If there is one thing that I’ve learned after two decades of piano performance, it is the importance of sight reading.

Sight reading helps you…

• Learn music more quickly, even on the fly at a music rehearsal or at a family gathering

• Familiarize yourself with more music first-hand

• Conquer and revisit technical challenges across repertoire

• Develop your musical ear, such as anticipating cadences and phrasing in different styles

Despite these powerful benefits, sight reading is seldom taught as a skill. Instead, teachers spend lessons on scales and repertoire. These efforts are built on the concept of mastery: perfecting fundamentals and music that you’ve spent substantial time learning.

Sight reading, however, is a distinct and powerful skill that requires its own regimen. Fortunately, this regimen doesn’t require a teacher—just a willing pianist.

Like a daily crossword or sudoku puzzle, I have created daily sight reading challenges. These excerpts will provide a strong foundation for sight reading when practiced consistently. The target audience is intermediate to advanced pianists.

It is important to note that curating these excerpts takes time and effort. I consider style, technique, familiarity, and variety when selecting them. While it might seem tempting to simply open Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier and sight read Preludes and Fugues starting with the first in C, finding valuable sight reading excerpts is more complex than just picking up a score. I’ve found that variety is one of the secret keys to successful sight reading. Let me do the work of finding the excerpts so you can focus on honing your abilities.

Depending on skill level, I have designed each excerpt to take 5-15 minutes to sight read. This time includes analyzing and playing the passages a few times.

If, after analysis, you find the passage is above your current sight reading or technical ability, I recommend practicing it hands-separately. This will allow you to engage with more challenging repertoire without feeling overwhelmed.