E39: Interview with Tim Topham: legend of the piano education community!

In this episode, I dive into the mind-blowing world of ChatGPT’s brand new voice AI feature, where I have hilarious, shockingly human-like conversations with some of history’s greatest composers! These experimental chats are not only educational but packed with unexpected humor and personality. Join me as I explore the incredible capabilities of this revolutionary technology. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to chat with iconic figures from the past—laughing along the way—this episode will leave you both entertained and amazed! Tune in for a fascinating mix of music history, cutting-edge AI, and plenty of laughs. Show Notes This episode is also available as a YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/0SG290DMZbw These are the custom instructions I gave to ChatGPT- after this experiment I might add something like "be opinionated, don't be afraid to be controversial, don't try to be diplomatic, give specific examples of everything you talk about" 😂 "When you are role-playing as a musician or composer, think about how this person's personality and character was described by others, then really amplify and exaggerate these qualities in the way you speak- the goal is an exaggerated caricature. Also, speak English with a really exaggerated caricature accent that reflects where the person was from. To keep conversations interesting and entertaining, bring up personal autobiographical details wherever possible. Speak as if to a friend, so not overly formal. Use humour on a level appropriate to the person you're roleplaying as. If the person has negative traits and character, please feel free to indulge this". The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s

An exploration of the challenging but crucial conversations surrounding diversity and representation in classical music education, framed through a personal cautionary experience. Drawing from recent events in the industry, topics discussed include: - The importance of open dialogue about race and gender in music - Challenges in representing diverse composers in educational materials - Navigating sensitive discussions in music education - Lessons learned from attempting to address these issues - Broader implications for inclusivity in classical music Links: This episode is also available with video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UXQ1gPeO9ek White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism- Robin DiAngelo: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/566247/white-fragility-by-dr-robin-diangelo/9780807047415 Useful study notes on 'White Fragility': https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/hs-ethnic-studies/white-fragility A must read extract in The Guardian from Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/30/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race YouTube video Music Theory and White Supremacy by Adam Neely: https://youtu.be/Kr3quGh7pJA A talk by Philip Ewell on YouTube- a useful introduction to his work: https://youtu.be/q1yYR-VLpv0 My podcast review of the 2021 Leeds Internation Piano Competition: https://heartofthepiano.com/e21-leeds-international-piano-competition-the-leeds-2021-review/ Fiona Sinclair's (CEO Leeds International Piano Competition) Leeds University presentation on gender inequality in music competitions and in the profession as a whole: https://www.youtube.com/live/xtdpAVyJzVg?si=sOp3PWG5_T_rCB-R&t=2801 A couple of news links concerning possible preferrential treatment for women in the Leeds International Piano Competition: https://slippedisc.com/2024/09/exclusive-how-the-leeds-piano-competition-is-rigged-for-equality/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/19/female-pianists-favoured-men-major-competition-rules/ The new AI tool which creates incredible podcast episodes- Notebook LM's new Audio Overview feature: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/google-s-new-ai-audio-generator-lets-you-make-a-stunningly-real-ai-podcast-without-a-mic-here-s-how-to-try-it The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s Transcription: .fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:16.666666666667% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 11.52%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 11.52%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}} Have you ever found yourself hesitant to discuss issues of race or gender for fear of saying something wrong? When we feel unable to talk about these issues freely, resentments and tensions can build up. Movements like Black Lives Matter, along with recent events in the UK, have highlighted how crucial it is to have these conversations. It's obviously a contentious topic, but when conversations are stifled—when we're afraid to discuss racial issues honestly for fear of being 'cancelled' or vilified—this creates a pressure cooker environment. As a result, when people of colour speak out about inequalities and push for change, white people can react in exaggerated,

Please check the shownotes for timings if you just want to listen to the review for one particular grade Show Notes: Init [1:40] Grade 1 [2:53] Grade 2 [4:03] Grade 3 [6:00] Grade 4 [10:06] Grade 5 [13:17] Grade 6 [15:33] Grade 7 [17:45] Grade 8 [23:03]

