Mark Tanner

Eye Tunes Rocket Scientists

The Eye-Tunes Series for piano contains over 160 newly composed piano pieces - attractive, accessible and pitched at pianists of all ages and abilities. There are currently eleven albums, culminating in grades 7-8, including an advanced piano duet album. The pieces, as the title Eye-Tunes suggests, have been written to be read, while calling for a degree of spontaneity and flexibility. The titles are thought-provoking and the material is intended to spark the imagination.

Within each album the pieces are, on the whole, arranged with musical rather than technical concerns in mind, in the hope of encouraging profitable dipping! The range of styles in the series is wide - jazz, ambient, reflective, quirky, humorous, minimalist, impressionistic. These albums will serve particularly valuably as an alternative or adjunct to conventional repertoire. Eye-Tunes for Rocket Scientists is a treasure trove of easy solo piano pieces and duets that use the white notes only! The Secondo duet parts, however, are somewhat more involved and anticipate a player of around grade 5/6 (ideally, the teacher). The emphasis throughout is on rhythm, arguably the most important priority in music. As with the later albums, it's all about 'feel', that most elusive ingredient in revealing musical character. Other albums at this level: Eye-Tunes: Liquorice Allsorts and Eye-Tunes for Zoo Keepers.