Just for You, Book 3: Piano Book

Alexander understands that intermediate students need repertoire that rewards their growing technical facility without resorting to empty display. This collection balances stylistic variety, waltzes, ballads, rags, jazz pieces, so no two weeks of practice feel the same. The writing sits exactly at that sweet spot where students feel genuinely accomplished after learning a piece, and audiences respond with real engagement.

This book moves between the elegance of the ballroom, the sophistication of jazz syncopation, and the spirited energy of rags. The writing is clean and idiomatic; you're always playing music that feels natural to the piano, never fighting the instrument. These pieces sit in your hands comfortably while offering enough musical substance to hold a listener's attention.

Early intermediate and intermediate pianists ready to explore multiple styles in a single collection. Teachers building repertoire lists that give students both technical growth and genuine enjoyment in the practice room. Students preparing for recitals or festivals who benefit from varied, engaging material rather than grinding through workbooks.

• Explore the rhythmic specificity in the jazz pieces before worrying about tempo; get the swing feel and syncopation solid, then let the speed follow naturally.
• The romantic ballads benefit from careful attention to pedal changes. Mark your score with specific pedal points rather than relying on instinct, especially during the lyrical passages.
• Balance melody with accompaniment in the waltzes by listening to what your left hand needs to support the overall phrase shape, not just playing it softer.
• Record yourself playing each piece at performance tempo, then listen without the pressure of playing. This reveals rhythmic unevenness and phrasing choices you might otherwise miss.

Sequence individual pieces across a student recital to showcase range and maturity without overwhelming the audience with similar textures. The varied styles work especially well for mixed-level recitals where you're pairing early intermediate and intermediate students. Consider programming a waltz or ballad from this collection as a bridge piece between more technically demanding contemporary work and classical repertoire.

• Jazz rhythm and swing articulation
• Pedal technique for harmonic color and sustain
• Stylistic interpretation across multiple genres (waltz, ballad, rag, jazz)
• Independence between hands in ragtime and jazz accompaniment patterns
• Phrase shaping and rubato in lyrical material
• Sight-reading fluency across changing textures and time signatures