Backward Glances

Reach for the Stars is a collection of elegant and evocative showcase solos for early intermediates composed by Rick Robertson. These pieces make for excellent recital or festival selections.

Celestial Cloud, by Rick Robertson, is and ambient, new age style space piece that has lots of potential as a pupil saver. Highly pattern-based in natured this piece will bring guaranteed success to early intermediates of all ages.

Cosmic Mystery, composed by Rick Robertson, is an ambient solo that can also be performed effectively on an electronic keyboard.

Morning Stretch is a lyrical contemporary arrangement of Grieg’s Morning Theme and is part of the Dog Days songbook. Music by Jennifer Eklund.

The Butterfly is an introspective, lyrical solo for early intermediates of all ages by Jennifer Eklund. With its delicate harmonies, this piece offers the opportunity for budding musicians to work on expressive playing and dynamic nuances.

Castle in the Clouds is an elegant solo for advancing early intermediates of all ages composed by Jennifer Eklund. This showcase solo is a great way to introduce syncopation and an advanced key signature since the piece requires very few shifts in hand position.

The Magical Garden, composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, is a flashy lyrical solo for early intermediates and beyond. This piece is part of the Star City Solos songbook.

Cloudy Day, composed by Rick Robertson is a wistful, elegant solo ideal for late-elementary through early intermediate pianists of all ages.

Contentment, composed by Rick Robertson, is a lyrical solo for early intermediates with a mature sound. Long pedal effects add to the atmosphere.

Musical Mosaics is a collection of ten showcase solos for early intermediates composed by Lisa Shoemaker. Covering a wide variety of genres and styles, these make for lovely selections for a recital or festival.

Sailor’s Tale, composed by Rick Robertson is an early intermediate level solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. A simply-harmonized opening theme is contrasted with a more tumultuous middle section featuring broken chords divided between the hands. This will make an excellent recital selection and is part of the Reach for the Stars songbook.

In the Groove is a fun-filled collection of thirteen showcase solos composed by Lisa Frederick. Ideally suited for early intermediates and beyond, these engaging pieces cover a wide variety of genres including jazz, blues, lyrical, boogie-woogie, and more!

Shattered, composed by Jennifer Eklund, is an easy minor-key lament for early intermediates. This pieces provides ample opportunity to work on lyrical phrasing and rubato.

Dreamer’s Nightfall, composed by Rick Robertson, is an early intermediate reflective solo that has much potential as recital or service music. This piece is part of the Kaleidoscope Volume 2 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.

Winter Dreams, composed by Rick Robertson is an early intermediate level solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist, regardless of the season.

Dream Clouds by Rick Robertson is an early intermediate solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. It is very effective in performance, and its passagework lies easily under the hands, making it sound more difficult than it is.

The Secret is a mysterious, minor-key lyrical solo for early intermediates of all ages by Jennifer Eklund. This elegant piece offers the opportunity for budding musicians to explore nuanced harmonies and work on expressive playing and use of rubato. This piece is part of the Shades of You songbook.