By Bergen Public Library Norway from Bergen, Norway
For many piano teachers, August is a month of new beginnings and a new academic year. To celebrate the back-to-school season, here are some important and fascinating dates in piano history to share with your returning students this month.
August 7, 1869: The Norwegian Premiere of Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor
Norwegian pianist and composer Edvard Grieg was a Romantic-era composer particularly skilled in composing expansive Romantic works with a unique and lyrical Norwegian folk influence. His Piano Concerto in A Minor is a favorite among piano teachers, as it captures the Romantic style and yet remains approachable for students who are not yet masters of the concerto genre.
The concerto originally premiered in Denmark, but its Norwegian premiere occurred in August, 1869. It later became one of the first piano concertos in history to be recorded.
The following videos from Piano Inspires’ Inspiring Artistry video channel share two of Grieg’s works for solo piano, as well as teaching insights into each piece.
August 8, 1975: Death of Cannonball Adderley
Julian Edwin Adderley, whose elementary-school nickname “Cannonball” stuck into adulthood,1 was a legendary jazz saxophonist whose warm tone and style attracted seasoned jazz aficionados as well as a larger emerging audience. His style earned the attention of Miles Davis, who recruited him to the Davis Quintet and included him in the recording of his album Kind of Blue. Adderley recorded several albums with pianist Bill Evans and supported jazz pedagogy through his narration of the educational record A Child’s Introduction to Jazz.
For more resources on incorporating jazz and improvisation in piano lessons, check out some of the following resources from PianoInspires.com:
August 10, 1787: Mozart Completes “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”
“Eine kleine Nachtmusik,” or, “A Little Night Music,” is the fitting alias for Mozart’s Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525, a delightful multi-movement work for a small chamber ensemble. The work was completed in August 1787, and it continues to be widely performed today. The origin of the title is thought to be coincidental, but it is an apt description of the serenade’s mood and themes. The theme of the first movement, being particularly famous, has been arranged for solo pianists of all levels and reading abilities.
Want to learn more about Mozart’s compositions for piano? Check out our microcourse Classical Sonatinas and Sonatas at the Piano. Plus, be sure to subscribe to PianoInspires for the latest innovative and dynamic content from the piano community.
August 21, 1893: Birth of Lili Boulanger
A visionary French composer active in the early 1900s, Lili Boulanger broke a glass ceiling for female composers by becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome. Her colorful, expressive writing makes her works appealing across many genres, including choral, orchestral, instrumental, and solo piano works.
“Cortège” from Trois morceaux pour piano is a wonderful example of Boulanger’s style, with varying tonality and eloquent melodies. Click here to watch Annie Jeng’s insightful teaching video within the Piano Inspires Inspiring Artistry video series.
Want to learn more about female composers, including Boulanger? Check out Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers, an inspiring course from The Frances Clark Center.
Endnotes
- Mathieson, Kenny. “Adderley, Cannonball.” Grove Music Online.4 Oct. 2012; Accessed 27 Jul. 2026. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002226820.
OTHER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Repertoire Swaps: Achieving Diversity and Inclusion through an Effective Repertoire Selection Device by Lynn Worcester Jones
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Repertoire: Grieg “Sailor’s Song” by Joseph Smith
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Putting It All Together: Repertoire – What Is Your Student’s First Encounter with Sonatina Literature? by Marvin Blickenstaff, Debra Ronning, Yat-Yee Chong, Amy Glennon, and Miriam Byler
- Debra Ronning, Yat-Yee Chong, Amy Glennon, Miriam Byler
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Gradus ad Parnassum: Climbing to Debussy through Educational Repertoire by Ivan Hurd
- COURSE: Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers
- VIDEO: Boulanger: Cortège from Trois morceaux pour piano by Annie Jeng
- MICROCOURSE: Teaching Jazz at the Piano
- PODCAST: Tony Caramia, Where Jazz, Pedagogy, and the Piano Meet | S3 E24
- WEBINAR: NCKP 2023 Committee Webinar: How to Practice Jazz and Improvisation with Jeremy Siskind
- MICROCOURSE: 20th- and 21st-Century Music by Women Composers (from Hidden Gems: Four Centuries of Piano Music by Women Composers)
- VIDEO: Edvard Grieg: Arietta, Op. 12, No. 1 by Qiao-Shuang Tracy Xian
- VIDEO: Edvard Grieg: “No. 3: Scherzo” from 23 Short Pieces for Piano, EG 104 by Grace Huang
- MICROCOURSE: Classical Sonatinas and Sonatas at the Piano
- Use our search feature to discover more!
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