Compositions
Indulge yourself and listen to Susan's music below by clicking on the 
to hear the music or the 
to see the score.You will discover a broad range of mood, style and tonality, from the profoundly serious, to spirited dances, soft relaxing harmonies, to wild and quirky dissonances that are infused with a touch of humor.
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Little Hands, Big Pieces |
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Selected as required repertoire for the 2010 NYCO (North York Community Orchestra) Music Festival. 
Alien is in a "musical declamatory style". Therefore each note should be well defined while maintaining a legato. I refer to this as an "active legato" with lots of energy into each finger. No pedal is needed. Play phrase by phrase as you "speak" each sentence of the Alien's, allowing a slight pause (or "breathe") between sentences. The piece starts and ends with a quiet, wash" of sound using a typical "space motif" to help create the atmosphere.
Astronaut is a quick piece, playing notes "up and down and all around" the keyboard. Play all notes legato, making sure they all sound clearly without holding them longer than the note value. It is important to make switching between the right hand and left hand notes sound seamless without the use of pedal. Maintain one tempo for the whole piece while making good use of the fermata to mark the turning point of the piece. A slight slow down at the end helps to emphasize the "realization of our astronaut's dream!
The pretty ballerina in my life was my little niece Cayley. She's all grown up now but has been a dancer all her life. I remember her dancing around the room lightly on her toes as she diligently practised her dance routines. Graceful and charming describes her so aim for grace and charm in your performance. Open with a light soft staccato in the right hand. It's important to have an even tone for each staccato note. The left hand plays a smooth legato to accompany the "dancing toes". Starting in bar 8 there are big leaps. The use of the pedal and a slight slowing down will help you get to the notes in a timely manner. Keep the dynamic at an mp throughout. I like to tell my students to "linger" on the RH tenuto at the end of the first two phrases. This could be seen as a first attempt at rubato and helps to create a graceful shape to the melody. At the end, be ready to cross the RH over the LH for that final graceful and soft note.
Big Foot should sound BIG! Don't be afraid to be loud, as it won't work if you don't. Make sure all the notes of the triad are pressed down at the same time to get the full harmony. The rhythm can be tricky and if it helps, say the words as you play. This will aid in keeping the forward momentum to continue the "scariness" right to the end!
Bounce is great fun! As I say to my students - "play it madly!" This piece lets the student be a bit "wild and crazy". It's important to keep the left hand very light and quiet throughout. Keeping a consistent tempo is essential and the accents should be sharp and the dotted rhythm snappy. Dynamic contrasts add to the excitement. Enjoy!
Brand New Sneakers is to be played with an exuberant high energy feel just like your first time out in your "brand new sneakers". It's important to emphasize the staccatos and accents to give it that playful bounce. The left hand will need practise to keep the staccatos crisp and all the notes sounding clearly. Keep it light and have fun!
Carousel should sound like fun and have a definite "swing" like the rising and falling of Carousel horses which is presented through the two bar musical phrases. The music winds up to a frenzy with two contrasting diminished seventh arpeggios in opposing directions, and the ride then comes to an end quickly in a syncopated series of light staccato chords.
Castles should sound slow and unhurried, portraying a haunting stillness. Imagine you are standing all alone inside an old, majestic castle that has long since been abandoned but you can hear ancient voices in the hallowed halls. This study uses "hand switching" where the LH will take over the note already depressed by the RH. Play softly throughout and keep the dynamic level somewhat static thereby avoiding unwanted drama through dynamic shaping. Contrast is created by each soft flowing phrase ending with a gentle pause. The open fifths should harmonize equally to help create the medieval mood felt by all those who visit the castle!
Rural areas do not contain concert halls and opera houses. Music making takes place in the comfort of one's own home. This little Celtic piece explodes with energy and portrays friends and family gathering for good cheer and music making usually in the most comfortable room of the house — the kitchen! Imagine everyone dancing wildly to the music. The LH needs a crisp light staccato and keep the RH melody rhythmic and nimble. In the second theme starting in bar 8, keep the LH in the background as it plays the repetitive "bagpipe" drone. A return of the theme renews our wild revellers, who get even more frenzied when the music speeds up in the last section. Articulate every note clearly and accelerate to the end! Have fun!
