Tricks & Treats

Tarantellas are always a student favorite, and this spritely one, composed by Lisa Shoemaker, is sure to make your intermediate students shine! This is a great piece to work on quick transitions between open and closed hand positions.

Oh Snap! is a fun, jazz piano solo for early intermediates that incorporates finger snaps throughout. Music written by Jennifer Eklund and part of the Dog Days songbook.

Prelude in E Minor, composed by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate level showcase solo in a neo-Baroque style. It is written in the style of Bach’s organ works as transcribed for piano by Ferruccio Busoni, and would make a good program opener for a developing pianist. Its minor key and somber sound also makes it suitable as a Halloween selection.

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.

The Chase is a fast and flashy showcase piano solo that is part of the Dog Days songbook. Music by Jennifer Eklund.

Toccata Lyrica, composed by Rick Robertson is an intermediate level showcase solo in a flashy, but lyrical style. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent recital or festival choice for a developing pianist.

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.

Hungry for a fast & flashy showcase solo? Stataco Tostada is a cheeky ode to the common mispronunciations we’ve all heard a million times. This early intermediate showcase solo, arranged by Jennifer Eklund, is loosely based on traditional Mexican folk melodies and provides a great opportunity for students to work on articulations and chord inversions.

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!

Midnight on the Bayou is a bluesy minor-key solo composed by Chrissy Ricker. This showcase piece, part of the Perfect Patterns PLUS songbook, is suitable for intermediates of all ages and a great exercise in left-hand leaps.

To feed students’ cravings for playing in minor keys, Minor Marvels features twelve showcase-style piano solos, four solos with optional teacher duet parts, and two duets. These selections are ideal for late beginners through early intermediates and will gloomily gleam at a Halloween recital or whenever a minor mood strikes!

Black Cat Boogie, composed by Rick Robertson, is an early-intermediate jazzy showcase solo in a Boogie-Woogie style. It is very effective in performance, and should be a hit on any recital program. It is purposefully written in G-flat major, and uses black-key pentatonic melodies.

Minuet in Gee! is a light-hearted ragtime spin on Beethoven’s classic Minuet in G. This solo, composed by Ron Levy, is ideal for intermediates of all ages. Cover photo is an original painting entitled “Dancers” by Carol Julien.

Tritone Tarantella is a flashy and dissonant pattern-based tarantella composed by Stacy Fahrion. Ideal for intermediates during Halloween-season or whenever the mood strikes!

Nice Little Monster is a bluesy piece by Stacy Fahrion about a creature that is tired of being called a little monster. Ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Too Much Sugar Blues is a lethargic jazzy tune about eating too much candy composed by Stacy Fahrion. This blues showcase solo is ideal for intermediates.

Who doesn’t love a good tarantella? Your early intermediate students will go crazy for this fun and energetic performance piece by composer Lisa Shoemaker. It’s also a great review of chromatic scales!

Songs I Love to Play Volume 2 features fun and motivating solos for early intermediates of all ages. Recital ready arrangements of popular themes and original compositions by Piano Pronto author Jennifer Eklund. This book contains selections for the NFMC Festivals Bulletin, 2020-2024.