Pop classics and chart toppers help broaden repertoire for budding pianists
London, UK, 08 September 2022 – Songs by Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Elton John feature in two landmark new collections of graded piano arrangements developed by Hal Leonard Europe and ABRSM to reflect the wider musical interests of learners and extend the range of pieces available to them as examination options.
The two volumes of Pop Performer! – ABRSM’s first-ever collections of pop music arrangements, feature chart toppers and classics from decades of pop and are designed for piano learners from Initial Grade up to Grade 5.
Pieces in the two books, published jointly by ABRSM and Hal Leonard, were chosen because they are fun to learn and likely to be played for leisure as well as study.
The series is distributed exclusively by Hal Leonard Europe. With sales teams spread across eight offices in Europe, the Hal Leonard Europe team provide first-class sales administration, business development and customer support, in six languages and localised to each market.
“We are delighted to put two new volumes of music into the hands of budding pianists, with Pop Performer! – our very first collection of chart-topping and classic pop songs. Featuring expert arrangements of diverse songs and acts from across the decades, they are the latest addition to our growing range of quality pieces and songs that allow musicians to follow their musical passions. Graded from Initial to Grade 5, they offer fresh options for the ‘own choice’ piece in our Performance Grades as well as being great fun to learn and play.”
Penny Milsom, Deputy Chief Executive, ABRSM
“Hal Leonard Europe is thrilled to add Pop Performer! to our growing list of joint publications with the ABRSM, and to be distributing these books exclusively through our sales channels across the world.”
Tom Venvell, Managing Director – UK & Germany, Hal Leonard Europe
Press Contact:
Lea Herrscher, Hal Leonard Europe
lherrscher@halleonardeurope.com
About ABRSM:
Established in 1889, ABRSM is the UK’s largest music education body, one of its largest music publishers and the world’s leading provider of music exams, holding over 650,000 assessments in more than 90 countries every year. As a registered charity, they make significant donations towards music education initiatives around the world.
In partnership with four Royal Schools of Music, they support music-making and learning across the globe. They offer pathways and resources for learners and teachers that help build musical skills and encourage progress.
About Hal Leonard Europe:
Hal Leonard Europe is part of the Hal Leonard group of companies – the world’s largest source of music publications. They are passionate about their global vision: lifelong music-making for everyone. Hal Leonard Europe want as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of learning, creating, and making music, and they’re working hard to make that vision a reality. To find out more, please visit:
Note to editors:
Book 1 Pop Performer! offers budding pianists studying at Initial to Grade 3 chart-topping and classic pop songs that have been expertly selected and arranged by some of the UK’s leading figures in piano and pop pedagogy. Complete with audio recordings of every arrangement, it features diverse songs and acts from across the decades, including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, The Ronettes and Disney’s Encanto.
Book 2 Pop Performer! also comes with audio recordings of every arrangement, and is designed for students studying Grades 4 & 5. It features diverse songs and acts from across the decades, including Adele, Dua Lipa, Elton John and Alicia Keys.
The two books offer the only ABRSM-approved graded pop arrangements.