A Vision for a Modern Piano Method Book in the 21st Century

This diploma thesis examines the form and needs of a modern piano method book in the 21st century. It builds upon the author's previous bachelor's thesis, which defined the framework of an ideal piano method and included an extensive analysis of Czech and international publications. The aim of the thesis is to critically evaluate current trends in elementary piano pedagogy, compare the latest piano method books pub- lished in the last decade, and, based on the findings, propose a comprehensive concept for a modern textbook supplemented with innovative teaching materials. The theoretical part presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis of fifty Czech and international piano method books. The research results show that although traditional components of instruction are represented to a high standard in current publications, the potential of modern elements such as the development of creativity, improvisation, and the use of digital technologies is not fully exploited. The practical part responds to these findings with an original methodological concept titled "Galactic Piano". This model uses a unifying narrative framework to maintain pu- pils' motivation and integrates a printed textbook with digital tools such as a website and a mobile application. The concept emphasises the comprehensive...