Category: Easy Piano Solos And Duets

Easy Pop Christmas Piano Duets

11/26/2024

Young piano students with a couple of years of experience will love these easy piano duets to play with their teacher or an older student. Family gatherings, parties, Christmas programs, school talent shows, recitals, and other activities are perfect opportunities to perform these fun songs. A more advanced student may have fun playing the primo part in octaves to jazz up a performance.

Ding Dong Merrily on High a Traditional French Carol

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin

Let It Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn

Parade of the Wooden Soldiers by Leon Jessel

Santa Claus is Coming to Town made popular by Frank Sinatra

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year made popular by Andy Williams

We Need a Little Christmas from "Mame" by Jerry Herman

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Simplifications

9/5/2021

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So, I was playing through a "simplified" version of an old song the other day. (At least I thought it was an old song.) I had no previous acquaintance with this song. I was just reading the sheet music. The first line was indeed pretty simple. The melody was played in the right hand and the left hand harmony was played mostly in block chords of sometimes three notes, sometimes just two. There was no attempt at any rhythmic accompanimental patterns to help me place the style period either. By the time I was playing the second line, I concluded that this little song was a type of ballad done in an older style probably from the late 1800's.

But then suddenly out of nowhere, a jazz chord with four notes erupted jarringly from the fabric of the piece. C7#5 is not your usual harmonic choice for a simplified version of any song let alone one from the late 1800's.

Now I really had a problem deciding how to play this song. Clearly it did not fit in the late 1800's. Sure, the "simplified" nature of the song made it seem like it came from an earlier era, but the composer (or arranger) must have lived in a later time period when jazz chords were becoming more common and acceptable.

Whoever made this "simplified" arrangement did that song no favors.

Making a simplified version of a song can be very tricky. You have to analyze the original material and take away a lot of characteristic elements in order to make it easier to play or sing. Unfortunately, many arrangers who make simplified versions remove too much, or take away the wrong ingredients. This poor song was left with an identity crisis. It didn't have enough elements left to give it any personality whatsoever, except for that one jarring C7#5 chord. Because it was so singular, it just didn't belong!

I really appreciate inspired arrangers who can keep the essential elements of a song while making it easier to play or sing, especially for beginning students. I remember accompanying a Junior High School Chorus once when they sang a simplified version of "Dies Irae" from the Mozart Requiem. I had sung the "Requiem" with full orchestra and choir before and knew first hand its intricacies The simplified version that the Jr. High chorus did was truly remarkable. The right elements were kept and all seemed perfectly suited to young voices with just a piano for accompaniment.

During the year and a half of COVID isolation, I wrote a lot of simplified arrangements of Hymns, Christmas pop songs, Disney songs by Alan Menken, and even Beatles tunes. I sure hope I left the songs with their personalities intact. I played some of the songs for my oldest son and he gave me the perfect compliment. He said, "Mom, I don't hear anything missing."

Enjoy playing these simplified solo and duet arrangements!
Easy Piano Hymn Duets
Easy Piano Christmas Pop Duets
Easy Disney Piano Solos
Easy Beatles Piano Solos

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Praise to the Man

6/24/2021

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In honor of the Prophet Joseph Smith on the date of his martyrdom, I offer this Easy Piano Duet "Praise to the Man."

There is nothing quite like standing in the upper room of the Carthage jail hearing the docent tell about what happened there on June 27, 1944. I have been moved to tears hearing about how the mob came and stole the lives of those two great men Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

The text was written as a tribute by William W. Phelps to the prophet and printed and distributed at Joseph's funeral. It has become a stirring hymn sung in congregations all over the world.

The words were matched to a popular tune of the time period. The tune is better known as "Scotland, the Brave" and is played by every bagpipe band. This piano duet allows the stirring martial nature of the bagpipe tune to shine through while still staying true to the power of the hymn text. Enjoy!

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Special Musical Numbers

5/20/2021

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Many Ward meetings are now opening up to congregational singing and even musical numbers. No larger ensembles or choirs yet, but perhaps they will be coming soon. I have heard that the Primaries in some Wards have been given the go ahead to plan a Sacrament Meeting program with singing for the Fall. Now that is showing confidence in our future!

Mostly, the musical numbers in our Ward have not been sung. They have been organ, piano or instrumental solos or duets. Just having extra music to me is lovely. A couple of weeks ago, a man was actually allowed to sing for the special musical number. What a treat! Because of traffic on my website, I suspect that many Wards are now allowing vocal solos. Hopefully the singers who have downloaded some of my solos and duets are happily singing them in their meetings.

The most popular titles for vocalists this spring have been Duets: "Lead Kindly Light," "I Know that My Redeemer Lives," and "Come Sing to the Lord," "Did You Think to Pray," and "O, That I Were and Angel."

My pandemic project has been to create Easy Piano Duets of Hymns. The Primo part is easy enough for a beginner piano student and the Secondo part is for the teacher or a more advanced player. They are flexible enough that the melody parts in the Primo part could be played in octaves by a more advanced student.

The most popular Piano Hymn Duets this spring have been "Come Follow Me," "Hope of Israel," and "Did You Think to Pray."

Four new Piano Hymn Duets are coming soon.

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Our Story as Told by a 5-Year-Old

3/18/2020

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Angel Moroni statue lost trumpet in earthquake.

