Morning Sounds

Night Sounds is an easy lyrical solo for beginners composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien that includes lyrics. This piece serves as a great introduction to ties and easy position shifts.

Backyard Bash is a collection of solos written for beginning pianists who enjoy playing music with lyrics. With the exception of three pieces, Crazy Cat, Old Dog, and Tree Swallow, these songs describe actual events that have happened in my suburban backyard in Southwest Virginia. Crazy Cat combines the personalities of two of our family cats, Calhoun and Casper, into one. Old Dog is about our Golden Retriever, Clyde, who lived with us when we started our family and was the kindest and most gentle dog I’ve ever known. Tree Swallow is about a male tree swallow who behaved exactly as described in the lyrics, but in my father’s backyard rather than in mine. I have found that my students love playing these songs because they sound more difficult than they are, and they are fun to sing along with! I hope you enjoy these musical nature studies and learn to play them all! - Sarah O’Brien

Simple Serenity is a collection of fifteen easy lyrical solos composed by Jennifer Eklund. These calming pieces offer a great opportunity for beginners and late beginners to explore lyrical playing, rubato, octave shifts, and pedal work.

Mirror Lake, by Rick Robertson, is a late-elementary level lyrical solo. A moderately slow lyrical melody is divided between the hands and bound together by pedal.

Just Passing By, is an easy ambient multi-level solo by Jennifer Eklund for beginners and late beginners of all ages. This piece is part of the Level Up! songbook.

Groundhog Day is a showcase solo for late beginners that includes lyrics. This piece composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien is part of the Backyard Bash Volume 2 songbook.

Sunny Day is a delightful, lyrical solo written at three different levels by Robyn Fehrenbacher. Includes two beginner versions with optional teacher duet, as well as a solo version for late beginners of all ages.

Nightscape is an easy, minor-key, lyrical solo for late beginners of all ages. This showcase piece serves as a great introduction to legato and expressive phrasing techniques. Part of the Easy Spotlight Solos songbook. This piece has been selected for the NFMC Festivals Bulletin, 2020-2024.

Japanese Rose, composed by Kevin Costley, is an elegant easy lyrical solo for late beginners of all ages.

Adrift is a pensive lyrical solo full of unique jazz harmonies, but easy enough for beginners and late-beginners. The sophisticated harmonies, and free-floating rubato form using multiple octaves, will make students of all ages feel successful in the early stages of lessons!

Water Lillies, composed by Kevin Costley, is an easy elegant lyrical solo that will delight late beginners of all ages.

Cherry Blossoms, composed by Kevin Costley, is an ambient lyrical solo for late beginners. This piece serves as a great opportunity for students to work on shifting fifths in the left hand and melodic phrasing.

Autumn Song, composed by Rick Robertson, is an easy lyrical solo in five-finger position for beginners. This piece is part of the Spectrum songbook.

Under Lock & Key is an easy lyrical waltz for late beginners and early intermediates composed by Jennifer Eklund. This piece serves as a great introduction to various types of ending systems, lyrical phrasing, and pedal techniques.

Heart on Fire is an easy and rewarding pop-style tune by Sarah Reaser O’Brien for late beginners. It’s loaded with impressive-sounding eighth notes in simple patterns and is supported by sophisticated harmony. It also serves as a fun sight-reading exercise for intermediates!

In the Stillness, composed by Rick Robertson, is a lyrical, ambient solo that is easily learned and effective in performance for late beginning level students.

The Invisible Kingdom, composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas, is an easy elegant ambient solo for late beginners and up. This piece is part of the Fantasies & Fairy Tales Volume Two songbook.

Shall We Dance? is a serene lyrical waltz for late beginners by Jennifer Eklund. This piece offers students ample opportunity to work on interpretation, rubato, and lyrical artistry and is part of the Simple Serenity: Volume Two songbook.