Crowd Pleasers

[asuhayda]

I realize this could go in the Repertoire section as well.. but this is actually for one of my students.

I would like to have him play some music that is more contemporary and maybe even a little bit Jazzy.

He's talented and progressing rapidly, but he's not advanced (yet)..  He's playing purely classical and baroque music right now.  Bach Invention No.1 in C, Mozart K.545 and he's finishing Fur Elise (which was not a challenge for him)

He's in 6th grade.

Any thoughts on some fun music for him to play?  I was thinking Swipesy, but this maaay be too ambitious for him right now.

Thanks in advance.

[scherzo123]

Hi 

I would suggest:

Tan Dun's Eight Memories in Watercolor Op.1
Gershwin Preludes

Does Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Kabalevsky count as contemporary?

[ajspiano]

I would like to have him play some music that is more contemporary and maybe even a little bit Jazzy.

He's in 6th grade.

Brian Bonsor.. "feelin good" and "willie wagglesticks walkabout" are two popular jazzy ones, grade 6/7

Kerin Bailey..  I don't know too many of his pieces, you can take a look around here..
https://kerinbailey.com/samples.htm

Chris Norton.. some of the latin and or rock preludes might be good.

[scherzo123]

Paul de Sennevile

[49410enrique]

sort of Haydn-esque in scope and textue, not easy by any means, but for op 100 he dropped the virtuosic shinanigans in favor of a neoclassical approach to a a great end result, this charming and humorous little work.

[quantum]

Learn some ragtime or boogie pieces. 

[christovr]

Also have a look at what is on offer from the likes of Poulenc, Milhaud, Satie.
Some have a very modern 'popular' sound to them.

[keyofc]

4941 - I think that piece is perfect!

[fleetfingers]

I know it's not contemporary or jazz, but if you think he can handle Grand Valse Brillante in E Flat Major, Op. 18, it is fun to play. Also, it'd introduce him to some Chopin and new techniques he's not used to. Different than his Bach and Mozart. It's a fun crowd-pleaser, I think.

[lukediv]

willie wagglesticks walkabout would be a good choice. very fun, enjoyable piece.

same with most of baileys work. faster blaster in particular is enjoyable to play and listen to

[pianokai]

Scott Joplin Ragtime pieces would do?

If you mean contemporary as in for boraque style then would Rachmaninoff count? Go for the C sharp minor (I think) prelude, the first one in the book.

My teacher always taught me 2-3 grades ahead to stretch my boundaries so I always get distinctions in my exams (which I did )

Theres a nice one by Prokofiev too but can't remember where it was from but heard it played and was given to me some time ago but can't remember... but maybe you can dig into it and see if its right for your student

Beethoven third movement moonlight sonata (may be stretch) if he finished fur elise, but its crowd pleaser too, I got mega hand clappings when I performed this, and it is contemporary compared to boraque, technically late romantic era not sure if this is what youre looking for but its defo worth a go for your student.

[asuhayda]

Scott Joplin Ragtime pieces would do?

This is what I chose to go with.  I picked Swipesy for him. I think it's his easiest Rag (that I know of anyway - he wrote dozens of them).  He's absolutely rocking it!

Thanks!