Piano Safari in the press

We’re honored by all of the attention Piano Safari receives in blogs and journals.

This page contains select passages from a range of reviews, with links to the full post.

Note: some of these reviews reference earlier editions of the Piano Safari Method books.


Since writing this review in 2015, I have been teaching the Piano Safari method consistently for two years. I have used it with beginners, adults, and transfer students. I have been extremely impressed with the way students are able to read music by the end of Level 2. This is by far my favorite method for teaching piano!

Piano with Lauren, February 2015, updated June 2017


When I found that Piano Safari taught music by rote, I was immediately interested. Piano Safari focuses teaching by rote in conjunction with reading music. Learning by rote keeps the kids interested, because immediately they are playing music that is actually interesting! It’s so hard to get kids to practice when they are playing horribly boring music. Piano Safari really shines through with their well composed and interesting music.

Your Music Lessons, September 2016


Even though I believe that a good teacher can effectively utilize any method or curriculum to help a student achieve success, there is something invigorating about having well-designed resources that capture a teacher’s philosophy and vision for their teaching. That’s how I’ve felt about Piano Safari ever since it’s debut a couple of years ago. It has been the perfect complement to my desire to help students develop creative freedom, technical ability, and musical artistry at the piano while also building a solid foundation of reading and rhythm skills.

Music Matters Blog, May 2016


Kids LOVE the songs! I love the songs! There is a nice variety of styles, the titles are great, and the harmonies in the accompaniments range from traditional to modern. One of the first “big” rote pieces they learn is “I Love Coffee, I Love Tea.” [link] They can’t stop playing it. They teach their friends how to play it. They drive their parents crazy because they play it 10 million times at home during the 2-3 weeks it takes them to get through all 6 parts. They get to play pedal songs in Level 1. They learn to transpose and improvise in Unit 1. They work ahead in the books because they want to see what comes next. It’s amazing!

Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers, November 2014


Piano Safari is the only method I know of that is based on this experiential and playing-based philosophy. Instead of reading music notation being the core, students are taught to develop beautiful technique, a sense of musicality, freedom to explore, discover, and create, an internal rhythmic pulse, and proficient sight-reading through a rich musical selection of rote pieces, improvisation experiences, guided compositions, and excellently sequenced reading skills.

Music Matters Blog, February 2014


Since incorporating the Piano Safari exercises, I have seen a huge improvement in my beginner students’ technique and overall physical ease at the piano. It is so beneficial for students to have a simple exercise/piece where their entire focus can be on developing the basic hand motions that are fundamental to making beautiful sounds at the piano.

Color in My Piano, November 2013


Occasionally, a new Piano Method appears that not only goes beyond the tried and true but also applies intelligent and creative approaches that are simply fun. Piano Safari is a refreshing, well conceived, and pedagogically sound endeavor. The enthusiastic creators of this new series for the young beginner base their work on the simple premise of learning through doing, in order words, through playing. Combining rote teaching with intervallic reading around landmark notes, young students will also learn sound technique principles that will carry them throughout life…This method gets my vote for the young beginner!

European Piano Teachers Association Piano Journal