In this thought-provoking first part of a two-part review, I explore the new books and discuss how ABRSM are navigating the complex landscape of music education in a changing world. Join me as I delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by this new syllabus, which is sure to spark lively debate within the piano community. Part two will review the individual grades. Show Notes: Introduction Excitement about the new ABRSM syllabus for 2025-2026. Importance of these pieces for teachers in the coming years. Syllabus Transition Current syllabus (2023-2024) usable until the end of 2025. New syllabus (2025-2026) begins in 2025. Personal Review Personal opinions on the new syllabus, potentially controversial. Attempt to be balanced and see multiple perspectives. Learning and performing all new Grade 8 pieces. Performances and tutorials will available on Heart of the Piano YouTube channel. Shorter review will be available on YouTube for those who prefer less detail. Review Methodology Re-read and replayed all pieces from the current syllabus. Comparison of new syllabus pieces against the current syllabus. Context of Wider Issues in Music Education Reference to the review of the latest Trinity syllabus. Discussion on decolonisation of music education. Alarm at Trinity's new syllabus allowing exams without classical music. Context of Black Lives Matter and the critique of classical music as linked to colonialism. Personal background and experiences with classical music. Importance of representation of non-white and women composers. Critique of the argument that classical music is inherently problematic or racist. ABRSM's Approach to Representation and Diversity Efforts by examination boards to include women and non-white composers. Positive discrimination to encourage diversity. Approval of ABRSM's representation efforts in the new syllabus. Concern about some pieces in new List B syllabus not being classical. Concerns about Trinity's Recent New Syllabus, and Fears About ABRSM Following Suit Critique of Trinity's shift towards pop and non-classical music. The potential for students to focus narrowly on styles like jazz or pop. Discussion on the decline of classical music in education. Importance of maintaining classical music exams. Problems with turning pop and jazz music into sheet music for exams. The need for a balanced musical diet in education. Personal Beliefs and Teaching Philosophy Encouragement for classical music study alongside other genres. Role and influence of exams in developing well-rounded musicians. Suggestion for separate exams for rock/pop music. Comparison with ABRSM's New Syllabus Initial relief at the classical focus of new ABRSM books. Subsequent concerns about non-classical pieces creeping into the syllabus. Need for maintaining classical music standards. Future of Classical Music Education Risks of dumbing down exams by including too much non-classical music. The role of ABRSM in shaping musical tastes and standards. The importance of a balanced appreciation of classical music. Personal Reflections on Music Education Discussion on the neo-colonialism of the music industry. Importance of classical music as an art form needing support. ABRSM's role in bridging the gap between students' everyday musical experiences and classical music. Historical Context of ABRSM Reference to the book "The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music: A Social and Cultural History". Examination of ABRSM's historical role in shaping music education. Controversial Issues in Music Education Critique of the demonisation of classical music as elitist. The need to support classical music education. The impact of political and societal views on classical music. Thoughts on the New ABRSM Books

Tim Topham is a legend in the piano education world, his podcast "The Integrated Music Teaching Podcast" is a who's who of the most interesting & creative piano educators. It was a huge honour to chat to Tim about his new book which advocates and provides a framework for delaying reading music with beginner piano students. This episode is not just for piano teachers though, I'm sure everybody will be interested in our chat which includes topics such as common preventable weaknesses that most piano students have, the history of improvisation and freedom from the written note in classical music, the problem with method books, and more... Tim Topham is a legend in the piano education world, his podcast "The Integrated Music Teaching Podcast" is a who's who of the most interesting & creative piano educators. It was a huge honour to chat to Tim about his new book which advocates and provides a framework for delaying reading music with beginner piano students. This episode is not just for piano teachers though, I'm sure everybody will be interested in our chat which includes topics such as common preventable weaknesses that most piano students have, the history of improvisation and freedom from the written note in classical music, the problem with method books, and more... Key Topics Discussed: Delaying reading music for beginner piano students, often for the first 10 weeks or more Developing musicality, creativity, and curiosity from the very first lessons Typical problems when students are taught to read music right away, including lack of singing, improvisation, playing by ear etc Tim's new book "No Book Beginners" which provides a framework and detailed lesson plans for teaching beginners without method books The importance of singing, rhythm, improvisation & playing by ear before introducing reading How Tim's approach can work alongside other methods