The Very Blue Danube

Strauss’s iconic Blue Danube Waltz arranged as an easy piano solo with lush teacher accompaniment included. Music is appropriate for beginners of all ages and arranged by Jennifer Eklund.

Blue Danube Waltz arranged for late-beginning violinists of all ages. Includes a lush teacher accompaniment making this a great piece for recitals or other performance opportunities.

Minuet in Gee! is a light-hearted ragtime spin on Beethoven’s classic Minuet in G. This solo, composed by Ron Levy, is ideal for intermediates of all ages. Cover photo is an original painting entitled “Dancers” by Carol Julien.

Potpourri is an imaginative collection of ten showcase solos composed by Barbara Becker. Full of evocative harmonies and a variety of genres, this is a songbook intermediates of all ages will enjoy growing with.

Cookie Waltz has its origin in my very first composition, written while an undergraduate at Orange Coast College under the tutelage of Dr. Edith Smith. The original title, Mookwipp No. 1, seemed a bit strange in retrospect, so I transformed it thus: mook–> cook–>cookie…Cookie Waltz!

Five Feisty Witches is a ferociously flashy piece in 5/8 composed by Stacy Fahrion. This showcase solo is ideal for intermediates.

Isolation was written in early 2020 by Stacy Fahrion. This expressive intermediate piece begins and ends in 5/4, and features palindromic rhythms (rhythms that are the same backwards and forwards) and a gentle two against three polyrhythm in the middle section.

Imagination is an elegant lyrical showcase solo for late intermediates composed by British composer Jenny Walker.

While the ragtime genre really did not exist during the California Gold Rush, this collection of evocative ragtime solos by Barbara Becker, offers a musical glimpse into that wild time as San Francisco appeared and then boomed with activity. Picture a gentle dance late at night in a saloon; the joyous hope and the frequent disappointment associated with prospecting for gold; Lola Montez’s moaning about some so-and-so who did her wrong; “Mr. Moneybags” John Sutter preening in the city; and tired miners drowning their sorrows on Saturday night, then shuffling off to bed. These fun pieces fit right in with the period’s expectations of instant wealth, juxtaposed against the back-breaking work, often for little return.

Look to the Sky, composed by Rick Robertson, is a lyrical, elementary level solo. It has the bonus of an optional duet/obligato part, playable on piano, flute, or violin.

Open Spaces, composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, is a part of a series of pieces focused on contemporary idioms. This piece serves to introduce students to playing in a free meter with the absence of barlines and is suitable as a contemporary festival selection.

Monday’s Child is a suite of seven character pieces, composed by Joanne Griffiths, based on the children’s traditional British fortune-telling poem “Monday’s Child.” It is contemporary in style, particularly influenced by Ludovico Einaudi and Arvo Part. The pieces are mainly light and gentle in mood with meditative patterns, sequences, imitation and repetition at the core and topped with lyrical melodies, portraying the character of each child for that day.

Oh Snap! is a fun, jazz piano solo for early intermediates that incorporates finger snaps throughout. Music written by Jennifer Eklund and part of the Dog Days songbook.

Composer Ron Levy sets the table with eleven delicious salad courses. Sometimes crunchy, always funky! Chock full of sweet rhythms and savory melodies for intermediates of all ages. You will want your musical menu to begin with a nutritious helping of Jazz Salad!

Something on the Slide is a Satie-esque waltz composed by British composer Joanne Grifiths. The accompaniment is built on two positions, C and G, with octave leaps from the bass to the chord. Awareness of balance between the hands is needed for this, to bring out the melody.

This piece starts out mostly normal, staying close to Stephen Foster’s piece, but then something goes awry and it ends up in the parallel minor. Music by Stacy Fahrion.

Long-Legged Spinners is a whimsically macabre solo composed by Stacy Fahrion. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages and is part of the Lullabies for Arachnophobes songbook.

With an accompaniment inspired by the slow movement of Chopin’s Third Sonata, Ron Levy has composed a meditative piano solo with an enchanting melody in a stately setting. This intermediate level composition focuses on building and sustaining a long lyrical line over a steady, supportive left hand.