Either/Or: Nine pieces for left hand or right hand: Piano
Nine pieces for left hand or right hand
By Joyce Grill
Level: Elementary
Item: 00-PB-0000701
$5.99
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Description
Broken arm? Sprained finger? Need a change of pace? This little book has nine pieces that can be played with either the right hand or the left hand. Early elementary students will be able to read them, more advanced students can add harmony and accompaniment when they have two working arms. A valuable sight-reading tool. "Duet for One Hand," "See-Saw," "Tubas on Parade," "Waltzing Alone," and "Woodpeckers" are Federation Festivals 2016-2020 selections. A Federation Festivals 2020-2024 selection.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Studio Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PB-0000701
More about this title
About the Composer: Joyce Grill
Joyce Grill brings decades of classroom experience to her compositions, having shaped music education programs at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse before her retirement from the faculty there. Her leadership extends across the profession: she served as Wisconsin State President and Division Vice-President of MTNA, founded the La Crosse Area Music Teachers Association, and earned the MTNA Master Teacher Certificate and the MTNA Foundation Fellow award in 2006. Her training under Nadia Boulanger at the School of Fine Arts in Fontainebleau, France, grounded her in both composition and theory alongside her piano studies with Robert and Jean Casadesus.
Grill's reputation rests on accessible, pedagogically sound ensemble writing that speaks directly to student needs. She conducts multi-piano concerts regularly and contributes frequently to workshops for teachers and students nationwide. Many of her earlier publications through Warner Bros. Publications, including In Style, Down the Road, and Accompanist (Yes, It Really Happens), are now distributed by Alfred Music Publishing and remain fixtures in studios and classrooms.
Why we love this
Grill solves a real teaching challenge with genuine musicality rather than mere utility. Each piece stands as a complete musical thought (not a finger exercise masquerading as a composition), so students encounter rewarding repertoire even when limited to one hand. The inclusion of five Federation Festivals selections validates both the quality and the relevance of this collection to competitive student programming.
What to expect
These nine pieces bring personality and charm to simple textures. Titles like "Tubas on Parade" and "Woodpeckers" hint at the playful character within; the music balances straightforward accessibility with enough harmonic interest to keep both teacher and student engaged.
Who it's for
Elementary pianists dealing with temporary hand or finger injuries will find genuine repertoire here rather than makeshift alternatives. The collection also serves advancing students who want to strengthen their single-hand facility or who need approachable sightreading material with musical substance.
How to get the most out of it
- Encourage students to notice where the melody naturally sits and how each piece's range plays differently between hands; this awareness deepens their understanding of voice leading.
- When advancing students add harmonies or accompaniment patterns after mastering the single-hand version, start with simple blocked chords or broken octaves that don't overcomplicate the original line.
- Use these pieces for consistent daily sight-reading practice since the single-hand constraint removes the coordination challenge and lets students focus on note-reading fluency.
How to use it
Five selections from this collection appear on Federation Festivals lists from 2016-2024, making them natural choices for students preparing for festival competition or performance evaluation. The varied styles and lengths also make individual pieces useful as recital filler or as quick, confidence-building additions to student concert programs.
Skills your students will build
- Single-hand melodic reading in treble and bass clefs
- Sight-reading fluency with minimal coordination demands
- Voice leading awareness through harmonization of existing melodies
- Confidence performing accessible repertoire with musical substance