FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Children Piano

Question:
I have composed a set of 22 piano pieces for children. Can anyone suggest how I could go about getting them published (i.e. as a book)? Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am an Australian composer based in Canberra. Score and MIDI samples of the pieces can be viewed by following the links to Piano Pictures at my web site: http://www.users.bigpond.com/enharmony/index.htm

Answer:
There is a list of music publishers and their addresses on the Web (sorry-don't have URL here...it's some sort of trade association). Your best bet is to find out where in Canberra the piano teachers go to get their music, find out which publishers they sell, and submit there. I know that here is the States, Willis Music in Florence KY have been fairly open to new pedagogical piano music, but you might have better luck with an Australian publisher. Pedagogical piano is one of the easier markets for a composer to break into. Unfortunately, it's a market NOT first and foremost governed by musical considerations. Publishers want somebody who will produce a lot of consistent predictable product that they can hustle to teachers and retailers. Under such conditions, it's amazing that the Dennis Alexanders, Eugenia Rocherolles etc. produce work with any redeeming aesthetic value whatsoever. If you go with a smaller publisher, find somebody whose works are reviewed and advertised in the Australian piano-teachers magazine (I'm sure there's one). You want somebody who will work to sell your things. Good luck!