such as Piano Safari Adapting these creative teaching strategies for older and adult students The "sound before symbol" learning theory behind delaying reading music The website resources that complement the lesson plans in the book Links: Top Music Pro website: topmusic.co "No Book Beginners" book: topmusic.co/book Music Learning Theory: giml.org Tim's podcast: topmusic.co/podcast Notes: The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s I have availability for online students at the moment- if you're interested, do get in touch using the contact page at http://HeartOfThePiano.com I promised some links to the best podcast episodes in the outro- this is probably the best place to start: https://heartofthepiano.com/e34-we-discuss-the-4-most-important-psychological-skills-you-need-to-practise-at-the-piano-to-be-deeply-musical/ as it sums up many of the strategies that come up most frequently with my students This strategy has instantly transformed the playing with some of my students, the difference is like night & day! https://heartofthepiano.com/e35-tension-release-we-discuss-the-5-psychological-skill-you-need-to-practise-at-the-piano-to-be-deeply-musical/ Some very powerful strategies in this episode that can make a huge difference to the quality of our playing, and how we deal with nerves & pressure: https://heartofthepiano.com/e28-self-determination-theory-for-pianists-how-it-can-unlock-improve-your-musicality-and-help-you-deal-with-performance-anxiety/ And here's a link to my YouTube playlist of my tutorials and performances of UK exam board pieces: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0sZ0MK31wvKeCOH_ZFADgaZkgzyPJvw3

Check the shownotes for timings if you just want to listen to the review for one particular grade Show Notes: Init [2:13] Terrible (almost non-existent) selection of Baroque/ Classical Wild range of difficulty levels For me, mostly unremarkable pieces Much prefer the 2021-2023 syllabus, pieces more fun, more character, less bland Both RSL offerings strong at this level, for me, ABRSM in 2nd place Grade 1 [3:06] Very strong Classical selection. Often technically challenging Useful technical pedagogical selection of Classical & Romantic, enjoyable pieces Highlights- Toccatina (Victoria Proudler)- faux Bach Railbird Rag (Sam Cleaver)-  a little challenging but fun Criticisms- Terrible arrangements of Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marvin Gaye), and Titanium (David Guetta ft. Sia)- lazy arrangement. Most pop arrangements at this grade not fantastic- could be more skillful Std edition has mostly easier non-classical pieces aimed at youngsters in particular RSL Classical better for jazz & pop than Trinity, classical pieces fun- but limited choice compared to Trinity. LCM by pick for solid rewarding pieces with good benchmarking. Trinity has best ambitious classical pieces, but overall selection inconsistent Grade 2 [7:15] Immediately noticed repeat sign missing at beginning of 1st piece- will be confusing Not great Baroque/ Classical selection- not inspiring Highlights- Petit nuage (Hedwige Chrétien)- sounds great at this level, achievable, great find by woman composer Night in the Woods (Alexander Goedicke)- challenging but rewarding, loads of character Jupiter Storm (Alison Mathews)- almost like pop music, students will love it Hedwig’s Theme (John Williams)- great arrangement- v. generous to include a more ambitious chunk which is left out of exam It’s a Walk in the Park (Gilon Fox)- excellent gd2 jazz/blues Many strong pieces Criticisms- some clunky pop/jazz arranging but nothing too awful at this grade ABRSM not great for this grade, but the ABRSM pop grade 2 pieces are much stronger than here. LCM shines here with by far the best classical pieces. But Trinity is strong at this grade compared to others with extended edition Grade 3 [11:23] Very challenging at this grade, sometimes wildly so (eg LH staccato 3rds in Turkish March duet at speed). Already tricky 3 against 2 cross rhythms in several pieces Not impressed when I see swing rhythm quavers set incorrectly against triplets (All Blues) Felt overwhelmed by sheer amount of non-classical music, but I do like the Baroque/Classical selection. When looking at this book, felt more like rock/pop syllabus to me than classical Lots of film music at this level, some lovely, some bland Lots of use of pedal at this grade that feels almost like a norm in this book- I don’t see it to this extent in other grade 3 syllabuses- seems too ambitious to me High frequency of highly challenging pieces for this level Highlights- Little Stream (Ilona Jurníčková), but wildly ambitious Mad World (Tears for Fears)- lovely arr but ambitious- eg repeated 3rds in RH, pedal, etc Someone Like You (Adele)- but crazy cross rhythms for gd 3 Tres Palabras (Osvaldo Farrés)- nice jazz voicings Criticisms- Happy (Pharrell Williams)- good chorus but verse v. clunky arrangement. Dynamite (BTS)- terrible tune to pick that doesn’t translate well to piano. Won’t sound much like original. Rhythms don’t match what is sung All Blues (Miles Davis)- terrible clunky arr. With some terrible voicings. Wide range of difficulty within piece. Not skillful arr. ABRSM too easy for this grade. LCM solid & rewarding. RSL not one of strongest, easier than Trinity & LCM. ABRSM pop gd3 looks v. good compared to pop here. Trinity by far the most challenging of all boards Grade 4 [18:09] V small Baroque/ Classical selection although nice pieces if somewh...

