It's A Grand Night For Singing (from State Fair): E-Z Play Today

The E-Z Play Today arrangement distills this American classic into a piano part that's genuinely playable for intermediate students without losing the song's character. The two-page format respects the melody's straightforward structure while offering enough harmonic support to feel musically complete, making it ideal for pianists who want to accompany singers or perform it solo.

Nostalgic and full of genuine warmth, this melody radiates the simple pleasures of a summer evening. There's an almost waltzing quality to the phrasing that makes playing it feel both gentle and subtly buoyant, as though the piano is itself part of the fair-ground atmosphere.

This arrangement suits pianists at the late beginner to early intermediate level who want accessible repertoire with real musical payoff. It's equally useful for students learning to accompany singers or for those building a solo recital repertoire that includes American standards.

• Shape the melody with gentle rubato in the verse sections; the song breathes better when you let the accompaniment settle slightly behind the tune on lyrical phrases.
• Keep the left hand rhythmically buoyant throughout. Even in slower passages, the accompaniment benefits from a light touch that suggests movement rather than weight.
• Balance the dynamic arc across both pages. Build gradually toward the chorus and allow the familiar hook to land with natural emphasis without forcing volume.

Program this as a solo piano interlude during a pops concert, or use it to accompany a vocalist in a recital setting where you want a moment of Americana charm. It also works beautifully in a program exploring the American songbook, especially alongside other Rodgers and Hammerstein favorites.

• Accompanying vocal melody with independence between hands
• Sustaining even tempo while managing shifting harmonic rhythm
• Balancing chord voicings to support rather than overshadow a singer
• Phrasing a familiar standard idiomatically across multiple eight-bar sections