We have worked very closely with Kjos Music Company, the publishers of Bastien New Traditions, to produce an edition tailored to the needs of Australian users and fully integrated with AMEB’s P Plate Piano series. We think that the outcome will prove an indispensable resource for teachers, students and parents around the country.
Piano teachers may be familiar with the time-tested Bastien Piano Basics series; a comprehensive piano method for beginners comprising course books on Piano, Theory, Performance, Technic, and Sight Reading. Bastien New Traditions combines these aspects of musicianship in a series of All In One books, updated with the latest teaching ideas and techniques.
Bastien New Traditions presents the basics of musical notation, fundamental piano technique and even aspects of interpretation through a course of approachable and fun pieces and exercises in attractive full-colour publications. The result is a comprehensive resource designed to be enjoyable and easy to use for teachers, students and parents alike.
AMEB recognises Bastien New Traditions as an excellent method for taking absolute beginners through to the kind of repertoire encountered at Preliminary level on the AMEB Piano or Piano for Leisure Syllabuses and, as such, the series complements AMEB’s own P Plate Piano. For the convenience of Australian users, we have fully integrated these two resources by including footnotes to many of the Bastien New Traditions items, referencing pieces in P Plate Piano that build similar skills for a broader learning experience.
We have further tailored the Bastien New Traditions series to an Australian audience by changing musical terms that are more familiar to American users, such as ‘quarter note’ and ‘measure’, to terms used more commonly in Australia, such as ‘crotchet’ and ‘bar’.
Bastien New Traditions currently comprises five volumes: Primer A, Primer B, Level 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B. Primer A - Level 2B are integrated with P Plate Piano. These resources are now available at music retailers Australia wide or from the AMEB Online Shop.
