

Mi
So

Ti

So

So

Re

Fa So

G
Do

Do

Mi

G
Mi
So

Tonic Major (I)

30

Do

Ti

So

Ti

Dominant Major (V)

Re Fa

Do

Mi

So

Tonic Major (I)

Unit 10

Music Information
For the Student

Triple Meter
Major Tonality
DO is G
Melody Starts on MI
Lesson

Check List

Home

________

Solo

________

________

Performed with Duet

________

________

Student Duet

________

________

Connected Style

________

________

Separated Style

________

________

Played Loudly

________

________

Played Softly

________

________
________
________

Chant RP
Perform RP
Create with RP

________
________
________

________
________
________

Sing TP
Perform TP
Create with TP

________
________
________

Track
27

Student Duet
(Lower Staff)
So

Student Part
Fingers and Hands

Do

S1

S2

Do Re Mi

So

So

Do

S2

So

S1

Do Re Mi

31

Unit 16

Music Information
For the Student

Triple Meter
Major Tonality
DO is F
Start on MI

Check List
Lesson

Home

________

Solo

________

________

Performed with Duet

________

________

Connected Style

________

________

Separated Style

________

________

Played Loudly

________

________

Played Softly

________

________
________
________

Chant RP
Perform RP
Create with RP

________
________
________

________
________
________

Sing TP
Perform TP
Create with TP

________
________
________

Track
38

Student Part
Fingers and Hands
Do

Re

S1

Mi

S2

Re Mi

Re Mi

Do Re Mi

Re Mi

43

Unit 20

Music Information
For the Student

Duple Meter
Major Tonality
DO is F

Melody Starts on DO

Check List
Lesson

Accompaniment

Home

________

Melody

________

________

Melody

________

________

New Keyality

________

________

New Keyality

________

________

Accompaniment

________

________

Hands Together

________

________

Chant RP

________

________

Perform RP

________

________

Create with RP

________

________

Sing TP

________

________

Perform TP

________

________

Create with TP

________

Do

F#

Do

So La

Melody

Accompaniment
Tonic/Dominant Changes

Do Re Mi

Ti

Do

Do

Do

So

or
F#
Do

Do

or
Ti

54

Track
45

So La

So

Do Re Mi

Re

Mi

Unit 20

Music Information
For the Student

Duple Meter
Major Tonality
DO is C
Melody Starts on DO

Check List
Lesson

Home

________

Melody

________

________

Melody

________

________

New Keyality

________

________

New Keyality

________

________

Minor Tonality

________

________

Accompaniment

________

________

Hands Together

________

________

Connected Style

________

________

Separated Style

________

________
________
________

Chant RP
Perform RP
Create with RP

________
________
________

________
________
________

Sing TP
Perform TP
Create with TP

________
________
________

Track
46

Melody

Accompaniment
Tonic/Dominant Changes
Mi

Ti

Do

Do

Ti

So

So

Do
Ti

Mi
So

Do
Ti

So

or
or
Ti Do

Ti Do

So

Ti Do

Mi

So

55

Music Moves for Piano

is the first piano method of its kind. It applies

Edwin E. Gordons Music Learning Theory to the teaching of piano. When music is
taught as an aural art, lessons build a foundation for lifelong musical enjoyment and
understanding. With guidance, sound to notation leads to fluent music performance,
reading, and writing. Some of the major concepts of this approach for students include:
Rhythm is based on movement: Feel rhythm and chant rhythm patterns. Move in
both a continuous fluid way and a pulsating way.
Sing songs and tonal patterns to develop pitch sensitivity, singing in tune, and a
listening ear. Singing develops tonal audiation.
Acquire a listening and performing music pattern vocabulary.
Understand the various ingredients of music, such as rhythm, meter, tonality,
harmony, style, and form.
Create with different elements of music, such as rhythm, pitch, harmony, and form.
Improvise using familiar patterns and songs. Transpose, change tonality and meter,
and create melodic and rhythmic variations.
Perform with technical freedom and comfort. Learn how to use the playing apparatus
from the beginning of lessons.

