Valse du jour - Piano Solo: Piano Solo

Alexander has an uncanny gift for writing jazz that doesn't feel condescending to young pianists. The rhythmic vitality and harmonic sophistication here engage students' ears while staying within their technical reach. This collection earns its Federation selection not through difficulty alone, but through genuinely engaging writing that makes early intermediate students sound and feel like musicians.

These pieces capture the sophistication of real jazz idioms without losing the directness that makes practice rewarding. You'll encounter lush harmonies, syncopated rhythms that snap into place once you feel them, and melodies that stick with you between lessons. There's genuine coolness here, the kind students recognize and want to own.

Early intermediate pianists ready to explore jazz beyond folk song arrangements. Students who respond well to rhythmic challenge and want to sound more mature without technical overwhelm. Piano teachers building a jazz curriculum that respects both pedagogical sequencing and musical authenticity.

• Anchor the swing feel by thinking of the eighth notes as gently pushed rather than rushed; let the rhythm section breathe with you.
• Explore the recorded accompaniments included with this series. They establish the groove and give you a sense of how these pieces sit within their full jazz context.
• Pay attention to Alexander's dynamic markings and articulation choices. The difference between staccato and legato passages often signals a change in character or section purpose.
• In the blues-influenced pieces, allow rubato in the melody while keeping the underlying pulse steady. Jazz phrasing lives in that tension.

Program individual selections from this collection in a recital that spotlights different jazz moods and styles. Pair contrasting pieces together (a blues with a Latin-tinged waltz) to show the breadth of the jazz tradition. Use this series as a bridge between classical technique and jazz ensemble work, preparing students who may later pursue small group playing.

• Reading and executing jazz articulation and phrasing conventions
• Swing rhythm and syncopation
• Chord voicing and jazz harmony application
• Interpreting stylistic notation and performance directions specific to jazz
• Building independence between hands in syncopated contexts
• Understanding blues form and Latin jazz rhythmic patterns