Audience Pleasers, Book 2: A Special Collection of 11 Favorite Solos for Piano Students at the Late Elementary to Early Intermediate Levels: Piano

This collection pulls from Olson's catalog at exactly the right level for the stretch that happens in late elementary piano study. The 11 solos balance familiar musical language with genuine compositional craft, so students experience what good writing sounds like—not simplified classical, but music composed specifically for them. Programming these pieces builds repertoire that translates directly to festival success and genuine recital moments.

These solos breathe with melodic warmth and harmonic color that feels sophisticated without pretension. You'll encounter moments of quiet reflection, sprightly humor, and genuine lyricism—the kind of music that reminds students why they wanted to play piano in the first place.

Late elementary and early intermediate piano students who have moved beyond primer-level repertoire but aren't yet ready for fully Romantic-era material. Students preparing for festival competitions, recitals, or studio milestones will find polished, memorable pieces that earn genuine applause.

• Attend carefully to articulation markings; Olson's staccatos and legato directions shape the melodic character and prevent pieces from sounding one-dimensional.
• Work with a metronome only after the piece is learned; students often rush these pieces from excitement, so establishing a stable tempo before memorization prevents locked-in habits.
• Balance the printed dynamics against your own ear; these pieces gain personality when students discover where they naturally want breath or emphasis rather than mechanically following every marking.

Build a recital entirely from this book to showcase stylistic range and progression, or select individual pieces to anchor a concert alongside baroque and contemporary works. These solos anchor festival preparations throughout the season and pair naturally with early intermediate etudes.

• Phrase shaping with dynamic contrast and rubato
• Pedal technique as an expressive tool rather than habit
• Reading and executing varied articulation in a single piece
• Building secure memorization through melodic and harmonic structure
• Interpreting character and mood from compositional language