Theory Time® Reproducible Series: High School 5B

Autrefois (In Olden Days), composed by Rick Robertson, is a late intermediate lyrical solo that is an appropriate repertoire piece for recitals, contests, and festivals. It recalls the Paris of the late nineteenth century, with its evocation of early Impressionism. This piece is part of the Kaleidoscope Volume 3 songbook. This piece has been selected for the NFMC Festivals Bulletin, 2020-2024.

Inspired by the rowdiness and excitement of a big Texas get-together, Up On the Housetop is as much fun to play as it is to hear! This new duet by Paul Sweet is great for late-intermediates and up.

Lyric for Piano is an MTAC Composers Today award winning composition by Lisa Donovan Lukas. This lyrical, contemporary showcase solo, is an ideal performance piece for the advanced student of any age!

Powerful, is an advanced original composition by Christina Mathis, featuring plenty of full chords, octaves, and arpeggios. This exciting piece is sure to be a favorite of your teen students!

Jam out to this pulsing, pop-inspired arrangement of O Come, All Ye Faithful by Paul Sweet. Driving rhythms, wild syncopations, and showy passagework will make this a perennial favorite!

O Come, O Come Emmanuel arranged as a flashy showcase solo for intermediates. Music arranged by Jennifer Eklund

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!

This book presents strategies for learning to play polyrhythms, from the most common ones, such as two against three, up through four against five. It contains rhythm exercises, improvisation suggestions, and thirteen pieces based on polyrhythms. Once you’ve worked with the book, you might develop intense cravings for more polyrhythms, and may even be inspired to compose polyrhythmic pieces of your own.

This is an original work by Jenny, depicting the journey made by a Troika, a Russian vehicle drawn by three horses over a snow-clad landscape. The dotted rhythm of right-hand notes gives a ragtime-like feel to the piece. The mood is cheeky and jovial, an intermediate-level thrill ride.

Be Thou My Vision in a soothing and restful arrangement by Lisa Shoemaker. This reimagined setting of the traditional Irish melody is suitable for students, church performers, and music-lovers alike!

Tarantella is a virtuosic, spellbinding piece for advanced pianists composed by Stacy Fahrion. The time signature is 6/8, although one of the recurring left hand patterns is in 7/8. In the recording, the piano is deliberately detuned, intensifying the dissonances of the double harmonic major scale by lowering the minor 2nd and minor 6th slightly, and raising the major 3rd and major 7th slightly. The percussion sounds are created by placing a tambourine on the bass strings of the piano. Detuning your piano and tossing a tambourine in it is entirely optional, although the composer encourages it.

Angels We Have Heard on High arranged as a showcase holiday solo for late intermediate pianists. This piece is part of the Christmas Classics Volume 2 songbook by Jennifer Eklund.

Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean, arranged in a contemporary lyrical style for late intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet, arranged for late intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

This showcase-style arrangement by Paul Sweet is sure to be a hit at your next holiday recital. Jaunty rhythms and a Celtic flavor make this a thrilling dance for the fingers!

An elegant piano solo interpretation of the first movement of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor (RV. 356). This full-length arrangement by Jennifer Eklund will allow late intermediates and up to work on lyrical phrasing, dynamics, and rubato. The approximate run time of this solo is 4:00.

The Madison Suite, composed by Barbara Becker, is a three-movement set of character pieces for late intermediate pianists that spans a variety of genres and will showcase the artistic skills of developing artists.

Open My Eyes, That I May See by Rick Robertson is an early-advanced level arrangement of the beloved American hymn tune by Clara Harriett Scott. It is useful for recital or worship use.