Saturday, September 23, 2023

Piano Student Halloween Music Favorites

I love revisiting seasonal music year after year and sparking piano students' love for music by letting them explore music beyond their method books.

Piano Student Halloween Music Favorites


In addition to the free Halloween music I have compiled in leveled folders for students to check out each year, there are a few supplementary books and sheet music pieces that I come back to again and again because students just love to play them. 

Supplementary Halloween Music for Piano Students

Level 1 Hal Leonard 1, PA Primer

Students are surprised to see this storytelling piece only has 3 notes from the a minor chord and yet it is so fun and interesting. After they learn it I like to give them a creative challenge to create their own piece with just  A, C and E anywhere across the keyboard. The Gold Star audio includes both a piano sample and a very engaging instrumental sample with fun lyrics. 

Level 2 Hal Leonard 2, PA 1

One Scary Night by Kim Williams - Sheet Music

This elementary piece has an engaging teacher duet but is also fun as a stand-alone piece. The hands together playing with different rhythms stretches students to really listen and its a great review for accidentals.

Level 3  Hal Leonard 3,  PA 2A/2B

Cat Prowl (audio #9-10)- Faber Gold Star 2B Piano Adventures

The Gold Star Performance series from Piano Adventures has such expressive music that students love as they explore a greater range of the keyboard. When I offer students choices for festivals, they almost always choose one of these. The audio brings this piece to life and Cat Prowl is an easy piece to teach by rote so even a student in 2A could learn it fairly easily.

Ghost Waltz by Edwin  McClean - FJH Federation Favorites Book 2



Level 4 Hal Leonard 4, PA 3A/3B

The Addams Family Theme by Vic Mizzy - Faber Studio Collection 3A/3B

Since I introduce this piece using the Triplety Tap rhythm cup activity with my elementary students at group lessons, they are pretty eager when they get to play it on the piano. The syncopated rhythms and claps add to the fun and it's a bit happier than most Halloween pieces.

Big Bad Goblin Blues  by Gilbert de Benedetti - Sheet Music Download 

I just discovered the YouTube video from the composer.  To be honest, I've had a lot more fun playing this piece for years at twice the speed! The repetitive patterns make this an easy piece to memorize and it sounds a lot more difficult than it is to play which always excites students. I also like how the largest interval is a 6th so younger students with smaller hands can still play this with ease.

Pumpkins Dance at Midnight -  Bastian Halloween Treats Level 3

The repeating ostinato pattern of this energetic piece in a minor makes it fun and engaging to play.  


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