Program Solos, Level 2: Piano Book

Glover's curation reflects genuine student taste rather than adult assumptions about what children should like. The 20 pieces balance melodic appeal with clear pedagogical purpose, each one offering meaningful work on hand independence without feeling like an etude.

Playful and inventive, with vivid character pieces that paint clear pictures: animals marching, spooks creeping, time flying happily. The music sits comfortably under the hands and invites expressive playing without demanding virtuosic facility.

Level 2 pianists ready to manage more complex rhythmic relationships between hands. Students in this book are typically 6-9 months into study and benefit from repertoire that rewards focus on technical precision while keeping the joy of playing alive.

• Practice each hand separately until the independence feels secure, then map out exactly where hands cross or move apart so the transitions stay clean under tempo.
• Record yourself playing slowly to hear whether one hand is pulling the tempo or lagging; this trains the ear for what true independence sounds like.
• Choose a steady practice speed and stick with it across multiple days before attempting performance tempo, building muscle memory for the hand coordination rather than fighting it at speed.

Assign pieces selectively as students master hand independence work in the primary method book. Titles like "March of the Animals" and "March of the Spooks" make natural recital choices for younger students who thrive on pieces with strong narrative appeal.

• Independence of hands (right and left hand coordination at different rhythmic values)
• Smooth hand position shifts without tension
• Maintaining steady tempo across varying hand patterns
• Expressive phrasing in pieces with distinct character
• Reading and executing tempo and dynamic markings