Indian Summer

October is an intermediate new age piece by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM. The constantly moving triplet figures in both hands are meant to evoke the swirling motion of colorful autumn leaves blowing about in the breeze. Rather than centering on a traditional melodic line, October allows students to create a mood or effect by experimenting with dynamic inflection and rubato to vary each performance. Dynamic indications in the score are merely suggestions – performers are meant to make this free-flowing piece their own.

Misty Morning is a Satie-esque, reflective solo composed by Jennifer Eklund. Ideal for early intermediates of all ages, this piece offers a great opportunity to introduce students to the concept of rubato. This piece is part of the Shades of You songbook.

Summer Sunset, composed by Sara Tomlinson, reflects an ending of something beautiful. The melody swirls throughout the piece as rich layers are added through arpeggios in the left hand. This lyrical solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Falling Leaves is an intermediate level lyrical contemporary solo that is part of the Shades of You and Impressions songbooks. Music by Jennifer Eklund.

Dark Waters, composed by Jennifer Eklund, is a haunting lyrical waltz for early intermediates and up.

Summer Evening, composed by Rick Robertson, is an early intermediate level solo in a light-jazz lyrical style. It is highly patterned, easily learned, and makes an excellent performance choice.

Sky, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is an elegant lyrical solo for intermediates. This piece is part of the “Three Sketches in Blue” suite that is included in the Rhapsodies and Reveries Volume Two songbook.

This is a lyrical piano ballad in waltz time for intermediate pianists by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM. The melody is made almost entirely of ascending and descending pentascales (5-note scales) on white keys. The accompaniment for left hand requires a hand span primarily of melodic octaves with an occasional melodic tenth. The ternary form features a middle section with surprising harmonies and a deceptive cadence. Middle and high school students will find this piece both accessible and rewarding.

Autumn Lament, composed by Jennifer Eklund, is an easy lyrical solo for late beginners. This piece offers a great opportunity to work on broken sixths, pedaling, and lyrical phrasing.

Waiting Is…, composed by Ron Levy, is an elegant lyrical solo for intermediate and beyond. This peaceful solo serves as a great exercise for players to explore rubato and lyrical phrasing.

August is a new age piano solo, composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien NCTM, for intermediate and late intermediate pianists. The pedagogical focus of this selection is small hand accessibility. The waltz-time setting and straight eighths are ideal for helping players achieve a fluid technique and a sense of forward motion. The melodic content is “hidden” within the right hand eighths and gives ample opportunity for developing sophisticated voicing.

For many people, November is a month for giving thanks. This intermediate piece by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM, is a contemporary rendering of a hymn-like melody. November symbolizes a musical token of gratitude for family and friends who have been with us through good times and bad and with whom we love to spend our time. The ternary form offers an uplifting first section followed by a middle theme of more serious and reflective implication. The middle theme modulates into a return of the first in a new key, representing a triumphant overcoming of life’s struggles with the help of those we hold dear.

Monday’s Child is a suite of seven character pieces, composed by Joanne Griffiths, based on the children’s traditional British fortune-telling poem “Monday’s Child.” It is contemporary in style, particularly influenced by Ludovico Einaudi and Arvo Part. The pieces are mainly light and gentle in mood with meditative patterns, sequences, imitation and repetition at the core and topped with lyrical melodies, portraying the character of each child for that day.

Dance of the Loons, by Debbie Center, was inspired by the wail and tremolo calls of the loons on her northern Minnesota lake. The piano mimics the calls of the loons in this hauntingly beautiful tribute to Minnesota’s state bird. This piece is on Debbie’s CD entitled “In Harmony All Ways.”

Sailboats in the Bay is a restful lyrical solo composed by Rick Robertson that is ideal for early intermediates. This piece is part of the Kaleidoscope Volume 1 songbook.

Changing Tides, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is an introspective lyrical solo for intermediates. This piece is part of the Rhapsodies and Reveries Volume Two songbook.

Sun Suite, by Canadian composer Lisa Frederick, is a set of three contemporary lyrical solos celebrating the beauty of the sun at different points of the day. This set is ideal for intermediates of all ages and will function well as a set or as separate showcase solos.

Faith, composed by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate reflective lyrical solo. Its melody and mood make it equally suitable for recital or service use.