Wellspring

All aboard the Orient Express! This collection of imaginative and elegant solos, composed by Barbara Becker, will take your early intermediate students on a sonic tour around the world!

Viva Mexico, composed by Barbara Becker, is a suite of showcase solos for early intermediates and up. These delightful pieces, full of character and lush harmonies will brighten your next recital or festival performance!

A flashy intermediate solo in 7/8 time based on This Old Man composed by Stacy Fahrion.

Flutterbyes is an elegant, Chopin-esque waltz composed by Jane Tate. This showcase solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages!

Spanish Dance, an energetic favorite by Jennifer Eklund, presented in a new extended remix to suit occasions like talent shows, competitions, and festivals that require pieces with a longer run-time. When played at the suggested tempo, this version clocks in around 3:00.

La Luna Canta, by Rick Robertson is an intermediate level lyrical solo. The melody, supported by a triplet figuration, suggests another famous “moon” piece and the Schubert Impromptu in G-flat, and both inspired this piece. It is an effective recital selection, and could be used in wedding preludes or even as a church offertory.

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.

This mysterious-sounding intermediate-level etude by Stacy Fahrion is ideal for introducing quarter-note triplets to students, and also is a wonderful recital piece. It eases students into playing 2 against 3 and 3 against 2 polyrhythms, and through playing it, students will learn how eighth-note triplets and quarter-note triplets relate. It begins in G Dorian and ends in D minor. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the sun, but isn’t visible to the eye alone.

This book presents strategies for learning to play polyrhythms, from the most common ones, such as two against three, up through four against five. It contains rhythm exercises, improvisation suggestions, and thirteen pieces based on polyrhythms. Once you’ve worked with the book, you might develop intense cravings for more polyrhythms, and may even be inspired to compose polyrhythmic pieces of your own.

Flute Song, by Rick Robertson is an intermediate level lyrical solo. This is similar to his “Intermezzos,” but shorter and less difficult. It is inspired by the flute playing of a classmate from his college years, one who he accompanied frequently. This piece is very useful as a short lyrical piece for a recital, festival, worship service, or even a wedding ceremony,

Zorro is a lively Spanish-style showcase solo composed by Sara Tomlinson. This early intermediate piece will make for an exciting solo at your next recital!

Something like Glass, written by British composer, Joanne Griffiths is a study in consistent and even playing of triplets in the right hand, with changing clefs in the left hand that explore the outer areas of the keyboard. Intermediates will enjoy the essence of Philip Glass that flows through this evocative solo.

Linguine Tarantella, by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate level showcase solo. Written in the style of the Neapolitan Tarantella, its exciting dynamic changes and a cascade of flying octaves at the end will make this a showstopper for recital or festival.

Mood Swings is an evocative collection of twelve character pieces composed by Jenny Walker. These contemporary solos for late-intermediate and advanced pianists provide a delightful landscape of harmonies and contemporary stylings that span a variety of genres.

Nostalgia, by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate level solo in a Neo-Romantic lyrical style. Written in style of a wistful waltz, it makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist.

Memories, by Rick Robertson is an intermediate level solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist. It could also be used as wedding or service music.

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.

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!