Wellspring

All aboard the Orient Express! This collection of imaginative and elegant solos, composed by Barbara Becker, will take your early intermediate students on a sonic tour around the world!

Viva Mexico, composed by Barbara Becker, is a suite of showcase solos for early intermediates and up. These delightful pieces, full of character and lush harmonies will brighten your next recital or festival performance!

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.

This piece starts out mostly normal, staying close to Stephen Foster’s piece, but then something goes awry and it ends up in the parallel minor. Music by Stacy Fahrion.

Reassurance, composed by Rick Robertson, is an early intermediate level lyrical solo. It has a gentle sway in its rhythm, and a memorable melody. It could also be used as worship service music. It was inspired by the self-isolation and “social distancing” of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.

This ethereal piece by Stacy Fahrion quietly subverts the meaning of the famous poem by Lord Byron. Ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Valse Latina, composed by Jenny Walker, an energetic fast waltz for intermediates. This showcase solo will appeal to students of all ages!

Frenzy!, composed by Rick Robertson, is a fast & flashy late intermediate level toccata, with driving rhythms and quartal harmonies. It would make an exciting recital or festival selection.

Wind Whirls, composed by Rick Robertson, is an early intermediate level showcase solo. Its passages divided between the hands give it a showy effect, with some interesting harmonies.

Spanish Dance is a showcase solo for later beginners full of Spanish Flamenco flair. Music composed by Jennifer Eklund and part of the Spotlight Solos Volume 1 songbook.

Long-Legged Spinners is a whimsically macabre solo composed by Stacy Fahrion. This solo is ideal for intermediates of all ages and is part of the Lullabies for Arachnophobes songbook.

By the River, by Rick Robertson is an intermediate solo in a neo-Romantic lyrical style. Its gentle rocking in the left-hand accompaniment suggests the gentle flow of a river. It is very effective in performance, and makes an excellent repertoire choice for a developing pianist and could also be used as service music.

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.

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!

Zorro is a lively Spanish-style showcase solo composed by Sara Tomlinson. This early intermediate piece will make for an exciting solo at your next recital!

Mambo a la Mozart is a Latin-style remix of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 arranged as a solo for late intermediates by Jennifer Eklund.

Nocturne in G Minor, composed by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate-level lyrical solo. It serves well as an introduction to the Romantic period, especially the music of Chopin. There is even a short cadenza-type passage near the end.

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.