Pedalling

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.

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.

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.

Glass Houses by Amanda W. Smith is a mysterious sounding, video-game style duet for two beginners in the key of C minor.

Agent 001 is a spy-themed one-handed showcase solo by Chrissy Ricker ideal for late beginners of all ages. This piece can be played with either the right or left hand. This piece has been selected for the NFMC Festivals Bulletin, 2020-2024.

Goblin Dance is a spooky minor-key one-handed solo by Chrissy Ricker ideal for late beginners of all ages. This piece can be played with either the right or left hand.

Eerie Evening is a late beginning level solo that explores the haunting sounds of harmonic overtones throughout the piano. Cleverly written, students will be amazed at the new sounds their acoustic piano can make! This piece might even inspire some new “ghost” compositions!

A haunting melody and quirky harmonic scheme make this Halloween-flavored solo by Paul Sweet is perfect for your next recital. It’s full of teaching moments, too: pedal technique, phrasing, accidentals, and more!

Once Upon a Time is a whimsically macabre solo composed by Stacy Fahrion that is part of the songbook of the same title. This eerie showcase piece is ideal for early intermediates and beyond.

A Wise Old Owl is inspired by a nursery rhyme of the same title and set here as a whimsically macabre solo for intermediates by Stacy Fahrion. If you’re playing on a grand piano, before beginning the piece you can silently depress the low F octave and sustain it throughout with the sostenuto pedal for an added mysterious effect. This is an optional effect, and the piece still works well without it. The damper pedal is often left down for extended periods of time as well for a swirling effect.

Clair de lune arranged for late beginning level and early intermediate pianists of all ages and stays true to the harmonies used in the original work by Debussy. Arranged by Jennifer Eklund.

Moonlight Sonata arranged thoughtfully for late-beginning level students of all ages. This shortened version of Beethoven’s iconic melody, arranged by Jennifer Eklund, includes music history pages and the easy piano solo version in E minor.

Pomp & Circumstance, a perennial graduation favorite, arranged for easy piano by Jennifer Eklund.

Fur Elise original key, simplified, shortened version, is ideal for early intermediates and arranged by Jennifer Eklund.

Moonlight Sonata arranged thoughtfully for intermediate level students of all ages. This version of Beethoven’s iconic melody, transposed to the key of E minor, is arranged by Jennifer Eklund and also includes music history pages.

To a Wild Rose, from Edward MacDowell’s Woodland Sketches, arranged for early intermediates by Jennifer Eklund. This piece of part of the Piano Pronto Movement 4 method book.

Chopin’s iconic Fantaisie Impromptu, arranged in a contemporary lyrical style by Jennifer Eklund. This solo, for early intermediates and up, provides ample opportunity to work on interpretation, rubato, and lyrical artistry.

Johann Pachelbel’s iconic Canon in D arranged as an intermediate piano solo by Jennifer Eklund. Part of the Piano Pronto: Finale method book.

J.S. Bach’s iconic Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, from Cantata No. 147, arranged in a contemporary lyrical style for intermediates by Jennifer Eklund. This solo provides ample opportunity to work on interpretation, rubato, and lyrical artistry.

Schumann’s Traumerei arranged for intermediates by Jennifer Eklund. This arrangement stays true to the original, but modifies the large stretches. Part of the Piano Pronto: Finale method book.

Ave Maria arranged for intermediates by Jennifer Eklund. This piece is part of the Piano Pronto: Finale method book.

Faure’s iconic melody Sicilienne arranged for intermediate level pianists by Jennifer Eklund. Part of the Piano Pronto: Finale method book.

Chopin’s Prelude in C Minor in a simplified version arranged by Jennifer Eklund that is ideal for pianists with smaller hands not yet ready to play the original. Part of the Piano Pronto: Movement 5 method book.

The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens is presented here in an early intermediate arrangement by Rick Robertson. This favorite will appeal to pianists of all ages.