ABRSM Pop Performer! Piano - Grade 4-5

These are simplified instrumental arrangements of songs that are meant to be sung. So that's a little weird. I guess I was expecting to learn how to play the piano part that's on the record, but this is more like the elevator music versions of them.

Grade 6 pianist found these a good additional test from which to learn and improve his musicianship.

Recommended by my piano teacher, love it

I think this collection illustrates the difficulty in writing piano music that is interesting, enjoyable to play, suitable for the grade but still recognisable as the original pop song.I've spent a long time playing classical pieces (badly!) but have been looking for suitable pop music books without finding anything. Many pop music books are really just accompaniments to the song and no fun to play for solo piano. So this book seemed to fit the bill.I think overall this book is definitely worth getting if you are on the look out for pop piano for solo piano. There are some hits and some misses, some remain faithful to the original song and are genuinely enjoyable to play whilst others seem to bear little resemblance to the original or are poor arrangements.I'm pleased I bought it as its given a lot of pleasure playing certain pieces, even though I'd give some of them a miss.I really hope they bring out a 'Grades 6-8' version in the future.