Cyberspace Detective by Anand: Lesson Ideas
Cyberspace Detective is a new commission from composer Amit Anand, it features in Grade 1 Piano Exam Pieces in 2025 & 2026 Piano syllabus.
This resource created by Karen Marshall is designed to be taught over approximately 6 weeks.
Karen Marshall has provided a resource toolkit in the style of her ABRSM Piano Star Skills Builder book. You can find some free sample pages for Karen's book here to download and please visit the ABRSM shop to purchase a copy.
By exploring these activities, you will be:
- Incorporating the other elements of the exam – sight reading, scales/arpeggios and aural skills.
- Teaching to play the piece musically with good technique.
- Using the piece to develop musicianship skills including improvising and performing with expression.
Get started by clicking left and right or using the chapter headings on the right-hand side.
3. Week 3 & 4 – Reading
Random notation is provided to the pupil to develop their note reading skills.
You can ask your pupil to read these random notes that appear in Cyberspace Detective, and add the letter names below each note.

Here's a quick sight-reading example, with some similar patterns from Cyberspace Detective included.

Here is a short study, with some similar patterns from Cyberspace Detective included. You may wish to give your pupil a week or so to learn this to prepare for the Grade 1 piece.

Test your pupils' understanding by making an activity sheet to accompany this piece. Here are some ideas you could include
- Naming notes from the piece, this could be via flashcards or other activities you already do in your lessons.
- Can your pupils write and explain the following note values; a crotchet, a minim, a dotted minim, a semibreve and four quavers beamed together.
- Think about the dynamics in the piece, can your pupil identify the auditory differences between mp, p, f and ff in your playing, and in their own playing? What do the symbols mean?
- Does your pupil know what c.=116 means and can they find this tempo?
- Does your pupil know what subito means?
- Can they draw, and do they understand the following terms and signs; crescendo, decrescendo, pause, tenuto, accent, tie
- Can they draw a 4/4 time signature, and do they understand what this is telling them?