Mijn ‘Cat Pieces’ zijn vanaf nu te koop via de website van Sonolize, een online platform voor componisten en muzikanten. Als componist kun je hier direct je digitale bladmuziek uploaden en verkopen. Muzikanten kopen de muziek rechtstreeks van de maker via het principe fair play, fair pay. Zij ontvangen 65% van alle opbrengsten en houden het volledige eigendom van de auteursrechten. Dat houdt dus in dat eventuele royalty’s bij uitvoering volledig naar de componist gaan.
This is a recent recording of my trio ‘Waterfall’ in Brazil at the ‘Casa de Musica de Ouro Branco’ with Ana Paula Machado Simões (piano) and two colleagues violin and cello.
Ana also wrote a very nice blog about my Piano Trios. You can read it below the Youtube video.
“Piano Trios for Young Players (by Heleen Verleur): Heleen Verleur is a Dutch pianist and composer. Her collection *Piano Trios for Young Beginners* comprises three volumes, the first of which is the most accessible, and enables pupils entering the pre-intermediate level (playing, for example, the first pieces in Schumann’s *Album for the Young*) to play alongside other pupils. The pieces are designed for three students of a similar standard and are very well written. They explore a range of technical and musical elements, such as various articulations, dynamic contrasts, contrasting tempos and characters, and diverse timbres. Through them, students will learn to listen to one another and to interact musically. The instruments interact very well with one another and the pieces sound like ‘real repertoire’, rather than exercises or simplified arrangements. They have evocative titles that aid interpretation. I have been using them with my pupils and highly recommend them! They are the most accessible pieces I am presenting here today and are an excellent introduction to the world of chamber music. You can purchase the PDF directly from the composer; she is always very friendly and helpful. Her contact email is: heleenverleur111@gmail.com. You can find out more about the materials and listen to recordings at: https://www.heleenverleur.org/five-easy-pieces-for-piano-trio/“
When you scroll down, you can listen to the audio/video and also seperate parts can be found. I also added an extra violin, you can find the score when you scroll completely down.
This booklet was created in response to a need for pieces that aren’t too difficult but also encourage improvisation on piano.
At the end of each piece, the student is asked to try improvising on their own.
First impression:
3. The uncaught mouse
The teacher can assist with this; for example, the teacher can play the chords while the student improvises, or vice versa. If this goes well, you can try doing both at the same time. But don’t make it too difficult! It’s important that the left hand can continue playing without getting confused! Just a few added notes in the right hand are perfectly fine.
Chord symbols have been added, as they can help explain a bit about triads. When improvising, it’s helpful to know which (chord) notes sound better than others… And even if you don’t know anything about chords yet, you’ll see that some bars are apparently the same! You can circle the same chords with a color, for example. It helps you memorize the piece “schematically.”
This book is for everyone who loves cats. And even if you don’t love cats, I hope you’ll still have some fun playing these pieces!
(On this page all audio samples of the book ‘Cat Pieces’ will arrive.)
1. Cat on the piano2. Walking3. The uncaught mouse5. Meow6. Playing8. Cat Nap10. Sun bathing11. Daydreaming12. PurringCover book ‘Cat Pieces’Inhoud boek
Nou vooruit: als je al tot hier gekomen bent, mag je er één gratis downloaden! 🙂
Toch leuk om dan ineens een mail uit Brazilië te krijgen:
“Is there a digital version of the books Piano Trios for Young Players that I could purchase? I am a piano teacher from Brazil and tried ordering them from Amazon, but it was never shipped and the order got cancelled… I would love using them with my students!”
Wel suf dat het werd gecancelled, maar inmiddels heb ik ze ook digitaal.
Very lucky to have been one of 45 teachers attending the 1st official European Suzuki Piano Days in Riga Latvia. Organizers Kristine Ravine, Michelle Post, Sylvain Pénard and Anna Sibley had magical powers and everything went very smooth, from the first morning with kids and teachers performing various parts of ‘Carnaval des animaux’ from C.Saint-Saëns in a both original and funny way!
I had the honour of playing the National Anthem of Latvia in my own arrangement with four Latvian teachers, and using my ‘Waves’ with seven other teachers during a group session.
45 teachers from 17 countries felt deeply connected to one another. I know I will keep in touch with many of them. New friendships were made, old friends hugged again, all senses were involved in learning, group piano playing, technique classes, reading, intense and fun discussions with exchanges of ideas.
You can hear fragments of them in the audio appendix (recorded with the simple dictating function of my Iphone)
Latvian National Anthem arrangement H.VerleurWaves for three pianists (here with more)/H.VerleurGroup of Suzuki teachers 2025 RigaAn illustration at the front door of the Jugendstil Museum in Riga
