Catherine Rollin balances an active performing career with mentoring students who consistently win at competitions. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Oakland University School of Performing Arts, and her compositional voice has earned commissions from MTNA, the Michigan Music Teachers Association, and Clavier Companion magazine.
Rollin's work appears regularly in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festivals Bulletin, and she has served as a national judge for both the MTNA Student Composition Competition and the Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Contest. Her ASCAP award-winning Museum Masterpieces series garnered national attention, and her commissioned trio Suite Detroit premiered at the 2018 MTNA national conference. She has presented masterclasses and workshops across North America and Asia.
Why we love this
Rollin writes for the hand students actually have, not an idealized one. The left-hand focus makes this accessible without feeling like a novelty piece, and the selection for Federation Festivals 2024-2028 means it meets real adjudication standards. The writing is pianistic and musically mature, rewarding careful practice without demanding superhuman technique.
What to expect
Intimate and reflective, true to the nocturne tradition. The piece unfolds with quiet sophistication, asking the player to listen closely to their own sound and shape the left-hand melody with the sensitivity usually reserved for singing lines.
Who it's for
Intermediate pianists preparing for festival competition, students building independence in their non-dominant hand, and teachers seeking repertoire that combines legitimate musical interest with practical accessibility.
How to get the most out of it
Work the voicing of the left hand carefully; the harmonic interest lives there, so clarity matters as much as fluency
Find the natural phrase arcs before locking tempo; this piece breathes, and rushing will flatten its character
Balance any right-hand writing against the left-hand narrative rather than treating it as accompaniment
How to use it
Perfect as a solo performance piece for festival competitions or student recitals. Its four-page length and intermediate difficulty make it an ideal complement to faster or technically demanding pieces on the same program, offering audiences a moment of musical rest while showcasing your student's lyrical maturity.
Skills your students will build
Melodic control and phrasing in the left hand
Voice leading and harmonic awareness
Legato and tone production without relying on pedal
Musical independence between the hands
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