New Book Release!August 2023
Giggles’n Kids!
A new book of little etudes for Elementary Level! Over 30 pieces to get your young student engaged where each piece focuses on one musical element. Designed to be easy in the hands and lots of fun for your student! Enjoy!
Review of Giggles’n Kids Collection in the BCRMTA Progressions Magazine
“Short enough to easily hold a student’s interest and challenging enough to be useful for instruction, this book is a treasure trove for both learner and instructor. It could be used as a supplemental book for any method or learned from beginning to end. Highly recommended!” by Joyce Janzen
ReviewJanuary 2026
What a lovely oasis of calm can be found in this book! Beginning with the cover picture of a white iris on a beige background, moving to the easily legible layout, this book is immediately engaging.
Each of the titles of the 15 two page piano solos, draw one in to a mood of quiet reflection. From Just a Whisper, Solitude, Wrapped in Twilight, to Solace, Tranquillity, Serenity, and more, the expressive, lyrical melodies create a sensitive and peaceful atmosphere. In the preface, the composer states her intent that this repertoire capture your heart without requiring an intense amount of practice.
The difficulty is from late elementary to early intermediate. Key signatures range from one flat to two sharps with the exception of a single piece using mostly black keys with six flats. Time signatures used are 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/8 and 6/8. Most pieces use quarter notes and eighth notes with the exception of Be Still which has a brief section with broken chord sixteenths.
These pieces have a wide range of uses, from repertoire to sight reading, to exercises in melodic projection and creating a gentle tone palette. We all know the therapeutic value of music – this volume is a valuable tool to that end. In an era of heightened anxiety, here is a balm!
Joyce Janzen – BCRMTA
ReviewAutumn 2021
From Dance, Danse, Danza Collection Volume 3, Scatter Dance was reviewed in the CFMTA Canadian Music Teacher magazine.
“A virtuosic showpiece, this is an energetic and powerful advanced atonal piano solo at an ARCT/Diploma Level”. You can read the whole review here.
ReviewJune 2021
My ‘Piano Mime in Concert’ and my ‘Dance, Danse, Danza’ collections were reviewed in the national CFMTA Canadian Music Teacher Magazine. Both very informative and extremely positive comments offered. Click here to read the reviews.
ReviewJanuary 2018
A wonderful review of my Let’s Pretend! collection has just been published in the CFMTA’s Canadian Music Teacher Magazine. You can read the article by clicking on this link. CFMTA-Winter-2018
ReviewMay 2016
The CFMTA Canadian Music Teacher magazine published a lovely reivew of my Winter Collection. You can read the review by opening this link CFMTA Review of Winter Collection.
ReviewJanuary 2016
A wonderful review of Jester’s Dance duet by the Canadian Music Teacher Magazine. You can read the review by clicking on Jester review
ReviewFebruary 2014
Two wonderful reviews of my ‘Piano Poems’ collection and ‘Rhythm Practice’ books in the CFMTA Canadian Music Teacher publication
Click on Piano Poems or Rhythm Practice to read the reviews.
ReviewJanuary 2013
‘Catch the Magic‘ piano collection received a wonderful review in CFMTA’S Canadian Music Teacher magazine. You can Click on CFMTA Catch the Magic to read it.
ReviewJanuary 2013
The Canadian Music Teacher reviewed ‘Arctic Voices‘ in its January 2013 issue. Click CFMTA Arctic Voices to read the review!
ReviewOctober 2012
The ‘Lament for the Polar Bear’ from ‘Arctic Voices‘ receives a great review on LaDona’s Music Studio Blog.
“Susan’s music is more cutting edge than a lot of current pedagogical music. Hers explores a lot more raw emotion, translated into music via rhythm and harmony……This is another collection that is worth it for one piece”
Link here to read the whole article.
ReviewApril 2012
‘Lavender Dreams’ and ‘Forgotten’ from the ‘Piano Poems‘ Collection have been reviewed by Luke Bartolomeo on his weekly Podcast where he reviews and performs Intermediate Piano Music.
http://www.repertoirereview.com/cms2/node/145