Midnight Escapade: Piano

Name: Midnight Escapade: Piano
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-DW9233
Price: 4.95 USD
Availability: InStock

By Melody Bober

Item: 98-DW9233

Digital Download

$4.95

A furiously fast piece in D minor starting with the melody in the LH while the RH plays 16th notes. The melody is then picked up by the RH before moving back to the opening section, which is actually a toccata. Your students will need fast fingers for this big sounding, virtuosic showy piece.

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Series: Written For You

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

SKU: 98-DW9233

More about this title

About the Composer: Melody Bober

Melody Bober brings two decades of teaching experience to her compositions, having worked in public school settings, university instruction, and private studio teaching. Her training at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (B.M. in music education, summa cum laude) and Minnesota State University, Moorhead (M.A. in piano performance) shaped her deep understanding of both pedagogy and performance. She studied piano with Joel Shapiro and Andrew Froelich, music education with Mary Hoffman, and jazz with Tony Caramia.

Beyond the studio, Melody has served as a church pianist, accompanist, and music director, giving her real-world insight into how students actually perform music in varied settings. Her reputation as a clinician at workshops and conventions across North America reflects her commitment to creating pieces that motivate students while building genuine musical understanding. She currently teaches piano privately and resides in Minnesota.

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Why we love this

Bober designs this piece to reward technical work with genuine musical payoff. The toccata structure and strategic melody placement between hands create a compelling performance arc that feels substantial and exciting, not just a technical etude dressed up as music.

What to expect

Midnight Escapade pulses with kinetic energy from the opening. The relentless 16th-note motion creates forward momentum while the melody threads through, building tension that peaks before the piece whips back to its frantic opening. It's propulsive and a bit mischievous, with the kind of sparkle that comes from precise, rapid fingerwork.

Who it's for

Intermediate pianists ready to tackle sustained fast passagework and hand-independence challenges. This piece suits students who have developed reliable technique and want a showstopper that feels genuinely virtuosic without requiring advanced-level facility.

How to get the most out of it

Work the opening section in separate hands first, establishing the LH melody as the anchor while the RH 16th-note figuration sits on top. Once secure, layer them together and gradually increase tempo in small increments.
Pay attention to voicing and pedal placement when the RH takes over the melody. The texture changes significantly, and clear pedaling prevents the fast figurations from becoming muddy.
Shape the piece as you would any toccata: plan where the energy builds and where it releases. Mark those moments in your score so you can execute them consistently across performances.
Record yourself playing at a slower tempo to audit note accuracy and finger patterns. The speed is impressive only when every note lands cleanly.

How to use it

Program this as a solo recital opener or closer to make an immediate impression; its virtuosic character and dramatic scope command attention. Pair it with a contrasting lyrical piece to showcase range, or use it as a capstone performance piece for an intermediate student eager to demonstrate technical achievement.