"And then we had to stay home from school because of this thing called a Corona virus....and we didn't get to go on vacation or go over to a friend's house or anything! The store shelves were empty....and then there was this EARTHQUAKE.....and lots of rain and even SNOW --- and so, Teacher, that's why I couldn't turn in my homework!"

If I had heard what we have been going through for the past few weeks, I would have thought it was some fantastic story told by one of my grandchildren. But, no! It's absolutely true --- even the part about not being able to turn in homework. School has been sort of cancelled and now the kids will start doing school work at home curtesy of the Internet.

Couldn't help think about those passages in Isaiah 24 though, that talk about the "lean-ness" and "the earth reeling to and fro." That's exactly what we are going through right now. The Last Days certainly seem upon us. We just don't know how long this season is going to last.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake did shake us in northern Utah just after 7:00 am, today, Wednesday March 18th. We as a family were in some pretty powerful earthquakes in California, but I personally have never felt one this strong in Utah before. I was sitting at the piano working on composing a new piano duet. Suddenly the room felt like a very strange strong wind was beating against the walls. Then the floor started rolling and pitching. I stopped playing, grabbed hold of the piano bench and literally rode out the earthquake. Fortunately, everybody in the family seems to be all right.

I will probably always remember writing this new arrangement of "Hope of Israel" because of the earthquake. I was already doing my "Social Distancing" from people and staying mostly at home, and had decided to write some new music. I woke up Sunday with "Come Follow Me" in my mind. Finished that one up on Monday. Tuesday, I had "Hope of Israel" on the brain. That's the arrangement I was finishing up this morning when the earthquake shook things up.

My plan is to create a set of four to five EASY Piano Duets of Hymns for Student and Teacher. (Easy is a relative term. The Primo part is fairly easy although I refuse to keep to one of the standard hand positions! ) You might say, I plan on SHAKING THINGS UP, too! So get ready to play in some unusual keys for beginners. Nothing to get scared of....just a new hand and finger position. It'll be fun!

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We Need a Little Christmas

10/14/2016

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I am pleased to announce four new EASY PIANO 4 HANDS arrangements of Pop Christmas songs. Everybody loves playing Christmas music, especially the ones that have become perennial favorites. The Arrange Me program at SMP Press has made royalty agreements with the holders of a number of Popular Christmas Songs so that some of us composers may try our hands at arranging them. This go around, the rules have been that a composer could only do Easy Piano solos or duets, or arrangements for small instrumental ensembles or a soloists.

The songs I have chosen are:

We Need a Little Christmas from "Mame" by Jerry Herman
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year made popular by Andy Williams
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town made popular by Frank Sinatra
Somewhere In My Memory from "Home Alone" by John Williams

These pieces are geared to the abilities of the Level 2+ Beginning Piano Student playing the Primo part and the Teacher or more advanced student playing the Secondo. A couple of the pieces stick to a set Hand Position, and the others stray briefly out of the set hand positions or change between Major 5-finger positions. The rhythms are well within the skill set of the Early Beginner, and besides, most students are already are well acquainted with the songs.

Though these pieces are geared to Beginning Piano Students, they are joyous and fun to play for any level of ability. They would be great for Holiday Gatherings as featured pieces or mood music. There is nothing quite like the joy of Christmas Music!

So grab a partner and have fun at the Piano!

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"Arrange Me" Titles of Popular Songs

8/23/2016

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I am so excited to announce a new opportunity - arranging some of my personal favorite popular songs for Easy Piano.

A new program has just been announced through Sheet Music Plus Press (SMP Press) where they have contracted with copyright holders of famous popular songs to allow independent composers to create their own arrangements. Royalties are shared with the copyright holders, SMP Press, and the independent composers. Certain restrictions are in place. For now, songs on the "Arrange Me" are only allowed to be arranged and released in particular ways. Right now, the current "contest" is for Easy Piano Music.

My choice has been to create arrangements of Easy Piano Solos for piano students with Grade 3+ skills. Younger students will appreciate the Disney songs, no doubt. The Older Beginning Piano Student may remember the Beatles tunes with particular interest. But all of this first series should be fun offerings to play.

One of my favorite composers for Musical Theater songs is Alan Menken. His body of work is astounding, from "The Little Mermaid" to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to "Pocohantas" to "Newsies," to "Enchanted" and many others. The diversity of styles and memorable melodies command respect and admiration. At first I wondered if I dared to simplify any of these great songs. Taking anything away from a masterpiece seemed sacrilegious to me. But, I pushed on sincerely wanting to create Easy Piano Solos with integrity to the original source, but holding to the needs of the early piano student. The first four pieces I tried my hand at are "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid," "God Help the Outcasts" from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Arabian Nights" from "Aladdin," and "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast."

Other favorites from the Arrange Me List are songs by the Beatles. I admire the Beatles for the great range of topics, styles and emotions represented in their songs. I remember my father telling me that he enjoyed the Beatles music best when performed by other artists. Well, he was from a different generation, but even he acknowledged that the music had cross-over appeal. The first four Beatles tunes I made arrangements for Easy Piano Solos are "All You Need Is Love," "Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da."

Check them out!

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Easy Pop Christmas Piano Duets

Simplifications

Praise to the Man

Special Musical Numbers

Our Story as Told by a 5-Year-Old

We Need a Little Christmas

"Arrange Me" Titles of Popular Songs

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