Spooktacular is an upbeat, minor-key jazz solo with teacher duet that incorporates finger snaps throughout. This piece is ideal for beginners of all ages and can be taught by note or rote.
Center Stage, composed by Heather Nanney, is a sassy minor-key solo for beginners with a swinging teacher duet part. This piece is part of the Center Stage Solos songbook.
Cosmic Conundrum, is an easy minor-key solo for beginners with a lush teacher duet included. This easy showcase is part of Roadtrip: Space Odyssey with music and lyrics composed by Jennifer Eklund & Kris Skaletski.
Lighten Up! is an easy minor-key solo for beginners that is part of Jennifer Eklund’s Pronto Pizazz Volume 2 collection. This short study which focuses on staccato and finger independence in both hands also includes an upbeat teacher accompaniment.
Chain Reaction is an easy pattern-based 12-bar blues solo in F minor for early intermediates. Music composed by Jennifer Eklund and part of the Spotlight Solos Plus songbook.
12th Street Rag, composed by Euday L. Bowman, an infectious little ear-worm, arranged as an evenly-leveled early intermediate duet, by Jennifer Eklund. Separated parts and a full stacked-score are both included.
Creepy Critter Dance, composed by Paul Sweet, is a cheeky, creepy showcase solo for early intermediates. Spooky harmonies and upbeat patterns make it a great selection for Halloween recitals or any time of the year!
Five-Speed! by Rick Robertson is an intermediate level showcase solo in a rhythmic contemporary style. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist.
Paper Airplane by Sara Tomlinson is an expressive and flowing piece at the late intermediate level. Students will find the chromatic scales and left-hand crossovers fun and impressive. Suitable for students for intermediates of all ages.
This wistfully whimsical piece by Stacy Fahrion expresses The Farmer in the Dell’s unrequited love for Adele. Ideal for intermediates of all ages.
Wayward Blackbird interweaves Chopin-esque basslines with familiar nursery rhymes This Old Man and Sing a Song of Sixpence in this whimsically macabre showcase solo by Stacy Fahrion.
Outburst! is an unpredictable, turbulent, fast and flashy advanced showcase piano solo by Canadian composer, Lisa Frederick. The twists and turns will have audiences on the edge of their seats!
A Gentle Strength (Cancer) is an elegant lyrical solo for intermediates composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This piece is part of the astrology-inspired songbook “Signs of the Time.”
In a Canoe, composed by Rick Robertson, is a lower-intermediate level lyrical solo. Its swaying rhythm suggests the rowing of the oarsman (or oarswoman).
Seaside, composed by Rick Robertson, is a late intermediate contemporary lyrical solo. With its gentle syncopation, it suggests a modern barcarolle.
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.”
Memento is a haunting lyrical piece in F minor ideal for early beginners. Memento includes a teacher accompaniment that can also be played by an intermediate level student. Music by Jennifer Eklund.
Please don’t have a cow when I tell you that “Have a Cow!”, the title, came last. First I wrote the lyrics, on a whim – just going with what the melody suggested. But then cows did appear – first in measure 9, and then literally in measure 31. Of course the title followed naturally, because, well, “cows must go ahead”!
Walnut Waltz is a whimsical jazz waltz for early intermediates composed by Ron Levy. Make sure to check out the teaching demo video included with this listing highlighting key performance elements. This piece is part of the Jazz Salad songbook.
Evening Elegy, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is a lyrical gem with a rhapsodic middle section and plenty of room for students to work on lyrical phrasing and rubato. This intermediate level solo is part of the Rhapsodies and Reveries Volume Two songbook.
Un Souvenir, composed by Rick Robertson, is a left-hand only intermediate solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. Besides the benefit as a “pupil saver” for pianists with right-hand injuries, it gives any performer the opportunity to work on balancing melody and accompaniment in the same hand, and use of pedal to tie the texture together. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist.
Bunessan, a traditional Gaelic melody, artfully arranged by Kevin Costley for intermediates of all ages. This piece is part of the Hymns of Joy sacred songbook.
Cookie Waltz has its origin in my very first composition, written while an undergraduate at Orange Coast College under the tutelage of Dr. Edith Smith. The original title, Mookwipp No. 1, seemed a bit strange in retrospect, so I transformed it thus: mook–> cook–>cookie…Cookie Waltz!
Simple Love Song, composed by Ron Levy, is an elegant solo that will delight intermediates of all ages.