Cloaked is a study in dynamic contrasts. The first very low note in the LH should be very loud and accented, followed immediately by very soft "undertone" playing. The enormous space ship is floating by so close that if you reached out your hand, you would touch it. You can't see it but you can feel its presence. To help create the mood of ominous suspense, keep the pulse very even and "measured". The middle section provides much contrast as the space ship suddenly comes into view! It is enormous so play the chords with full tone! Then just as suddenly, the space ship is cloaked again and moves away into nothingness at the end!
Cotton Candy needs lots of energy and bounce. It should sound happy and exuberant like enjoying a summers day at the fair! Make sure the baby finger notes are the accented ones and keep the triads light.
Dancing Clowns has a bouncy, scherzo-like quality. Make the left hand ostinato graceful, light and quiet; as its repetitive nature must not be noticeable in performance. Articulate the slur, staccato, and tenuto, being careful not to accent the Gb. The right hand melody uses syncopated strong accents and staccato to portray the playful Clowns. Dynamic changes provide colour as in the crescendo starting in bar 21 which sets up the "suddenly quiet" return of the theme.
Slow, sad, and reflective, this lyrical piece tells a story of loss. The left hand motif provides continuity but should always stay in the background. Sing out with the right hand melody and emphasize the top note descending line from bars 10 to 18. A feature of this piece is the differing phrase lengths. The use of rubato will assist in flowing gently through to the end.
Soft, dreamy, meditative. That's the mood of this little piece. Aim for a very even, unhurried tempo without momentum. The middle section enters with contrasting chords but they should never be jarring. Rather, think of the sound expanding warmly. Add colour by careful attention to dynamic levels and strive to stay within the narrow range to maintain the meditative character throughout.
For all those piano players who dream of playing in a rock band, here's your chance to try it out! Player 2's bottom part is the bass and rhythm section and its accented note creates the "rock" sound so play this note right on time. The top player has to count carefully so the entries are exactly right. Special practice on repeated eighth notes will keep them light and nimble, adding to the forward momentum. Make sure you work up a good tempo to get the feel of cut time to keep it from lagging. Rock on!!
This little piece was inspired by my own nephew, Ryan, when he was about three years old. He would stomp around the sand box then take great delight in emptying sand all over him with a quick and sudden turn of the bucket. Musically, the notes on each main beat should be played strong and heavy and the final glissando descends as fast as you can to the bottom of the piano just like the "dirt" falling to the ground .
Faerie Dust can be played at a variety of speeds. Keep it very soft - just a whisper - and work to keep it flowing without any hesitations between sections.
Breezy, blustery, invigorating. That's the feeling in Ferry Boat Ride. This piece has three different musical ideas and the challenge is holding the piece together as a whole. A right hand legato melody constructed of fifths alternates with left hand fifths that provide an energetic musical response using a detached tenuto. The second musical idea suggests the motion of waves and then immediately the middle section with its bright, sparkling melody rises with excitement and finally falls gently into the wave motion again. The challenge of the middle section is to keep the sixteenth note rhythm precise, avoiding triplets. Finally, a restatement of the first section and a pause at the end suggesting the Ferry has come to rest.
We as teachers have all had little students who love to play fast. Well, here is a fast piece using the three strongest fingers of the RH. The main challenge is to maintain the tempo and momentum throughout — which, of course, is the primary difficulty of fast playing. From the start, have the student practise the "hands together" scale in bar 21 so that by the time all the notes are learned this bar will be up to tempo. The other challenge is to control the dynamics so it rises to a ff "oh so gradually" and then decrescendos to the end. The LH alternative of adding two dotted quarter notes to replace the dotted half note adds excitement.
A lively dance in 5/4 time set against a simple melody of uneven phrase lengths. This is a study in cross rhythms. Although the hand span is easy, Player 1 has the more difficult part of counting the uneven phrases carefully. It is important to look at the overall phrase length of the melodic material and then establish the pulse of each long or short phrase. Accents are placed to help with this. Keep your wits about you! Player 2's main challenge is to play the same two bars throughout and not get lost to ensure ending at the same time!
A lively dance in 5/4 time set against a simple melody of uneven phrase lengths. This is a study in cross rhythms. It is important to look at the overall phrase length of the melodic material and then establish the pulse of each long or short phrase. Accents are placed to help with this. Keep your wits about you!
