Imperial March Star Wars Theme
Who is not familiar with the striding, ominous chords of Darth Vader's theme, the Imperial March? I can promise you that most young kids know it, even 50 or so years after the original Star Wars movie! (1977 was the release date of the first movie.)
Hal Leonard music publishing company temporarily withdrew this piece from their available list for arranging and selling. At that time, I had to take all links down.
But now, it's back! I am so happy, because this is music most kids know, and most pianists wish to play at some point! This is a great "end-of-the-year" quick learn for many students, before lessons end for the summer.
What's on this page:
- A video of the music, above; only the first part is shown, because this is copyrighted music
- Images of the important patterns to be found in The Imperial March
- Teaching tips
- Links to buy this copyrighted music at either SheetMusicPlus or SheetMusicDirect
The main theme, and the chords
Notice the plain triad chords, the same chords, over and over again. This makes the music sound MUCH HARDER than it actually is!
Harder, and more powerful. These are notes that an earnest young pianist can LEAN INTO.
The patterns in this piece
As in so much of the piano music we play, the melody outlines a triad chord, or a chord inversion.
"A, A, A, F, CA, F, CA." That is obviously the outline of an F chord.
Then an "E, E, E" to match the A minor chord.
Next comes the outline of an F minor (not major anymore!) chord, which uses an Ab instead of an A: "F, C, Ab, Low F, C" then back to white key "A" to go with the A minor chord.
Page two is much more complicated
No fingering on page two
I do have a preferred fingering, myself, and I will suggest it to students, but they always end up personalizing their fingering in tricky passages like this anyway.
I'll share it with you, too:
High "A": 5, 1,1, 5, 4,3,2-1-2,
"Bb" below Middle C: 1, 5, 4,3,2-12,
Low "F": 1, 3, 1, 3-5,
"A" below MC: 1, 3-5, ending on the Middle C shown in the image above.
Buy Imperial March from Star Wars (your students will be excited!):
The link to buy Imperial March Star Wars at SheetMusicPlus
The link to buy the sheet music at SheetMusicDirect
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
Recent Articles
-
Best Broadway Musicals List - My Top Favorite Shows
This Broadway musicals list features the songs I've found to be most singable, easily learned, & beloved among my own students. Also, warnings of some pitfalls! -
Classical Piano Sheet Music: Download Free PDF Pieces
Classical piano sheet music - 1 or 2 page intros, & some longer. Bach, Beethoven, Mozart & more - bite-size classics for beginning & advancing players. -
Cinderella Song Lyrics & Sheet Music Lavender's Blue
Cinderella song lyrics & sheet music for voice & piano. The movie is Disney, but this pretty lullaby in Cinderella (2015) is actually an old song from England! -
Russia Song of the Plains Meadowland Easy Sheet Music
A famous & powerful song from Russia, this Cavalry piece is frequently sung by a Red Army choir. Find here easy piano & lead sheets, & guitar tabs. -
Looking for music in certain keys
I am wondering if there is a way to find songs of certain key signatures on your site? In my Google Classroom for my students I have several Topics based
Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church? Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!
All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
Music-for-Music-Teachers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
Music-for-Music-Teachers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
It is also available from Amazon as a paperback!
This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
Music-for-Music-Teachers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
With a red cap on his head and a sack of tools slung over his shoulder, Tonsta seems to meet people in distress wherever he goes.
Lots of trolls in this book - including one who gives him a Christmas gift!
Music-for-Music-Teachers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Comments: Do you have a story or a question about music teaching? Share it!
Please note that all comments are moderated, and will not appear until I have approved them. Also, IF YOU ARE ASKING FOR MUSIC THAT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, YOUR REQUEST WILL BE IGNORED. That's pretty much any music written in the last 75 years...
About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like so many of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
Recent Articles
-
Best Broadway Musicals List - My Top Favorite Shows
This Broadway musicals list features the songs I've found to be most singable, easily learned, & beloved among my own students. Also, warnings of some pitfalls! -
Classical Piano Sheet Music: Download Free PDF Pieces
Classical piano sheet music - 1 or 2 page intros, & some longer. Bach, Beethoven, Mozart & more - bite-size classics for beginning & advancing players.