I’ll try to remember to add to the list as the kids learn new pieces.

Solo Pieces - Added in order of complexity

“Fish at Play” by Jane Smisor Bastien

“Broken Record Boogie” by David Kraehenbuehl (added 5/14/13)

*from “Supplementary Solos” selected by Frances Clark & Louis Goss

“The Swan” by Catherine Rollin

“Dancing Daisy Fields” by John Mokrejs

“Black Cat Boogie” by Jane Bastien (added 11/8/13)

“Mystical Tarantella” by Robert D. Vandall (added 11/8/13)

“Goblins and Banshees” by Mary Elizabeth Clark

“The Three-Legged Witch!” by Dennis Alexander

“Black Cat’s Recital” by Martha Mier

“Indian Dance” by Carolyn Miller

“Haunted House” by Alfred Lesson Book Level 4

“Toccata in D Minor” by Sarah L. Dittenhaver

“Graveyard Tarantella” by Robert D. Vandall

“Cat and Mouse” by Carolyn Miller

“El Zapateado” by Dennis Alexander

“Mississippi River Rag” by Judy East Wells

“El Toro” by Mike Springer

“Spanish Tornado” by Walter & Carol Noona

“Devil’s Night Dance” by Catherine Rollin *from “Romantic Gems” book

“Castanets” by William Gillock

“Seafoam” by Helen Boykin (added 9/14/12)

“The Haunted Castle” - by Louise McAllister from the book Summy Piano Solo Package No. 401 (added 9/14/12)

“Creepy Cat” by Melody Bober (added 11/8/13)

“Tarantella” by Stephen Heller (added 11/8/13)

“The Storm” by Frederic Burgmuller (added 11/8/13)

“The Firefly” by Anton Bilotti (added 11/8/13)

“Presto Tarantella” by Michael Aaron (added 11/8/13)

“Dance of the Trolls” by Carol Klose (added 11/8/13)

“Spooks” by Maxwell Eckstein (added 11/8/13)

Solo Books - Beginning to Intermediate

Bastien Favorites - Level 1 - by Jane Smisor Bastien

Piano Recital Solos - Level 1 - by Jane Smisor Bastien

Indian Life by James Bastien

Boogie, Rock & Country - Level 1 - by James Bastien

Piano Solos - Book 2 - Hal Leonard Student Piano Library

Piano Solos - Book 3 - Hal Leonard Student Piano Library

John Thompson Modern Course for the Piano - The First Grade Book

John Thompson Modern Course for the Piano - The Second Grade Book

Patriotic Songs for the Piano by Jane Smisor Bastien

Duets

Duet Favorites - Level 1 - by Jane Smisor Bastien

“Balloon Pop Polka” by Ruth Ellinger (2 pianos, 8 hands)

Duets for Fun - Book 1 - by Jane Smisor Bastien

Terrific Tunes for Two - Book 2 - by Martha Mier

“Marche Militaire” (Military March) - by Franz Schubert from the book “Everybody’s Favorite Piano Duets”

“Hoedown” - by Myra Brooks Turner (added 11/8/13)

Religious

Primary Passages - Book 1 - by Vicky L Hammond and Judy N Dalby

Primary Passages - Book 2 - by Vicky L Hammond and Judy N Dalby

Hymns Made Easy by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

(You will notice that several are Halloween pieces. Every October, she has a Halloween recital where the kids dress up in their costumes and play at least one tarantella and another piece. It’s a real treat for everyone.)

Here are our girls playing “Balloon Pop Polka” with twins their age (2011). They needed more practices together (only had two due to distance), but it is still cute!

Beginning Books

John Thompson’s Easiest Piano Course Part One (White)

Michael Aaron Piano Course Lessons Primer (Red)

John W. Schaum Piano Course Pre A - The Green Book

Primer Level Piano Student by David Carr Glover & Louise Garrow (white & green)

Magic Keys Book One by Louise Curcio (Yellow)

Playing a large number of pieces on the same level using the same notes has helped my beginners feel confident and become proficient in their level, and has made it easier for them to progress (rather than moving too quickly and adding too many notes too soon). We used all of these books to give the kids a breadth of experience in a beginning level.

Intermediate Solos

“Eye of the Storm” by Robert D. Vandall

“Fountain in the Rain” by William L. Gillock

“Le Petit Noir” by Claude Debussy *from “Keith Snell Piano Repertoire”

“Cavalry Gallop” by Dmitri Kabelevsky *from “Keith Snell Piano Repertoire”