This piece spans an octave or more in the right hand, so it is important to learn the right hand melody separately so it can be played smoothly using the pedal to help create a seamless legato within the phrases. Also, shaping the phrases dynamically is important to add colour and create mystery. Keep the tempo somewhat slow and keep an even "swing" feel to the rhythm.
The left hand opens with a march rhythm and should be played very evenly. Make the right hand chords sound bold with full tone. Imagine the hero arriving home to fanfare and a big parade. The middle section's quiet dynamic suggests the storytelling of the hero's dangerous adventures and then the celebration theme returns to honour his success!
"I am the King" is a fanfare piece. Imagine the sound of trumpets as you play with full tone and snappy dotted rhythms. The words will help students play the dotted rhythms. All chords are open 5ths and the challenge is jumping both hands into position right on time, particularly bares 9 and 10 where the two hands jump in contrary motion.
This piece imagines how wonderful it would feel to fly through the air. It plays visually the way it feels with the LH flying over the RH and back. The challenge for the LH is to fly to the correct notes right on time! The pedal will help to create the smooth legato sound and the piece ends with a slow glissando rising all the way up the keyboard as our little flyer takes off.
Ice Dance should be played with an easy carefree feel being careful not to play it too fast. Saying "not too fast, not too fast" out loud when learning the left hand can help to find that special tempo. Aim for clarity in tone production and pay careful attention to articulation as the slurs and staccato provide a feeling of lightness. Keep the left hand pattern in the background as its job is to maintain momentum. The music concludes with the right hand adopting the left hand motive in alternating patterns. Practice keeping each hand articulated clearly to hear the motives "playing with each other" and climbing to a surprising final chord!
This piece is really only two lines long. These two lines are then repeated but the piece starts to disappear as notes are left out. Therefore counting becomes the main challenge for the second half. The left hand should play a quiet staccato while the right hand plays legato phrase by phrase. Don't forget to press the una corde pedal at the very end so it's best to get your foot "ready" before you start.
Nervousness and stomach butterflies. Most of us have experienced this and it seems to be at its worst before actually performing. This little piece is a humorous take on that dreadful experience. Our little performer is having an extreme attack of the jitters as the music moves from general nausea to panic to a state of delirious spinning where the right and left hand separate and play independently from each other. (One can only wonder how the actual performance went!)
Once the downbeat is firmly established in the introductory sections of this piece, the syncopation begins! Keep it steady so everyone is "syncopating in sync". The playing is at times close together so economy of movement of the hand is encouraged. The listener hears a continuous cascading syncopated passage where each player gets a chance to join the fun. The final entry sees everyone playing in unison and ending on the downbeat — hopefully all at the same time!
The Hungarian minor is always a popular scale and here it is mixed with a Celtic dance — the Reel. This blend of cultures provides interesting contrast where a more freely improvised sound alternates with the high energy rhythm of a reel in strict time. The Reel motive calls for precise finger work but fits the hand easily once the fingering is learned. The gypsy motive calls for a freer rhythm which can be different every time you play it and allows the performer a little bit of exploration. Attention to dynamics also helps to provide contrast. The challenge is to move easily from one section to the next and to hold the entire piece together.
Lullaby's charm is unveiled by very relaxed playing. The tempo chosen should be that which enables the student to achieve a relaxed, easy sound. This is a right hand melody over a left hand ground bass pattern. Be careful to always keep the left hand thumb note (E) very quiet. The music should achieve an overall pulse of one beat per bar. Balance is a key feature to provide musical interest. For the first 16 bars, the ground bass left hand melody should be prominent. Then the right hand takes prominence over the left hand for bars 17 to 56. Both hands should project equally for bars 57 to 64, after which the left hand ground bass takes over from bars 65 to the end. This balance pattern will provide depth and contrast to a piece that is very simple in its structure.
Marching to your own Drummer is a "laid-back" march. It should have a easy, casual, bouncy feel. The left hand can be legato or detached but should be soft. The octaves and left hand leaps in the second half provide heightened musical tension which then facilitates a gradual decrescendo to a soft ending.
Origami was written solely for the sostenuto pedal where the pedal is pressed down first and held down while notes are played. The floating melody along with the special "inner voices" create an austere almost spiritual stillness It is important to lift the fingers from the keys during these rests to expose the haunting sounds coming out of the piano.