Credits
Music Engraver: Doug Lowe
Layout/Design: Mary E. Geise
Cover Design:
Scott-Tack ArtWorks

Marilyn Lowe, who has taught piano for more than 40 years, has used her experiences

Editor: Amber Stenger

and knowledge to create a non-traditional piano method based on Edwin E. Gordons theories
of audiation. Other influences include the techniques and theories of Carl Orff, Shinichi Suzuki,
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, Zoltan Kodaly, and Dorothy Taubman. Lowe has been using this
approach successfully with her students for more than 10 years. Her academic credits include
degrees in liberal arts and piano from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and a masters degree
in piano from Indiana University in Bloomington. Lowe completed additional graduate study in
organ and music theory at Indiana University. She would like to express her appreciation to her
former music teachers: Nadia Boulanger, Murray Baylor, Walter Robert, and Menahem Pressler.

Consultant: Jennifer Lowe

Edwin E. Gordon is known throughout the world as a preeminent researcher, teacher,

author, editor, and lecturer in the field of music education. In addition to advising doctoral
candidates in music education, Gordon has devoted many years to teaching music to preschoolaged children. Through extensive research, Gordon has made major contributions to the field
of music education in such areas as the study of music aptitudes, stages and types of audiation,
music learning theory, and rhythm in movement and music.

Original Music/Arrangements:
Michael Brill
Marilyn Lowe
Performers:
Marilyn Lowe, Piano
John H. Morton, Vocal
Jerry Pollock, Vocal
Tina Sibley, Vocal
Julie Wilkins, Vocal
Recording Studio:
Music Precedent Ltd.
Engineer: John H. Morton

Praise for the Music Moves for Piano Series

Marilyn Lowe has brilliantly applied the systematic and profound
Music Learning Theory of Edwin E. Gordon to create a new,
stimulating, revolutionary approach to piano study that ensures
joyfulness, musicality, and an authentic connection to music making.
This approach avoids many of the significant pitfalls of standard
instruction. Music Moves for Piano focuses on developing the entire
musicianthe students ability to sing, to move gracefully, to audiate
musical substance with understanding, to make a palpable physical
connection to music. And it does this in conjunction with a wise,
systematic presentation of purely pianistic skills: keyboard
knowledge, technique and body awareness, notation, and, initially,
attractive folk literature. The series of books represents a
monumental and inspired contribution to piano pedagogy, which will
surely become the benchmark by which other methods, before and
after, will be measured.
Seymour Fink, Professor Emeritus Binghampton University
Author of Mastering Piano Technique
Contributor to A Symposium for Pianists and Teachers

In Music Moves for Piano, Marilyn Lowe has given us materials for a
new generation of piano instruction, perfectly suited to the 21st
century student. They usher the student into the language of music
in a way that results in independent music making and musical
thinking. The process of native language acquisition is more
thoroughly applied here than in any previous piano method. Students
learn music as an aural (listening) art and an oral (performing) art.
Garik Pedersen, DMA
Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy
Eastern Michigan University

What Other Piano Teachers Say

Even five-year-olds understand the symbols for rote pieces.
Movement activities always bring a smile.
A pattern vocabulary is acquired very quickly.
Students love the neat pieces and folk songs.
Keyboard skills are strong and foster a good-looking playing position.
Ensemble playing is so much fun.
Kids enjoy creating and improvising.
Creative activities make performing feel more comfortable.
Transposing and harmonizing become natural skills.
It is so exciting to teach about the sound and feel of music.
With this approach, reading music notation becomes effortless.

Available Materials
Music Moves for Piano: Preparatory Book, Books 1 and 2
Teachers Guide/Lesson Plans: Preparatory Book, Books 1 and 2
Boogies and Blues
Music Moves for Two: Books 1 and 2
Christmas Music: Books 1 and 2
Pattern CD

Books in Progress
Music Moves for Piano: Books 3, 4, and 5
Teachers Lesson Plans: Books 3, 4, and 5
Tone Colors for Piano: Books 1 and 2
Repertoire for Piano: Books 1, 2, and 3
Reading and Writing Music Notation