Best-Liked Solos: Piano Book

Burkholder understands the psychological weight of early repertoire choices. These pieces deliver genuine accomplishment on the page and at the keyboard, which matters enormously when you're building a student's confidence. The writing is spare enough to focus on musical expression rather than wrestling with technique.

These pieces strike a balance between purposeful musicality and comfortable accessibility. The writing is direct and honest, without unnecessary complexity, allowing students to focus on making real musical choices rather than decoding technical puzzles.

Late elementary and early intermediate pianists who have solid note-reading skills but still need repertoire that builds confidence through successful performance. This collection works equally well for students preparing for festival appearances or those simply seeking pieces that feel genuinely playable.

• Shape the phrasing with subtle dynamic shifts rather than waiting for marked hairpins; Burkholder leaves room for students to discover where music naturally wants to breathe
• Pay attention to hand position transitions between pieces, as each one often explores different technical territory that builds on the last
• Encourage students to listen to how their dynamic choices change the character of each piece, since the straightforward writing makes interpretive choices audible immediately

Assign individual pieces from this collection as performance pieces throughout the year, or use the entire book as a winter or spring recital program. The variety across the collection makes it ideal for mixed-level studio events where several students perform consecutively.

• Reading accuracy in familiar hand positions
• Basic phrase shaping and dynamic control
• Connecting technique to musical expression
• Building confidence through successful public performance