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These are some of my favorite books about the piano, piano practice and piano technique.
Check back periodically as I continue to update this list.
The Art of Piano Playing (Heinrich Neuhaus)
A classic text that delves into technique, artistry, and pedagogy, offering insights from a revered piano teacher.
I recommend this book for any pianist with smaller-than-typical hands, called “small-handedness” by the authors. Strategies include redistribution, refingering, modifying technique, musical solutions for technical problems, and more. This book contains lots of practical advice.
In this book, Thomas Mark approaches the musculature of playing the piano in a systematic way, talking about the anatomy of each structure (shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers) and how the muscle groups work together (or against each other). From there, he advises on best practices on using the body in a way that supports your anatomy and promotes healthy playing.
Pianism (Aiko Onishi)
A slim but informative book about all aspects of pianism, including tone production, pedaling, technique, interpretation, and exercises.
Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments (C.P.E. Bach)
A foundational text in keyboard technique and interpretation, this classic work by J.S. Bach’s second-eldest son provides detailed guidance on fingering, ornamentation, and expressive playing, making it essential reading fofr both historical and modern pianists.
The Piano Student’s Guide to Effective Practicing (Nancy O’Neill Breth)
This is actually a 3-page card rather than a book, but it is an invaluable practice resource, packed with practice strategies. The small size makes it easy to leave on the piano as a reference to pull out during practice, when you get “stuck” and want new ideas for what to do next. Highly recommended for beginning through intermediate students.
This book contains an overview of Bruser’s holistic mind-body approach to practicing. She has worked with musicians for years, helping people integrate physical movement with a considered mental approach to their instrument. The bulk of the book consists of her ten-step approach to practicing, and the book is packed with helpful suggestions.
This is an incredibly useful and detailed book about many, many aspects of playing the piano. Combe’s approach is highly specific and encompasses everything from practice methods and strategies to an assortment of piano-related topics.
This is a well-written, comprehensive book about practice, performance and wellness. Klickstein covers everything from practicing to performance anxiety to injury prevention to succeeding as a student. I turn to it often for good advice!
Dweck popularized the concept of a growth mindset, which is the belief that abilities and intelligence are not innate, but can be improved through persistence and hard work.
A growth mindset is essential for effective practicing; in her book, Dweck talks about how to apply this mindset to various aspects of life.
This book focuses on linking mindfulness and enjoyment at the piano. Parente shows the reader how to combine “flow” with playing the piano. This book contains many actionable strategies for increasing enjoyment and appreciation of the piano through achieving a focused mental state.
This book focuses on enhancing your mental approach to the piano, both to help in your practicing and also to ease performance anxiety and other psychological factors. it’s a very well-organized book and covers a lot of territory, from breathing to a deep dive into imagery, mental practice and mindfulness.
In this book, Stewart Gordon explores performance issues for classical musicians. Topics covered include: developing a positive mindset toward performance, memorization, drilling, physical support, evaluation after performance, and career issues. This book contains much valuable information!
The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self (William Westney)
In this book, Westney helps the reader overcome a fear of doing things “wrong” while learning classical piano.
If you’ve ever wished you could take a lesson directly from Chopin, this book is for you! This is a collection of observations from Chopin’s students, providing valuable and direct insights into his teaching style and approach to the piano.
In this book, historical performance professor David Breitman describes performance principles used on period instruments and applies them to playing on a modern piano. The book also contains information about the evolution of the piano, as well as historical sources for performance practice.
The Composer’s Landscape: Interpreting the Scores of Eight Masters (Carol Montparker)
A wonderful discussion of style and interpretation. Carol Montparker explores eight different composers from the perspective of a performing pianist: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin, and Mendelssohn.
Menahem Pressler: Artistry in Piano Teaching (William Brown)
This book is about the pedagogy of Menahem Pressler. The first part describes Pressler’s bio and teaching style. The second part summarizes specific things Pressler said about the interpretation of piano works in the canon. Brown also describes Pressler’s approach to practicing and other performance issues.
Notes from the Pianist’s Bench (Boris Berman)
A wonderful read, consisting of Boris Berman’s artistic philosophy, as well as his musical and technical approach to the piano and its literature.
This book is in two parts: the first part is organized alphabetically by composer and describes many of the most prominent piano works in the canon of Western classical music. The second part is organized alphabetically by pianist, describing the career trajectory of each, along with notable recordings.
This book is an invaluable reference resource, containing classical piano literature sorted by style period (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century). Each piece is described in a short paragraph and has been leveled by difficulty, from 1-10.
In this recently-published book, Tomes brings a warm, insightful perspective to the lives of 50 pioneering female pianists. Blending historical depth with accessible narratives, this book offers a captivating journey through the artistry and unique contribution of women pianists throughout the centuries.
Set in Paris, this whimsical book is an account of the author’s search for the instrument of his youth, with an adult perspective. Through his search, he learns about the piano’s history and its evolution into the instrument we know and love today.
In 2010, Alan Rusbridger, the editor of The Guardian, set himself an almost impossible task: to learn, in the space of a year, Chopin’s Ballade No. 1. He chronicles how he balanced this passion project with the demands of running a major international newspaper during a time when significant historical events were unfolding.
The Savvy Music Teacher (David Cutler)
It is essential that music students not only learn how to play their instrument, but also receive training in how to actually make a living as a musician.
That’s why I like this practical book by David Cutler so much. He details how to approach music teaching as a business, with an entrepreneurial mindset, utilizing 7 streams of income, in order to finance your life as a creative musician.
Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music (Angela Myles Beeching)
Now in its third edition, this book is an invaluable source of information for classical musicians who are interested in pursuing a career in music.
Beeching covers everything you need to know about a career in music, including creating your promotional materials, booking concerts, using social media, networking, and more.
Highly recommended!
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AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. The Piano Prof is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I will receive a small percentage at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
