We’ve already shown you some fun piano duets to try, but what if you want to broaden your repertoire? Here, music teacher Julie P. shares some great piano duet books that are just as fun as they are educational…
Piano duets are fun for players of all ages and abilities. You can play with your friends, siblings, parents, or teachers. This opens up so many different possibilities for music! Not only are duets a fun way to make music with someone else, but they are also very beneficial for each player’s skill development.
Students can learn a lot about how to play piano with others by having to line up their part with their partner’s part. Below, I’ve chosen 10 of the best duet books that I know will help you with your playing, along with examples of fun piano duets that can be found in each.
The 10 Best Piano Duet Books
1) PreTime Classics (Early Elementary)
This is a great piano book for beginners, especially for introducing young players to classical music. PreTime Classics has nine familiar pieces from the classical repertoire. The duet parts are meant to be played by a teacher or early-intermediate player. One song that many children will recognize from this book is “Ode to Joy.”
2) Duet Favorites ((Early Elementary – Late Elementary)
This series of three books has duets for beginners. This is a great way to introduce young players to playing duets. A fun song many children will enjoy is “Bulldog Blues” from Level 1:
3) Easy Jazz Christmas Duets (Late Elementary-Early Intermediate)
This book has 5 jazzy version of popular Christmas tunes such as “Jingle Bells,” “We Three Kings,” and “Silent Night” played in the video below. These are great for students who have been playing for a few years.
4) Celebrated Piano Duets, Books 1-5 (Late Elementary — Intermediate)
This series of five books has new compositions for a wide variety of playing abilities. Pianists with a few years of experience will enjoy songs like “Village Dance” from Book 1. More experienced students will enjoy impressing audiences with songs like “Viva Vivaldi!” from Book 5.
5) Essential Keyboard Duets, Volume 1-7 (Late Elementary — Early Advanced)
This seven-volume series has a wealth of classical literature for players of almost all abilities. Players with a few years of experience can play pieces like “Norwegian Dance” from Volume 1. Volume 3 has pieces such as “Faure’s Dolly Suite” and Volume 6 features works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Dvorak.
6) The Beatles Piano Duets – 2nd Edition (Early Intermediate)
Beatles fans will love the eight songs in this book. With exciting arrangements and familiar tunes, this book will please both the players and the audience. Songs include “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” “Let it Be,” and “Eleanor Rigby.”
7) Christmas Fantasy Duets (Early Intermediate – Late Intermediate)
The four songs in this book are inventive arrangements of classic Christmas carols. With interesting variations and new harmonic twists, this book keeps Christmas fun. Songs include “Carol of the Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Joy To the World.”
8) Scott Joplin’s Ragtime Classics (Late Intermediate)
Ragtime music is always exciting and this book includes seven of Joplin’s most popular pieces. Test your syncopation skills with this book on songs like “The Entertainer,” “Maple Leaf Rag,” and “The Easy Winners.”
9) Star Wars (Late Intermediate)
Play eight of your favorite Star Wars songs, including “Duel of the Fates,” “Cantina Band,” “Princess Leia’s Theme,” and of course, the “Star Wars Main Theme.” Hear six songs from the book performed here:
10) Gershwin Preludes (Advanced)
The three piano preludes in this book are full of character and bluesy harmonies. The preludes were originally written for solo piano, but they are so popular that arrangements have been written for a wide variety of instruments. These piano duet versions aren’t easy to play, but they are very rewarding. Take a listen to the first prelude here:
The books above should keep you busy for a while. Grab a partner and get to learning! Music is meant to be shared, so have fun playing these duets with fellow musicians.
Post Author: Julie P.Julie P. teaches flute, clarinet, music theory, and saxophone lessons in Brooklyn, NY. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Ithaca College and her Masters in Music Performance from New Jersey City University. Learn more about Julie here!
Photo by PJ Mixer
Suzy S.