Holiday Treats, Book 2: Piano Book

Mier's gift for matching musical character to holiday themes means students aren't just playing celebrations—they're capturing their essence. Eight solos spanning Valentine's Day through Independence Day give you flexible programming options throughout the year, whether you're planning a single theme recital or scattering holiday pieces across multiple student events.

These solos burst with color and character without demanding virtuosity. Each piece captures the spirit of its holiday through melody, rhythm, and harmonic choices that feel genuinely celebratory—never saccharine, always playful.

Elementary pianists preparing for recitals, especially those who benefit from thematic motivation and tangible storytelling in their music. Teachers looking for accessible repertoire that excites young students about performing while building foundational technique.

• Match tempo and articulation to each holiday's character. A spirited St. Patrick's Day solo benefits from crisp staccato and rhythmic bounce, while a quieter Valentine's Day piece needs sustained, singing phrasing.
• Listen to how Mier uses register and hand positioning to suggest festive imagery. Moving between high and low registers often represents the visual excitement of different celebrations.
• Practice the transitions between sections carefully, especially if a solo shifts mood mid-piece. Elementary pianists sometimes rush through key changes; slow practice reveals the intended color shifts.

Build an entire theme recital around the holiday calendar, programming pieces in seasonal order or mixing them throughout to surprise the audience. Individual solos also work beautifully as lighter encore pieces in regular student recitals or as palette-cleansers between more serious works.

• Reading and interpreting descriptive musical titles and thematic content
• Playing with consistent articulation across varied styles (staccato, legato, accented)
• Managing hand position shifts and register changes in early elementary writing
• Developing rhythmic clarity in repeated patterns common to holiday themes
• Understanding how melodic shape and harmonic color convey mood and imagery