This original piano solo cleverly combines a simple staccato walking bass line with a running melody to set the tone for a spooky Halloween encounter. The melody is filled with turns and scale passages offset by simple harmonies and chords. Easy octave changes make it accessible for elementary level pianists, and scale passages worked into the melody teach harmonic minor (while sneaking technique into repertoire!). The finale with a glissando down the keys is always a hit. This is a great piano solo for late elementary to early intermediate students any time of year, and especially during Halloween.
When a giant passes by, the ground shakes, the earth quakes, and we all lose our footing! This original piano piece in A minor mimics the thunderous stomping of a giant’s feet with heavy bass tones offset by high treble tones. Between the Fee, Fi, Fo, Fums, the step-based melody uses soft staccato scales and smooth slurred turns to represent the feeling of trying to run away while slipping and falling. Tons of fun for elementary pianists!
This ghostly waltz calls forth an otherworldly chill from your piano keys. Mysterious and slightly sad, this waltz in A minor makes a fine Halloween piece but can easily be enjoyed any time of year. LH melody with RH pulses on beats 2 and 3 of each measure create a beautiful contemporary 2-hand waltz in classical style, supported by expressive dynamics and strategic pedal. Perfect for late beginner to early intermediate level.
“Hooting Owl” is a quick and mysterious beginner piece with lyrics about a lone owl that continues to hoot, call, and screech at you all night. Due to its minor key and frequent use of D sharps (double harmonic minor), it has a Halloweeny vibe that kids will love!
“Hooting Owl” teaches lifts (slur-staccatos) and minimal LH movement across a short range of keys (RH remains in familiar 5-finger C position so that beginners need only concentrate on moving one hand). Some finger numbers are included to assist with LH movement. RH and LH take turns with the melody so that both develop a balanced sense of musicality. Contains no eighth notes.
It was a dark and stormy night — lightning flashes, thunder crashes, pouring rain, pounding hail. Late elementary to early intermediate pianists will love how Stormy Night captures this moody, dark scene, perfect for Halloween music. In this original composition, RH takes on the role of the rain and hail while LH controls the thundering melody. Octave changes and harmonic intervals help with keyboard awareness and reading skills, while the quick tempo and dynamics develop musical expression.