The most radical and indispensable piano syllabus ever! This will either be incredibly exciting for piano teachers & students- or highly controversial. Either way, it’s a must-own. In this episode I discuss some of the many controversial issues that this new syllabus raises, and give you a detailed verdict on these new books. Part two will review the individual grades. Show Notes: First impressions I sight-read through every single piece in every grade, and did the same with current syllabuses from ABRSM, RSL, RSL Classical, and LCM to get a thorough feel for how the new Trinity syllabus compares with the competition [3:28] A look at recent trends in education such as decolonisation of music education, and commercial & ideological pressures on University music departments to move towards being 'pop schools' The decline of classical music in education... Diversity in classical music IMO this wider context is essential to understand what is happening in this new Trinity syllabus [25:10] Very diverse selection of music from many genres Diversity is great, but I have strong concerns that the new syllabus allows for focusing on narrow styles. such as minimalist film music or pop music in exams, with absolutely no classical music The cheaper standard editions miss out a lot of the classical music, emphasising commercial accessible music. Discussion about cultural relativism Should we formally study rock/pop music? Such an overwhelming amount of non-classical music in this syllabus- why not just make a rock/pop exam that can be taken on piano? You can't compare difficulty levels of playing rock/pop & classical- therefore I feel new syllabus is meaningless as a qualification Trinity do specify that you should play a balanced programme, but there's no penalisation for playing just pop music for example, so this is a meaningless directive The importance of a balanced musical 'diet' Less representation of non-white classical composers- a troublesome backward direction for Trinity Positive discrimination for women and non-white composers [42:03] The problem of including so much pop/rock/jazz in an exam that doesn't allow for improvisation or flexibility from the written notes The difficulty of arranging pop/rock music into written sheet music, especially at lower grades On the whole, Trinity have not done a great job with their pop arrangements (but there are some exceptions). ABRSM's arrangements although still flawed are generally more successful. Nice that most pop arrangements are in the same key as the original so can play along Excellent selection of jazz that sounds authentically like 'real' jazz rather than what exam boards such as ABRMS have focused on in the past which I call 'pedagogical jazz'- which sound like they've been written just for piano exams Maybe strange that Trinity feature improvisation for their aural tests and instead of sight-reading, but then don't allow for any improvisation in styles of music where it's desperately needed [53:47] Fantastic fresh finds of obscure music, especially in classical music, and especially with women composers Fresh, enjoyable diverse music for all tastes Inclusion of so much game music, film music, etc will appeal to a lot of my teenage and adult students This syllabus is therefore so valuable to help music teachers make money! I can see this syllabus will be particularly useful to find and keep adult students who will be motivated by the goal of taking an exam, with music they will find very rewarding I find a lot of value in giving rock/pop/jazz with challenging rhythms to all my classical students who almost all have rhythm as their weakest musical element But I also find value in making sure that students primarily interested in classical are exposed to learning pieces in a diverse range of styles IMO all piano teachers should own the entire series of ex...

