Double Duty - Piano Solo: Piano Solo

Alexander's gift for crafting accessible yet musically substantive jazz arrangements shines throughout this collection. Each piece brings distinctive melodic and harmonic color without overwhelming late intermediate pianists, and the variety of moods, from the blues swing of "Barclay Street Blues" to the spacious contemplation suggested by "In My Own Space", keeps students engaged across an entire recital set. The Federation Festivals designation confirms what teachers already know: these pieces hold up against serious scrutiny while remaining genuinely fun to play.

These pieces swing with genuine warmth and sophistication. From blues grooves that make you want to move to introspective melodies that linger, the collection captures jazz's emotional range, playful in one moment, reflective the next, without ever sacrificing the clarity and focus that late intermediate pianists need to succeed.

Late intermediate pianists ready to step beyond classical repertoire and experience jazz as a serious musical language. Students preparing festival repertoire will find substantial pieces that challenge their reading and interpretive skills while rewarding them with immediate musical gratification.

• Listen closely to how Alexander voices jazz chords; many pieces use quartal or quintal harmonies that sound sophisticated but ask for clean voicing rather than speed. Take time in early rehearsals to hear the color of each chord.
• The rhythmic syncopation in pieces like "Double Duty" rewards careful subdivision. Count through the eighth-note patterns before tempo, then let the groove settle naturally.
• Use the lyrical passages, think "A Million Miles Away", as opportunities to shape phrasing deliberately. Jazz ballads live or die by how you breathe between phrases.
• Balance is key when both hands carry melodic material. Practice layers separately, then bring them together at a slower tempo to ensure one voice doesn't overshadow the other.

Program individual pieces within a mixed recital to introduce audiences to jazz as art music rather than entertainment filler. The collection's variety makes it ideal for student recitals spanning multiple months: students can tackle one or two pieces per trimester, building jazz literacy gradually. For festival preparation, select pieces that showcase different moods and technical demands, creating a compelling program that demonstrates range.

• Jazz rhythm vocabulary including swing eighth notes and syncopation
• Quartal and quintal harmony voicing and voice leading
• Reading chord symbols and realizing jazz harmonies
• Phrasing and expression in a non-classical idiom
• Blues form and improvisation foundation
• Comping and accompanying techniques