Premier Piano Course, Lesson 1A, Paperback Book, By: Dennis Alexander, Gayle Kowalchyk, E. L. Lancaster, Victoria McArthur, Martha Mier

Beautifully presented and intelligently paced, the Lesson Books combine unusually attractive music and lyrics. The books feature note reading, rhythm reading, sight-reading and technical workouts. Each piece on the CD was recorded at a performance tempo and a slower practice tempo. About the authors Dr. E. L. Lancaster is Vice President and Keyboard Editor-in-Chief of Alfred Music Publishing. He draws upon his teaching experience, ranging from pre-school students through doctoral candidates, to direct the Alfred keyboard catalog. Dr. Lancaster holds degrees from Murray (KY) State University, the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. from North-western University. From 1979 until 1998, Dr. Lancaster was Professor of Music at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, where he taught courses in piano pedagogy and coordinated the group piano program. Dr. Lancaster established the masters and doctoral programs in piano pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma in 1980 and served as Major Professor for more than 50 doctoral dissertations in that field. He taught pre-college students in the Piano Pedagogy Laboratory Program, combining group and private instruction. In addition, from 1981 to 1996, he and his wife, Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk, operated a large independent piano studio in Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Lancaster has served as National Chairman of Group Piano and National Chairman of Student Chapters for MTNA. He has held offices in the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, including Chair of the Administration/Pedagogy Liaison Committee. Dr. Lancaster has received numerous teaching awards from the University of Oklahoma, including the Regents Award for Superior Teaching (1984), Associated Distinguished Lectureship (1987), Provost's Outstanding Academic Advising Award (1996), and Outstanding Faculty Award in the College of Fine Arts (1996). In 1991 he was awarded a David Ross Boyd Professorship, named in honour of the first OU president, given to faculty members who excel in teaching, counselling and guiding students. Dr. Lancaster has presented workshops for teachers throughout the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. He is the author or co-author of more than 350 publications designed for students of all ages. Dr. Lancaster is a regular writer for the "Questions and Answers" column for Clavier Companion magazine and also serves as a consulting editor. He now lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife and their two children, Kelsey and Chase. Dennis Alexander began his affiliation with Alfred Music Publishing in 1986. Mr. Alexander's 240 publications and recordings created with Alfred have earned him an international reputation as one of North America's most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music for students at all levels. Professor Alexander retired from his position at the University of Montana in May 1996, where he had taught piano and piano pedagogy for 24 years. After moving to California, he taught piano privately and served on the faculties of Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Northridge. Now a resident of New Mexico, he currently maintains an active composing and touring schedule for Alfred. A native of Kansas, Mr. Alexander graduated from the University of Kansas, where he studied with Richard Reber. In 1987 Mr. Alexander made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall with violinist Walter Olivares, and continues to be active as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. A former president of the Montana State Music Teachers Association, he is a popular clinician at state conventions. In addition to the Alfred-sponsored workshops he presents regularly in the U.S. and Canada, Mr. Alexander has also presented workshops in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Numerous organizations and state associations have commissioned him to write compositions. In addition, he has numerous pieces that are included on the National Federation of Music Clubs Festivals Bulletin and his music is being performed by students throughout the world. He is a co-author of Alfred's all-new Premier Piano Course.