To Raise the Wind Horse

Three Prayers consists of three short engaging movements for 2 pianos, 8 hands, by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This is a melodic, contemporary showcase piece for late intermediate students. Ideal for teens as well as students of all ages who enjoy playing duets and ensemble pieces at group lessons and recitals.

The Exquisite Melancholy of Everything Left Unuttered is a delicate waltz in E minor for two composed by Stacy Fahrion.

A playful intermediate level composition by Debbie Center. You’ll love the surprises as it echoes the call of the Song Sparrow and gets it dancing. Free nature play-along track included with purchase!

A hair-raising, haunting tarantella by Stacy Fahrion with an abundance of crunchy minor 2nds and a slower, nostalgic middle section.

Under the Big Top is a fast and flashy, circus-themed showcase duet for advanced level pianists by Canadian composer Lisa Frederick.

Waltz for a Six-Legged Octopus by Stacy Fahrion begins whirling gently in 6/8 time, but the real hexapus waltzing starts when the piece shifts to 9/8. This waltz, ideal for intermediates, is for anyone who has ever felt like they’re missing something that everyone else has.

Double Trouble is a book of unique duets by Stacy Fahrion. This book gives pianists opportunities to experiment with blues improvisation and extended techniques. It includes showy pieces in odd meters, several wild boogies, a melancholy lyrical waltz, and, of course, a tarantella that has Itsy Bitsy Spider surreptitiously woven into it. Most of the pieces are based in minor keys, modal, or use the double harmonic major scale.

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

Portrait No.3 A Treasured Moment, is a late intermediate solo composed by Travis Lohmann, which pays homage to the Impressionistic colors of French composer Claude Debussy. A contemplative beginning with resonant and sonorous chords is a fantastic way to get students thinking about touch and tone color when performing. The increasingly more energetic middle section allows students to become more dexterous with rapid arpeggiated extended chords, as well as the evocative colors of the whole tone scale. The piece concludes with a distant call-back to the original main theme with jazz-influenced harmonies before having a triumphant send off of lush chords reminiscent of bells tolling far away.

Picking Lilacs, composed by Travis Lohmann, features light influences of jazz, as well as lyrically phrased melodies. Best suited for mid to late-intermediate pianists, this composition can work both as a contemplative opener for a concert, as well as middle interlude between selections. The light-hearted tone of this piece, as well as its whimsical nature is sure to be a perfect performance piece for any concert.

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.

Beethoven’s iconic Moonlight Sonata in a modern lyrical spin arranged by Jennifer Eklund. This mild and mellow version is ideal for advanced level pianists.

Summer Dance is an MTAC Composers Today award winning composition by Lisa Donovan Lukas. A light, jazzy, energetic contemporary solo, it is a perfect showcase piece for the late intermediate student of any age!

Composer Stacy Fahrion transforms A Tisket, A Tasket and part of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean into a whimsically melancholy statement about the pain and inevitability of loss. On the Way I Lost It is ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Sonic Bouquet is collection of lyrically expressive piano solos for the budding intermediates through late advanced pianist. Each piece was written as a musical interpretation of a specific flower and encapsulates my love for music ranging from jazz, classical, and film music. I sincerely hope you enjoy learning and growing, playing these works. - Travis Lohmann

The Swan, from “Carnival of the Animals,” arranged as an evenly-leveled duet for intermediates by Sandra Zylstra. This piece is part of the Classics for Two duet songbook.

A substantial and captivating descriptive piano work by Jenny Walker depicting an Irish stream from its small pure beginning high in the hills gaining volume and depth as it torrents through the forest. A reel interrupts the flow as the water dances over rocks and echoes of the stream are heard as it is swallowed up by the ocean. Winner of the European Piano Composers Competition, 2014.

A Wise Old Owl is inspired by a nursery rhyme of the same title and set here as a whimsically macabre solo for intermediates by Stacy Fahrion. If you’re playing on a grand piano, before beginning the piece you can silently depress the low F octave and sustain it throughout with the sostenuto pedal for an added mysterious effect. This is an optional effect, and the piece still works well without it. The damper pedal is often left down for extended periods of time as well for a swirling effect.