Kaleidoscope: Volume 3

New Beginnings is an upbeat and uplifting contemporary pop-style solo by Canadian composer Lisa Frederick. This selection will delight intermediates of all ages and makes a great recital or festival piece.

Pernicious Pumpkin is a whimsically macabre concoction of nursery rhymes by Stacy Fahrion. This eclectic, minor-key gem will be a hit with teens and intermediates of all ages.

Waiting is a haunting, contemporary style piano solo for late intermediate/early advanced students by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This is a beautifully expressive lyrical showcase piece for maturing students of all ages.

Clocks by Joanne Griffiths has a contemporary feel with echoes of Philip Glass. Control, balance and concentration will be needed to maintain the 2 against 3 cross rhythms. Ideal for intermediates of all ages!

Recuerdos de la Alhambra, originally written for classical guitar by Francisco Tárrega, arranged for piano by Debbie Center. This is a lovely Spanish-style showstopper for any occasion!

Bittersweet is a dramatic contemporary lyrical solo composed by Canadian composer Lisa Frederick. This minor-key showcase piece will delight late-intermediates of all ages!

Awkward Waltz is a tender, minor-key anthem for introverts composed by Stacy Fahrion. This contemplative gem will be a hit with teens and intermediates of all ages.

Wandering is a beautiful, intermediate lyrical solo by composer Lisa Shoemaker. Rubato style and an uplifting sound will make this a student favorite!

Jazz up your holiday season with this upbeat reimagined version of the Overture from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet. This showcase solo is ideal for late intermediates and arranged by Jennifer Eklund.

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

Seaside, composed by Rick Robertson, is a late intermediate contemporary lyrical solo. With its gentle syncopation, it suggests a modern barcarolle.

Circle of Friends, by Rick Robertson, is a two-volume collection containing a total of 24 character pieces for piano in each of the major and minor keys (minus enharmonic equivalents), in a manner similar to the Prelude sets by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and the like. The sequence as published is arranged in a rough order of difficulty, allowing for convenience in page turns here and there.

The title alludes as well to the familiar “Circle of Keys’. As for “friends”, each piece is dedicated to a close friend, colleague, or student. A few pieces in Volume One are at the early intermediate level, while Volume Two is solidly at the intermediate level with a steady trajectory of more demanding musical concepts.

A hair-raising, haunting tarantella by Stacy Fahrion with an abundance of crunchy minor 2nds and a slower, nostalgic middle section.

Nuit d’etoiles (Starry Night) by Rick Robertson is a late intermediate-level lyrical solo that will appeal to pianists of all ages, and is an excellent introduction to the Impressionist style. Includes glossary of French terms and music history lesson about the Impressionist era.

Canon in D arranged as a contemporary lyrical showcase solo for intermediates of all ages. Music arranged by Piano Pronto author Jennifer Eklund.

Portrait No.1, Definitive Road, is a solo composed in the harmonic and melodic tendencies of Thomas Newman. Students will enjoy exploring the mysterious yet emotional chord qualities of this piece, as well as the variations of the melodic theme. This mid-intermediate to advanced level solo by Travis Lohmann is perfect for recital programming, preludes, and more.

Wistful Waters is a late-intermediate to early-advanced piano work composed by Travis Lohmann. It merges together minimalistic styles as well as elements of French Impressionism, while still focusing on lyrical phrasing and robust melodies. It is a wonderful work with a shimmering beginning, a vigorously emotional middle, and a tempestuous ending. Students will absolutely be enraptured by the ending cadenza. Teachers will enjoy instructing students on various techniques such as: hand-crossing, polyrhythms, rhythmic evenness, and even tremolo!

Lyric Moments is a collection of thirteen lyrical pieces, composed by Rick Robertson, in different styles to give the performer experience in melodic shaping, tone color, and touch. Styles represented include Romantic lyricism, lush Impressionistic harmony, and even light jazz.