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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Waltz of the Daffodils, composed by Kevin Costley, is an elegant waltz for late beginners. This pattern-based piece would be an ideal recital or festival selection.

Angel Crossing, composed by Kevin Costley, is an easy pattern-based lyrical solo for late beginners that provides a great opportunity to work on legato and rubato.

Petite Ballerina is an expressive lyrical piano solo in F major by Lisa Frederick that is ideal for late beginners of all ages. A perfect introduction to legato phrasing and maintaining a delicate left-hand accompaniment pattern.

Bass Clef Spaces Song is an engaging easy solo to help students strengthen their bass-clef reading skills. Music & lyrics by Sarah Reaser O’Brien.

Opening Day, composed by Ron Levy, is an uplifting easy showcase solo ideal for late beginners and early intermediates of all ages!