Cheryl is back for a masterclass on how awareness of musical tension and release can make huge changes to our playing, and demonstrates that we absolutely need to learn to learn to feel it in the body before we can successfully apply it to our piano playing Show Notes [6:20] Pulling/ pushing tempo- stretching time More tension = get slower [13:30] We have to *feel* tension/release, not just think about getting slower/faster (otherwise it's too difficult)! It also helps for tempo changes to happen gradually Rubato = tension/release expressed with tempo changes Nuances of the felt sense of tension/release- sensations come mainly from the chest Musicality is strongly connected to being in touch with the feelings of these nuanced sensations Why adult students (particularly classical) are most prone to not feel tension/release Why adult men often find this particularly challenging We need to be patient with ourselves when building this skill [37:30] Dynamics also correlate with tension/release 99% of the time, more tension = slower & louder- but tendency is to get quicker when getting louder (wrong way round)- unless feeling tension/ release from the chest Tension/release can also be felt in the breath- like a feeling of suspense Rubato is tension/release expressed through speeding up/ slowing down [44:00] Interoception- vital for musical tension/release [56:00] Useful tool to increase awareness of felt sense of tension/release is to suddenly stop at any given moment, and explore whatever sensations are in the chest [59:00] Meditation is a tool to use interoception to quieten thoughts in the head. But it's dangerous to approach meditation with the goal of quietening thoughts because we just create more thoughts- we have to accept the thoughts and keep coming back to interoception 1:06:00] Harmony and tension/release. Tension very strong on the dominant [1:18:35] 'Magic wand practice' as a powerful tool to facilitate turning the mind off to focus on interoceptive sensations of tension/release [1:21:00] In meditation, and when playing the piano- being centred in interoception and in the body is the antidote to over-thinking and unhelpful states of mind that result in bad performances Notes: Many thanks to Forsyth's Music Shop in Manchester for letting me use one of their teaching/practice rooms to record this podcast episode: https://www.forsyths.co.uk I thoroughly recommend them for all your sheet music/ piano/ digital piano/ loads of other instruments(!) needs Links for the podcast episodes for the previous 4 psychological skills: E26: The #1 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E29: The #2 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E31: The #3 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E32: The #4 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E34: We discuss the 4 most important psychological skills you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s You can also see the rest of my YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@HeartofthePiano I have availability for online students at the moment- if you're interested, do get in touch using the contact page at http://HeartOfThePiano.com

My friend Cheryl is back to chat about and get a deeper understanding of the practical ways in which we can become truly great pianists by bringing the psychological skills I've demonstrated in recent episodes into our learning and practising Show Notes [3:15] A reminder of the 4 skills: Look for what there is to love in every moment Magic wand practice Cultivate the felt sense of always good enough Every few minutes, change the focus of your musical awareness [17:25] A deeper look at skill 1 with Cheryl Rather than just trying to love the bits you don't like so much, see this skill as like an infinite well to explore in every single moment [21:10] A deeper look at skill 2 with Cheryl Magic wand practice as a compass heading After recording this podcast, when I got home, I suddenly made massive improvements on my Rachmaninov Sonata by actually applying 'magic wand' practice, rather than just aim to make everything feel as easy as possible- it really does make a profound difference! Flow states need an optimum level of challenge for an activity to have that effortless flow experience Imagining effortless 'magical' playing is literally the absolute opposite of the psychological state of 'choking' under pressure [30:05] A deeper look at skill 3 with Cheryl Important to realise felt sense of good enough in the body- possible to catch it there before it moves to the mind! Very obvious that we play worse when we don't feel good enough State of feeling not good enough= narrow focus, neck forwards, shoulders up & forwards, tension, etc Conversely, state of feeling good enough= more awareness of music & phrasing etc, relaxation Important to practise 'good enough' from very first moment of learning new piece- rather than feeling of not good enough until we can play it note perfect up to speed. It's too late by then!! [43:35] A deeper look at skill 4 with Cheryl Left brain hemisphere: binary, black & white, glued to individual unrelated details, either notes are correct or not correct. Attention sucked in a compulsive way into details Right brain hemisphere: organic flow of narrative where everything flows into everything else. Responsible for choosing what we pay attention to This skill is basically meditation/ mindfulness- challenging at first, a lifetime of improving! Every time we realise out awareness is not where we'd like it and direct it to where we want it- this is the magic moment when the brain 'learns' and rewires itself [49:45] Getting past the challenges Can be challenging & threatening to the ego at first if felt as something we're not good at Motivating ourselves to practice these things similar to motivating ourselves to meditate- very similar states, undeniable benefits, but often tricky to turn away from dopamine goal-oriented striving & effort which is addictive- instead be wholesome! Getting past society's expectations Self Determination Theory & intrinsic/ extrinsic motivation Balancing extrinsic motivation away from the instrument with letting go of the ego/ striving while practising The science of receiving advice, and the particular danger of getting stuck in 'I suck' when having lessons! Notes: Many thanks to Forsyth's Music Shop in Manchester for letting me use one of their teaching/practice rooms to record this podcast episode: https://www.forsyths.co.uk I thoroughly recommend them for all your sheet music/ piano/ digital piano/ loads of other instruments(!) needs Links for the podcast episodes for the individual 4 skills: E26: The #1 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E29: The #2 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E31: The #3 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to be deeply musical E32: The #4 psychological skill you need to practise at the piano to ...

