Stacy Fahrion

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.

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.

Lullabies for Arachnophobes by Stacy Fahrion is a whimsically macabre collection written in homage of spindly spiders of all shapes and sizes. Rife with quirky rhythms, harmonies, and re-spindled versions of spidery classics, this collection will delight advanced players of all ages.

Once Upon a Whimsically Macabre Time is a collection of intermediate piano solos centered around a theme of macabre stories and characters. In this collection, Stacy Fahrion displays a penchant for minor keys and dance-like rhythms.

These Are Odd Times, by Stacy Fahrion, is a whimsically macabre collection of solos composed in odd meters. Rife with less common meters, shifting time signatures, and intricate contrapuntal textures, this collection provides a rewarding challenge for late-intermediate and advanced pianists.

Whimsy & Wonder features ten delightfully macabre solos for intermediates composed by Stacy Fahrion. These quirky, neoclassical twists on favorite nursery rhymes will delight pianists of all ages who are looking for unique performance pieces.

Tricks & Treats features eleven Halloween-themed showcase solos composed by Stacy Fahrion. Full of quirky harmonies, odd meters, and playful takes on folk melodies, these pieces will be a treat for intermediates of all ages at any time of the year!

A Mostly Minor Christmas, is a quirky late intermediate collection by Stacy Fahrion that contains some familiar carols arranged in unfamiliar ways, such as Deck the Halls, in 7/8, and Mambo All the Way, a minor-key mambo version of Jingle Bells. There are a couple of jazzy tunes with silly lyrics, including Gloomy Old St. Nick, and O Spider Tree. Finally, there are several soaring lyrical carols in mostly minor keys. The only piece in this collection that’s in a major key is a subtly reharmonized version of Silent Night.

Long-Legged Spinners is a whimsically macabre solo composed by Stacy Fahrion. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages and is part of the Lullabies for Arachnophobes songbook.

Once Upon a Time is a whimsically macabre solo composed by Stacy Fahrion that is part of the songbook of the same title. This eerie showcase piece is ideal for early intermediates and beyond.

Tarantella is a virtuosic, spellbinding piece for advanced pianists composed by Stacy Fahrion. The time signature is 6/8, although one of the recurring left hand patterns is in 7/8. In the recording, the piano is deliberately detuned, intensifying the dissonances of the double harmonic major scale by lowering the minor 2nd and minor 6th slightly, and raising the major 3rd and major 7th slightly. The percussion sounds are created by placing a tambourine on the bass strings of the piano. Detuning your piano and tossing a tambourine in it is entirely optional, although the composer encourages it.

The Exquisite Melancholy of Everything Left Unuttered is a delicate waltz in E minor composed by Stacy Fahrion. There is an optional cut notated in the score to accommodate students at a lower intermediate level.

Distant Bells is an elegant polyrhythmic etude for early intermediates composed by Stacy Fahrion. This piece serves as an excellent introduction to playing two against three between the hands.

Falling Slowly is a whimsically macabre lyrical solo composed by Stacy Fahrion. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages and is part of the These Are Odd Times songbook.

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.

Something Wicked This Way Strides is an exuberant, late intermediate solo that evokes the Roaring Twenties. Pianists will not only train their left hand to play typical stride leaps, they’ll also learn a few tricky bits of Chopin’s <em>Etude in A Minor, Op. 10, No. 2</em>, while they’re at it!

Sideways Blues is a strange blues by Stacy Fahrion based on an eight-note scale containing these notes: E-F-G-A#-B-C-C#-D-E. Since it’s based only on that scale, most of the chords are not typical blues chords, although it follows a typical 12-bar structure. Students have the option to repeat measures 13-24 and improvise with the right hand over the chords that are already there.

This piece starts out mostly normal, staying close to Stephen Foster’s piece, but then something goes awry and it ends up in the parallel minor. Music by Stacy Fahrion.

The Lovelorn Lobster is a song from 1897 with words by Joseph W. Herbert. Stacy Fahrion wrote her own original whimsically macabre music to the poignant lyrics about love between a lobster and a piscatorial maiden going terribly awry. A timeless, classic theme for Valentine’s Day, or any occasion!

Minor Blues for Two by Stacy Fahrion gives the first pianist an opportunity to improvise over a 12-bar blues progression. If played on a grand piano, the pianist can also mute strings inside the piano for an interesting change of tone color.

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

This is the first “Whimsically Macabre” composition Stacy Fahrion wrote, back in 2012. It begins with a quote from Chopin’s Winter Wind Etude, then segues into hints of a slightly menacing version of Do You Know the Muffin Man.

Just a little ditty by Stacy Fahrion about zombies shambling on Old MacDonald’s Farm. Ideal for early intermediates and beyond.

Boogie-Man Blues is a jazzy jaunt in A minor composed by Stacy Fahrion. This swinging showcase solo is ideal for intermediates.