The Story Orchestra: I Can Play - by Katy Flint (Hardcover)

About the Book

With a keyboard that plays the sound of apiano, enchanting illustrations from The Story Orchestra story books, and color- and shape-coded instruction, I Can Play (vol 1) shows young musicians how to play 8 famous classical tunes.

Book Synopsis

From the The Story Orchestra series, a beautifully illustrated first piano sound book! Press the keys to learn 8 famous classical tunes from the story books.

​While other books in the series play famous pieces of classical music, in this new Story Orchestra title, young readers can now play the tunes themselves!

Color and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies, so even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. For best results, playing readers the original piece first is recommended so children can familiarise themselves with the pacing of the tune.

Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling along with playing tips. All the favourite characters from the series are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano.

I Can Play:

1. The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
2. The Dance of the Reed Flutes - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
3. Flight of the Swans - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky)
4. Dance of the Cygnets - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky)
5. Royal March of the Lions - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns)
6. The Elephant - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns)
7. The Swan - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns)
8. Spring Dawn Chorus - The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)

Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the keys, encouraging them to explore the possibilities of making music!

Review Quotes

"Audio clips, plus art inspired by vintage pictures books, bring to life Saint-Saens's 'Carnival of the Animals, ' Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' and Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker' and 'Swan Lake, ' while a keyboard helps kids learn the melodies." ----The New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide 2022

About the Author

Jessica Courtney Tickle​ is an illustrator who graduated from Kingston University in July 2014. Her absolute favorite thing to draw or paint is nature, finding a focus on foliage of any kind as well as children's stories about adventure and exploration. She also has a penchant for drawing theater from music makers to dancers and even singing animals. Jessica is most influenced by vintage picture books, travel posters, and folk art as well as numerous painters and printmakers.Katy Flint is a children'sbook author and editor, based in London.She is the author of the best-selling sound book The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker, and has worked on many other non-fiction titles - from books on human bodies to dinosaurs. She likes playing the violin and dog-spotting.Rowan Baker graduated with distinction from the Royal College of Music in conducting. He has since worked as an arranger, transcriber, and copyist for the London Festival Opera and as music manager for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.