A piano trio for three beginners, this piece can be performed at the pre-reading level since each player maintains their position on the keyboard. A great way to reinforce knowledge of finger numbers as they read through their parts! The use of a regular quarter note rhythm for everyone encourages a team approach and requires careful listening to ensure everyone is playing the beat at the same time. Maintain a bluesy relaxed tempo and watch as the parents explode with excitement and pride!
Piano Mime captures the energy and nimbleness of a mime character. It contrasts fast moving energetic phrases and pauses. All the sixteenth notes should be even and clearly heard. Play throughout with equal balance. The quick tempo can vary as long as the clarity of the sixteenth notes is maintained. Pedalling is light and only applied at the phrase endings to enhance the "paused" effect of the tied notes.
I think every family has a "Princess" and in my family it's my stepdaughter Michelle. Strikingly beautiful with a regal quality about her, she is the perfect princess. This piece should sound "sweet and pretty". You want a soft but singing legato. Make the right hand dotted quarter notes in the second half of bar 2, 3 and 6 "ring out" by playing a staccato touch while depressing the pedal. The left hand dotted quarter notes for bars 8 and 10 should be soft and very quiet. The middle section starting at bar 11 is just three notes played up and down but notice the different phrase lengths. The words will help to hear these phrases, which need to be shaped dynamically. Keep this middle section quiet to provide contrast to the returning princess theme in bar 19. Finally, for fun! do the princess wave (flat open hand rotating at the wrist) at the end to "acknowledge all your subjects sitting in the audience!".
Robot must be played very evenly with a sharp, crisp staccato. The LH accents help bring out the unusual time signature of 5/8, divided here into 2 plus 3. The middle section changes time signature and the notes are staccato without accents. Add a gradual crescendo to mimic the energy involved in scrubbing everything to a "shine!". The last section resumes the robot's 2 plus 3 character and ends with a loud assertive declaration of just how great he is!
Rock Climbing uses all twelve triads that climb up the keyboard in half steps. The sound should be strong and "clingy" giving the image of "holding on". The music tells a story of a rock climber who almost makes it to the top but falls down with a three-octave glissando, only to try again and finally get successfully to the very top!
As I looked to the children around me for inspiration for this book, I chose to write this piece in honour of my second stepdaughter Jenny. Outgoing, full of fun and at times "a little wild and crazy", this suits her perfectly. So for the extroverts out there — a Rap Song! Keep a steady beat and play very quietly so your spoken voice can be heard. The difficulty is to maintain the spoken voice without singing pitch, especially at the end of this piece.. Try not to be swayed into singing the pitch of the notes. Learn the piano accompaniment and the words separately, then you are ready to put it together. Give it lots of energy and have fun!
Scary Monster uses sudden dynamic extremes to create suspense. First play really quietly, slowly and evenly to get a feeling of "sneaking up". Also don't be afraid to bring out the dissonances in bars 5 and 6 for heightened "scariness". Accelerate at the end as the scary monster chases after you!
Soft - muted - undertone - slow - blending - colour palate - ringing bells - unhurried - solitude - floating. These are the words that describe Shhhhh. To achieve the mixing of tones, change the damper pedal only where indicated. The sostenuto pedal can also be used to achieve a muted sound throughout. The challenge is dynamic control and a sense of continuous line as the music moves through different time meters and triplet rhythms effortlessly.
Sleepwalking is a slow syncopated melody over a repeating bass pattern with a soft pedal note. You want a "dreamlike" sound and a consistent slow tempo. I like to narrate the sleepwalking story, describing the "sitting up" chord and the "getting out of bed" of the first 5 bars. What is causing the crescendo at bars 14 to 16 and notice the slow deep breathing occurring at bars 21 to 25. What sudden event could have happened at bar 26? And finally, the opening sequence begins again but this time the sleepwalker finally fades into a deep sleep.
In Sneaky, the triads are in solid or broken format. They should always be played with a very light staccato like someone sneaking around on tiptoes. It's fun to make up the story of the boy in pursuit of the cookies. Does he almost get caught? Does he get them or not!
"Soldier's March" should be played with lots of energy, keeping a very steady march rhythm. The accent on the downbeat of each bar helps to create the feeling of military precision. The LH staccato is pointed and lively, with an "up, up" feel. This piece introduces the skill of changing fingering on fast repeated eighth notes to achieve a clean articulated sound. Dynamic colour is provided by big crescendos as our soldier boy marches along. The middle section should be a bit quieter to provide contrast.
