Intermediate

Tweedledum & Tweedledee, composed by Stacy Fahrion, is a whimsically macabre bluesy solo for intermediates. This piece is part of the Once Upon a Time songbook.

Broken-Hearted You is an upbeat country-style solo composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien. This light-hearted swinging solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages!

Trillium is a graceful lyrical solo composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien. This elegant waltz is ideal for intermediates.

City Jazz Club, a selection from Sarah Reaser O’Brien’s Star City Solos songbook, is an upbeat jazzy solo ideal for intermediates of all ages.

March is a gentle lullaby for intermediate pianists by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM. The melodic line is brought to life by a hauntingly complex, yet very accessible, harmonic accompaniment which never requires stretching more than an octave.

May is a late intermediate pop-style solo with a broken chord accompaniment and singing contemporary melodic line. This is one of a set of 12 month-titled pieces by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM.

June is a dramatic solo for later intermediate pianists. The mysterious setting evokes the mood of a summer storm with tumultuous wind. Crashing pops of lightning punctuate the primary theme while arpeggiated flourishes mimic the downpour of sudden rain. This is one of a set of 12 month-titled pieces by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, NCTM.

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.

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.

Open Spaces, composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien, is a part of a series of pieces focused on contemporary idioms. This piece serves to introduce students to playing in a free meter with the absence of barlines and is suitable as a contemporary festival selection.

12-Toed Foe is a twelve-tone solo over a blues progression composed by Sarah Reaser O’Brien. This pieces serves as a great introduction to contemporary idioms and includes a glossary of terms and the twelve-tone matrix used in the piece.

The Lily of the Valley, in a peaceful setting for intermediates, arranged by Kevin Costley. This piece is part of the Hymns of Hope songbook.

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.

Amazing Grace, in a poignant setting, arranged by Kevin Costley. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Trust and Obey, in an elegant setting, arranged by Kevin Costley. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages.

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!

Space Waltz, composed by Ron Levy, is a delightful showcase solo for intermediates. This cinematic-style solo will serve as a great performance piece for recitals.

Horsin’ Around, composed by Ron Levy, is a Western-themed showcase for intermediates. This solo offers a great opportunity to work on articulations and to dynamically highlight the subtle rhythmic variations of the main theme.

Simple Love Song, composed by Ron Levy, is an elegant solo that will delight intermediates of all ages.

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.

Summer Skies, composed by Ron Levy, is a lyrical pop ballad for intermediates. Its beautiful melody with flowing accompaniment will please performers and listeners alike.

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.

Come Away, composed by Ron Levy, is a Renaissance-style solo for intermediates, inspired by 16th-century lute music. This is a piano solo adaptation from incidental music he composed for a theatrical production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

Long Goodbye is a sentimental contemporary piano solo by Lisa Frederick. Ideal for intermediates and maturing players of all ages, this heartfelt piece full of longing will serve as a great introduction to rubato and expressive playing.