I grew up surrounded by music, listening to my three older sisters practice their instruments, and I fell in love with music at a young age. I pursued formal training, and later became a piano teacher with a strong focus on building musical confidence and literacy.

Over the years, I worked extensively with Yamaha Music Education Centres and trained teachers nationally. I now work with Tim Topham over at TopMusic as the Community Manager and Head of Certification. My experiences in both teaching and exam environments deeply shaped my understanding of what students need to succeed.

After many years working with students sitting AMEB piano exams, I saw a pattern: students who were well-prepared in scales and repertoire were still being held back by sight reading - often because it had been neglected in lessons and practice. Witnessing young students leave exam rooms upset because of this skill gap really motivated me to create a comprehensive resource that builds sight reading competence and confidence systematically over time.

Many sight reading books offer only a page or two of examples per grade, which isn’t enough for meaningful progress. Sight Reading Secrets is designed to give students enough material to practice throughout an entire year, making sight reading a regular, engaging habit. It also ties directly to the skills and requirements of the AMEB piano syllabus and introduces reading concepts in a carefully structured way that supports steady progression.

Some key principles in the series include:

· Gradual introduction of key signatures and rhythms so students aren’t overwhelmed.

· Opportunities to practice sight reading daily, even if just for a few minutes, to build familiarity and confidence.

· Structured development of skills such as hands-together reading, articulation recognition, and expressive playing. (This is not just pushing the right key at the right time!)

Absolutely. While Sight Reading Secrets is aligned with AMEB requirements, the foundational skills it develops (such as recognition of intervals, key signatures, rhythms, and patterns) are universal to sight reading. Students preparing for ABRSM or other graded syllabi would still benefit from regular, graded sight reading practice using the series.

Many teachers share how the series has transformed their students’ confidence and exam success. One teacher noted that students who used the books regularly developed much stronger sight reading ability at home, making lessons more productive and reducing stress before exams. Another mentioned that students were motivated by the engaging examples and made steady progress that was visible in their exam reports.

In my own studio, I see students gradually working through keys and concepts during the week at home, then confirming those in the lesson (as well as celebrating their gradual progress!) It’s so much more efficient and fruitful than “just do extra sight reading” as a homework instruction!

The books systematically introduce musical elements in realistic reading contexts, which helps students begin to recognise steps and skips as patterns rather than isolated notes. By practicing these in a variety of examples every day, students develop greater fluency and confidence in identifying intervals on sight.

As with any publication, the interaction with a teacher is essential to build the core understanding, then the student can work through the exercises during the week. I would suggest practising intervals using games and apps during the lesson as a way to solidify the learning!

Sight Reading Secrets Book One is a great next step. It reinforces those note-reading skills in a musical context and starts building real sight reading fluency. Its structured approach means students can begin confidently and progress steadily.

You can explore Sight Reading Secrets and other sight reading resources, including free sample lessons, at www.sightreading.com.au. The site also offers guidance on how to use the books effectively and support materials for both parents and teachers. I’m also happy to receive emails from teachers and parents!