Songs by Coldplay, Dua Lipa and Elton John feature in two landmark new collections of graded piano arrangements developed by 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.

ABRSM Deputy Chief Executive Penny Milsom said: “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.”

Tom Venvell, Managing Director - UK & Germany, Hal Leonard Europe, said: “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. This new series brings expert arrangements of pop songs to pianists, allowing students to play more of the music they love in their ABRSM Performance Exams.”

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Note to editors:

1. 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.

2. Established in 1889, ABRSM is the UK’s largest music education organisation, one of its largest music publishers and the world’s leading provider of music exams, offering assessments to more than 600,000 candidates in over 90 countries every year.

3. Hal Leonard Europe companies are part of the Hal Leonard group of companies – the world’s largest source of music publications, representing many of the world’s best-known and most respected publishers, artists, songwriters, arrangers and instrument manufacturers. Hal Leonard Europe companies publish and distribute an extensive catalogue of printed and digital publications, sheet music, music education resources, instruments, gifts, accessories and pro audio in Europe and around the world. There are Hal Leonard Europe offices and distribution centres located in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the United Kingdom.

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