This series was designed to supplement traditional vocal instruction and works perfectly as preparatory literature for The First Book of Solos and The First Book of Solos Part II.Each piece is in Englishand has a limited vocal range as well as a piano accompaniment that is playable by a student pianist. The pieces include art songs folksongs humorous songs and suitable vintage popular songs and are all appropriate for contestsolos. The accompanying CD includes professionally-recorded accompaniments. Soprano Contents: Alice Blue Gown · April Showers · Butterflies (Schulz) · Cradle Song (Brahms) · Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel(Humperdinck) · The False Prophet (Scott) · Florian's Song (Godard) · Golden Slumbers (English folksong) · It Was a Lover and His Lass (Austin) · Ladybird (Schumann) · The Lilac Tree (Gartlin) · The Little Sandman (arr. Brahms) ·My Little Heart (Weckerlin) · The Nightingale (Alabieff) · Oh! Dear What Can the Matter Be? (16th Century) · Oh Pretty Birds (Rigel) · The Rosebush (Himmel) · The Sweetest Flower that Blows (Hawley) · Two Marionettes (Cooke) ·The Willow Song (16th Century) · The Willow Tree (arr. Reimann) · The Winter It Is Past (arr. Hopekirk).

This series now has a new ?Part II? for each voice type at the same level as the original volumes. This is preparatory material for The First Book of Solos series with modest ranges and all songs in English including very easy art songs folksong arrangements and vintage popular songs. The song selection is completely different for each voice type with 18-20 songs per volume.