Myklas Contest Winners, Book 2: Piano Book

The collection spans from rhythmically playful (Fanfare Hoedown, Holiday Parade) to mysteriously atmospheric (Autumn Mystique, Deserted Castle), offering students a spectrum of moods and characters to interpret. Each piece is sized right for the level, leaving room for musicality without overwhelming technical complexity.

Late elementary and early intermediate pianists ready to expand their reading range and keyboard mobility. These pieces suit students preparing for festival or contest play, as well as those building confidence with slightly more sophisticated rhythmic and technical demands.

• Explore the range extensions carefully during early rehearsals; these pieces ask students to read above and below the grand staff, which requires a moment of mental mapping before the piece feels secure.
• When damper pedal appears, practice the release points as carefully as the depression points. Students at this level often hold the pedal through note changes, muddying the sound.
• Break eighth-note passages into slow-motion segments first. Once the finger pattern feels automatic, add tempo in small increments rather than jumping to the marked speed.

Assign pieces from this book as recital solos for students working toward spring or fall festivals. The 32-page format also makes it ideal for pairing with a method book throughout a semester, using contest selections as the repertoire spine alongside technique and theory work.

• Reading and playing above and below the grand staff
• Keyboard navigation across a wider range
• Damper pedal application and timing
• Eighth-note rhythmic accuracy and fluency
• Musical interpretation across contrasting styles and characters