. . . composer . . .
BRUCE BERRI want all my students, regardless of age, to play art music—music that is highly appealing and that challenges them to grow as musicians. Such material can be in any style and at any level of advancement as long as it is imaginative and poetic. These are the standards I aspire to when composing.
Newest publication!
Eight Sound Poems provides late-intermediate piano students with contemporary sounding encore-like pieces. They are exciting, expressive, and musically sophisticated, yet short enough that they can be learned in a brief time. These pieces appeal to all age levels. Ask for it at your local music dealer, or order it directly from the publisher, Opus Music.
Below, click to hear some of the pieces played by two students, Rachel and Ivana . . . (with more to follow in January from other students). Please feel free to download these recordings and share them with your students.
Recordings & images are ©2013 by Opus Music Publishers, Inc. Used by Permission
Mountain Vista performed by Rachel . . .
The Fire Toccata performed by Ivana . . .
Winter Sunset performed by Ivana . . .
More Publications
Volumes 1 & 2,
previously on the Federation List!
Volumes 1 and 2 of At The Seashore contain attractive and imagination-provoking pieces about leisure time at the beach. My childhood in the 1950s was filled with many wondrous vacation escapades in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Since my family sometimes spent numerous weeks at a time there in a rented apartment, I experienced a wide range of activities: swimming in the ocean, frolicking on the boardwalk, watching sunrises, observing sea creatures and ships of all kinds, walking long distances on the sand, as well as having hot dogs sadly slipping through buns onto the beach, seeing a pier destroyed in a massive fire, and even getting lost! Many of these diverse kinds of adventures are captured in these pieces.
Several compositions use direct and syncopated pedaling, including some that create impressionistic effects. Previously on the National Federation of Music Clubs Repertoire List, these collections have been enjoyed by thousands of students across the country. Vol. 1 is dedicated to my parents, Vol. 2 to Richard Chronister. Published by FJH Music Company.
A short piano piece in the Romantic style of a Venetian boat song, such as those by Mendelssohn. The creation of this work has an interesting story. Several years ago, I sat down at the piano to test out a new mike I had just purchased for my audio recorder. I started playing just to make some sound. Without trying to or meaning to, I ended up improvising a complete piece—nonstop! Since I had previously done a doctoral project on Venetian boat songs (which included playing through virtually every piano barcarolle known to mankind), my subconscious knew the characteristics and flavor of the genre. I'm normally just a passable improviser, but when I transcribed this improvisation from the recording to make it playable for others, only three small changes needed to be made!
You can obtain this piece from your local music dealer or from Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. When on their website, click on "Closer Look" to see a score excerpt and to hear a performance of the piece.
Dedicated to David Kaiserman. Also, many thanks to pianist and teacher Anne Olson for coaxing me into transcribing my improvisation.
An "impromptu" that doesn't just sound improvised—it was!
More current publications to be listed here soon . . .