Walden Pond Press is a family company
located in Verplanck, New York, dedicated to creating and publishing Music Books
and Videos. In fact, our only goal is to get people started playing
piano!
Verplanck is a little town on the Hudson River, less than 28 miles from
downtown Manhattan. Our home town is so small that we can't have mail
delivered to our factory, but to a tiny post office in the next city!
Our
factory is located in what is known as the "Ice House," a rather
wonderful old green building that was once the local ice supply. It overlooks
the Cortlandt Yacht Club and the Hudson River, so we are very glad about our
country backwater location (just up the river from Manhattan!) All of our Music Books
and Videos are made here, hand assembled by a great group of
workers, and each one is individually tested to make sure that your first
experience at the piano is a great one!
For
several years we have worked with an Emmy Award winning composer and
author,
John Aschenbrenner, who is undoubtedly one of the most successful
teacher\artists in the New York metropolitan area.
John, who played piano on
Broadway ("My One and Only") and on TV ("As the World
Turns") and Film (Jane Fonda's "China Syndrome" and the film music library "Cinemusic") is devoted to teaching beginners, and is
probably out there, somewhere in Upper Westchester County, right now, teaching a
little seven year old (to the child's delight) how to play Star Wars with one finger
on his first piano lesson!
The Christmas Carol Kit
and Piano Is Easy! were in
fact developed by Mr. Aschenbrenner from teaching everyday kids the piano. John
developed a thriving business in which he visited homes in over three states,
giving private lessons designed to get kids and adults as excited about the
piano as John said he was as a child.
Few teachers have the dedication to
actually go to the student's homes, and, week after week, see what works with a
large variety of people who want to play the piano. John took the time to do
that, and the result are these wonderful books that have found a place at
countless family pianos!
John said he noticed that, when he started
people playing piano by numbers, "they got going right away and most
never stopped playing." John taught kids and adults who are as healthy and
regular as corn, but also those with Down's syndrome, ADHD, Tourette's syndrome, stroke victims, aged nuns
(yes, really!) and anyone who asked. If you'd like a sample of their thoughts,
click here on Satisfied Customers.
If
you've ever wanted to try the piano by yourself, as slowly as you like, in the
privacy of your home, then this is the book for you!
Let's face it, most
beginning piano books are too difficult for children of any age, but here are a
couple of books that have been proven as a great adult-child project! Anyone
can start to play the piano. All you need is a piano and this book.
After
you get your start reading music "by number," Walden Pond Press has a
great program to get you started reading conventional sheet music! (Click here
on 'Where Do I Go After Music By Number?'
)
Get
a good start for you or your your child with "piano by number" and
then carefully shop to find the right local teacher!
