Sand Dance

June is a dramatic solo for later intermediate pianists. The mysterious setting evokes the mood of a summer storm with tumultuous wind. Crashing pops of lightning punctuate the primary theme while arpeggiated flourishes mimic the downpour of sudden rain. This is one of a set of 12 month-titled pieces by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM.

August is a new age piano solo, composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien NCTM, for intermediate and late intermediate pianists. The pedagogical focus of this selection is small hand accessibility. The waltz-time setting and straight eighths are ideal for helping players achieve a fluid technique and a sense of forward motion. The melodic content is “hidden” within the right hand eighths and gives ample opportunity for developing sophisticated voicing.

Illumination (Virgo) is a lilting showcase solo for intermediates composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This piece is part of the astrology-inspired songbook “Signs of the Time.”

Horsin’ Around, composed by Ron Levy, is a Western-themed showcase for intermediates. This solo offers a great opportunity to work on articulations and to dynamically highlight the subtle rhythmic variations of the main theme.

Lion-Hearted (Leo) is a vibrant showcase solo for intermediates composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This piece is part of the astrology-inspired songbook “Signs of the Time.”

Island Dance is a festive, upbeat solo for beginners of all ages, along with a teacher duet, composed by Robyn Fehrenbacher. This light-hearted, happy tune is a crowd-pleaser for recitals, and will make audiences want to get up and dance!

My Kind of Joy, is a rockin’ and rollin’ spin on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” This showcase arrangement by Chrissy Ricker will be enjoyed by intermediates of all ages!

October is an intermediate new age piece by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM. The constantly moving triplet figures in both hands are meant to evoke the swirling motion of colorful autumn leaves blowing about in the breeze. Rather than centering on a traditional melodic line, October allows students to create a mood or effect by experimenting with dynamic inflection and rubato to vary each performance. Dynamic indications in the score are merely suggestions – performers are meant to make this free-flowing piece their own.

March of the Red Ants, composed by Kevin Costley, is an showcase solo for late beginners. This piece serves as a great opportunity for students to work on playing a steady bass line, triplets, and shifting between major and minor modes.

Have video game lovers in your studio? Of course you do! Let’s Quest Volume 4 is a collection of eight video game inspired showcase solos and two evenly-leveled duets composed by Chrissy Ricker, that will delight intermediates of all ages in your studio!

Dancing Marionettes, composed by Ryan Chesser, is an upbeat showcase solo for intermediates. This selection is part of the Winds of Change songbook.

January is a high-energy showcase solo with an uplifting principle theme, dramatic middle section, and flashy ending. This is one of a set of 12 month-titled pieces by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM.

Paper Airplane by Sara Tomlinson is an expressive and flowing piece at the late intermediate level. Students will find the chromatic scales and left-hand crossovers fun and impressive. Suitable for students for intermediates of all ages.

Have video game lovers in your studio? Of course you do! Let’s Quest Volume 3 is a collection of eight video game inspired showcase solos and two duets composed by Chrissy Ricker, that will delight intermediates of all ages in your studio!

Happy-Go-Lucky (Sagittarius) is an elegant, lilting waltz for intermediates composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This piece is part of the astrology-inspired songbook “Signs of the Time.”

Circle of Friends, by Rick Robertson, is a two-volume collection containing a total of 24 character pieces for piano in each of the major and minor keys (minus enharmonic equivalents), in a manner similar to the Prelude sets by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and the like. The sequence as published is arranged in a rough order of difficulty, allowing for convenience in page turns here and there.

The title alludes as well to the familiar “Circle of Keys’. As for “friends”, each piece is dedicated to a close friend, colleague, or student. A few pieces in Volume One are at the early intermediate level, while Volume Two is solidly at the intermediate level with a steady trajectory of more demanding musical concepts.

Enjoy the Ride is a delightful collection of intermediate solos by Lisa Donovan Lukas featuring a variety of tonal centers and styles. These eleven selections are ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Two Sides (Gemini) is a rhapsodic showcase solo for intermediates composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This piece is part of the astrology-inspired songbook “Signs of the Time.”