Space Walk should sound unhurried and give the feeling of floating in space. Play it softly and keep a very even tempo throughout. The diminuendo at the end allows the sound to fade away gently into silence.
Spinning is a piece requiring control and the challenge is coordinating hands together with precise timing. The most important part of the right hand is the rest and will require diligent slow practise. The left hand legato melody is simple and should be heard above the right hand. Pay careful attention to shape each phrase dynamically. The second half uses the identical melody but watch out (!) as the right hand changes its pattern at the very end just as your endurance is about to crash.
Spriggans are destructive and dangerous elves which are small in stature but can expand to enormous Giants. So when you play Spriggans, it is important to build tension as you go, increasing the volume to a climax at the end! The final small sound is the Spriggan reverting back to his original ugly shape.
Three Cornered Hats are fun to wear! A crisp staccato will keep it light and bouncy all the way through. Choose a speed that can be maintained throughout. The middle section switches hand patterns and will need the most work to sound the same as the rest.
Using the famous tango beat this little trio stresses rhythmic clarity. Some challenges await as players cross hands. Suggestions for additional crossings can heighten the fun! This needs to be carefully executed and provides a great exercise in jumping around the keyboard. Tango is a dance so careful listening enables the players to stay together keeping a crisp and even rhythm right up to the very last beat.
"The Trolls are Coming!" is a very energetic march. Its chromatic scale fragments should be a strong, active legato. Achieving a bass pianissimo to start can be a challenge and careful control is needed to crescendo ever so gradually as the Trolls "keep getting closer!". The opposite dynamic challenge is the high treble triple forte thus a full dynamic range is covered. It is very easy to learn this piece since the first 9 bars simply repeat up the keyboard with a four bar ending.
Twinkle, Twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are, Up above the sky so bright, Like a diamond in the sky, Twinkle, Twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are. Say the words to this famous little rhyme as you play. This will unveil the tempo, rhythm and the shape of each phrase. Fermatas at the end of each phrase allow the sounds to linger and careful pedaling will enable the blending of tones. Enjoy!
Have fun with this energetic two-step! Keep the staccatos very crisp and the left hand "quasi-stride" pattern very even throughout. The right hand provides colour through careful attention to big dynamic contrasts and off-beat accents. Make the sound bright and bouncy!
In true Waltz fashion, this piece should give the feel of one beat per bar. A smooth musical line for the four bar waltz melody is important. Rubato can be applied between phrases, differing each one to avoid monotony. Dynamic contrast is fairly static, mimicking the slight awkwardness of a first waltz (that "just keep doing what I'm doing" feeling). The chromatic rise of the middle section parallels the rise in intensity as the dancers get lost in the "twirl" of the waltz. Finally, "careful" waltzing resumes and the dancers end with a graceful bow.
Play Whispers slowly and evenly to mimic the deep regular breathing of being fast asleep. Play quietly but be sure the top right hand note rings out above the rest.
Magic Spell creates a very haunting sound. Play very evenly, finishing each phrase with a slight but graceful slowdown to give the feeling of the magic spell floating through the air. Keep the dynamic quiet throughout to create that special eerie feeling
Play this primitive dance with force, especially making sure the accented chords are well punctuated. Think of the accents as stomping your feet. Keep the rhythm very even and make sure you count all the rests!
Origami was originally written solely for the type of sostenuto pedal where the pedal is pressed down first and held down while notes are played. The floating melody along with the special 'inner voices' create an austere almost spiritual stillness It is important to lift the fingers from the keys during these rests to expose the haunting sounds coming out of the piano. If your pedal works differently, then generous use of the damper pedal with quiet playing can produce that evocative
Play Dreamland slowly and evenly to mimic the deep regular breathing of being fast asleep. Play quietly but be sure the top right hand note rings out above the rest
Full of energy, Space Adventure can be played with full sounding chords. Make sure you press all the notes to the bottom of the key. The tempo should portray a majestic march as our adventurer goes off to explore the unknown!
A sweet melody played with an easy andante give this little piece the feeling of contentment and repose. Keep the dynamic in a limited range and work to make each phrase as smooth a legato as you can.