An epic review (with music audio clips) of ABRSM's hotly anticipated foray into pop music! I'm holding ABRSM to a high standard so I'm quite critical, but I do also look for what there is to enjoy in these books. Listen to this episode to find out if you should buy them for yourself or recommend them for your students! A brief bulletpoint summary of my review: 2 books: Book 1, ABRSM Initial Grade to Grade 3 (20 songs) Book 2, ABRSM Grades 4 & 5 (16 songs) The songs have been arranged in more of a 'classical' style than a 'pop' style. The classical style is very 'horizontal'- ie little emphasis on chords and vertical thickness with more emphasis on simple counterpoint. This means the songs can sound quite clunky and IMO are not the best way to arrange pop music that sounds good at the lower grades. The Rockschool syllabus and exams from the examination board RSL Awards are a much better choice for people interested in learning and playing the pop style- but: Each Rockschool grade book only has around 6 pieces Most Rockshool arrangements are made to be played with a lavish backing track, with only 2 songs per book as solo piano arrangements. This makes each book expensive with limited choice if the purpose is to learn a graded solo piano arrangement of a pop song. However, these pop arrangements could be useful for students ultimately wanting to mostly develop classical skills with some fun 'good enough' superficial pop arrangements on the way for variety Obviously, these books are very useful for students looking for pop arrangements at specific grades to use in exams, or looking for a curated collection of arrangements that start easy and become progressively more challenging When arranging pop music for beginners and any level below grade 8, there is always the challenge that notating the melodies in pop music usually makes the rhythms very challenging to read. This means they are challenging to play, or they need to be simplified down which doesn't sound great The ABRSM arrangements are very short, which IMO would make them disappointing to perform. But then you get a lot of pieces in each book It's really important to choose songs which will work well arranged for solo piano, and I'm not always convinced the right choices were made It's very commendable for ABRSM to branch into pop music, making piano accessible to more people, and representing a a more diverse group of music creators than typical classical composers! Copyright for pop music can be very expensive and problematic, so it's great to see ABRSM team up with Hal Leonard and produce content which is typically more expensive to produce The world of pop music is heavily image-led, so I'm critical about the lack of images, graphic design or photography in these books Who is this book for? If kids/teenagers, then there are too many old irrelevant songs here with an off putting lack of images/photos. If for adults, there are too many contemporary pop songs From [28:55]- a breakdown of pieces from Book 1 with audio clips From [50:30]- a breakdown of pieces from Book 2 with audio clips The audio that accompanies these books is very easy to access from the Hal Leonard website, and there's a handy online player on the website that allows you to loop within each song and change the speed which can be useful for practising   Notes: All audio clips of arrangements from the ABRSM books are from the Hal Leonard website which you have access to when you buy the book All audio clips of arrangements from the Rockschool syllabus are from the recordings you have access to when you buy the books My review of the Rockschool Rock/Pop Syllabus: https://heartofthepiano.com/e19-rockschool-rock-pop-piano-syllabus-review/ The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s