ReadAhead

Read Ahead is a comprehensive sight-reading curriculum based on high-quality music, carefully graded and supplemented with a wide variety of exercises to help instil the habits essential for fluent reading.

The Online Academy features the first section (Section A) of Read Ahead levels 1 to 3. This material is best used in conjunction with the free companion Read Ahead phone app, which provides supplementary exercises, quizzes, and metronome settings. For further material, the complete levels (Sections B & C) are available from Amazon as a printed book, the Apple App Store as an iPad app and as PDF eBooks at the Informance store. For more information and to download the app, visit readaheadapp.com.

Click here to find out more about how it works or on one of the following links for the Online Academy content available for each level:

  • Level 1 (suitable for students at the beginner level or Associated Board grades 1-2) - click here
  • Level 2 (suitable for students at the late beginner level or approx. Associated Board grade 2) - click here
  • Level 3 (suitable for students at the intermediate level of approx. Associated Board grades 4-5) - click here
  • Level 4 (suitable for students at the early advanced level of approx. Associated Board grades 6-7) - click here

About the Authors

Ken Johansen

Ken Johansen has been on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University since 2002. He teaches keyboard skills including sight-reading, keyboard harmony, and score reading to piano majors. Johansen holds degrees from the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute and the University of North Texas. Johansen trained extensively in the pedagogical tradition of Nadia Boulanger in Paris, France. Johansen has given concerts and lectures across the U.S. and France and has written articles for American Music Teacher, Piano Journal, Clavier, and Piano and Keyboard.

Travis Hardaway

Travis Hardaway began teaching at the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University in 2004. Hardaway holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition and music theory from Boston University. His compositions have been performed at national venues including Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood and the Aspen Institute. He has also worked as freelance audio engineer and editor for clients including NBC, Local Color, and Sound Mirror. Over the past two years, Hardaway has focused on cognitive science research on deconstructing musical learning processes.

Resources & further links

  • Click here to download companion mobile app for Apple iOS or click here for further information regarding Android version development.
  • Read Ahead - Complete iPad app on Apple iTunes
  • Read Ahead - Level 1 Complete eBook - click here
  • Read Ahead - Level 2 Complete eBook - click here
  • Read Ahead - Level 3 Complete eBook - click here
  • Read Ahead - eBook Bundle (Levels 1 - 3) - click here

Featured content

Read Ahead - Level 3

Sightreading for the Modern Musician

Read Ahead is an exciting new program that helps piano students to improve their sight-reading ability. This unique curriculum is based on an extensive collection of carefully ordered compositions with related exercises and quizzes that help students develop the mental and tactile skills necessary for fluent sight-reading. This section features Level... Read >>


Teaching & Developing Sight-Reading Skills

Sight-reading an interesting piece of music is like meeting an interesting person. We enjoy the pleasure of a new encounter, sense perhaps a mutual affinity, and look forward to a deeper acquaintance. This series of articles provides exercises and music aimed at developing confidence in playing at sight and enhancing... Read >>


Read Ahead - Level 1

Read Ahead is an exciting new program that helps piano students to improve their sight-reading ability. This unique curriculum is based on an extensive collection of carefully ordered compositions with related exercises and quizzes that help students develop the mental and tactile skills necessary for fluent sight-reading. This section features Level... Read >>


Read Ahead - Level 2

Sightreading for the Modern Musician

Read Ahead is an exciting new program that helps piano students to improve their sight-reading ability. This unique curriculum is based on an extensive collection of carefully ordered compositions with related exercises and quizzes that help students develop the mental and tactile skills necessary for fluent sight-reading. This section features Level... Read >>


Read Ahead - Level 4

Read Ahead is an exciting program that helps piano students to improve their sight-reading ability. This unique curriculum is based on an extensive collection of carefully ordered compositions with related exercises and quizzes that help students develop the mental and tactile skills necessary for fluent sight-reading. This section features Level 4... Read >>