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Abstract
Composed between 1905 and 1909, the piano suite Iberia is considered Albéniz’s crowning achievement, with a total of twelve pieces divided into four books. Each piece possesses an evocative title that depicts elements of Spanish life. The integration of traditional Spanish dance music and impressionistic compositional style makes Iberia one of the most distinctive and exotic piano masterpieces in the entire piano repertoire. Iberia is a highly demanding composition, requiring a well-trained pianist with advanced skills in order to execute the countless technical aspects of the work. In addition, the complexity of musical expression requires the performer to accurately portray the Spanish musical style that incorporates complex Spanish dance rhythms and singing melodic lines. In this dissertation, I will discuss four selected pieces from Iberia and provide a detailed pedagogical analysis of each piece, including technical and musical elements. Furthermore, I will include a list of preparatory repertoire that is less advanced in nature to help younger students develop the skills they will need to eventually perform pieces from Iberia.