Sometimes the dark days of winter can just feel blah!
But the right piano piece can turn blah into TA-DA!
Just like winter sports make the best of winter, these piano pieces embrace the best of the winter ‘feels!’ Why not make the best of the beauty, the frosty air and the cozy candle-lit hours when we get to stay inside play our pianos guilt-free!?
Experience the joy of winter music yourself and pass it on to your piano students!
Picks for all levels!
- For winter pieces PREP to Level 2 (Early to Late Elementary), click here!
- For winter pieces Levels 3 to 6 (Early to Late Intermediate), read the post below!
- For winter pieces Levels 7 to 9 (Early Advanced to Advanced), click here!
In this Post:
Level 3 (Early Intermediate)
- 40 Below — Susan Griesdale
- Jingle Bell Swing — Rebekah Maxner
- An Outdoor Song for Snowy Weather — June Armstrong
Level 4 (Intermediate)
- Snowdrifts — Martha Hill Duncan (1P4H)
- North Star — Rebekah Maxner
Level 5 (Intermediate)
- Winter Stars — Beverly Porter
- Red Line — Rebekah Maxner
Level 6 (Late Intermediate)
- Lament for the Polar Bear — Susan Griesdale
- White Drift — Rebekah Maxner
- The Snow Queen — June Armstrong
Level 3
Jingle Bell Swing — Rebekah Maxner — Level 3
“Jingle Bell Swing begins and ends with the jazzed-up line, ‘jingle all the way.’ The repetition makes it easy and fun to learn and yet sound sophisticated.” ~ Rebekah
Jingle Bell Swing is available as an eSheet or in the eBook and print book Old MacDonald had the Blues.
40 Below — Susan Griesdale — Level 3
“40 Below was written when the weather outside was in fact 40 below and we were suffering through a 3 day power out. Happy that I had my piano to keep me occupied! I wanted to write something that sounded dark but not too depressing so 40 Below was born. Think of it as a little dance along the hallway with flashlight in hand!” ~ Susan
Winter! (Levels 1 to 4) is a fun piano collection of character pieces to brighten those dreary winter days! Containing lots of wintery activities such as Snowboots’n Shovels, Hockey Sticks, Snow Day, The Blizzard Blues, 40 Below, Icy Sidewalks, Shivers, Runaway Toboggan, Blustery Winds, Cold Noses!
~ 40 Below is listed on the Contemporary Showcase syllabus.
Click here to go to Susan’s shop to purchase Winter.
An Outdoor Song for Snowy Weather — June Armstrong — Level 3
“An Outdoor Song for Snowy Weather is from the collection Enchanted World. It’s based on the Tiddly-pom song from A House at Pooh Corner by A A Milne.” ~ June
Get An Outdoor Song for Snowy Weather by June Armstrong here!
Level 4
North Star — Rebekah Maxner — Level 4
Based on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, North Star features fifths, rhythmic patterns with sixteenth notes, legato pedal and lots of moments for developing long, expressive phrases. North Star is inspired by living in the cold north where it’s a great comfort to have a bright, guiding light at night.
North Star is available as an eSheet!
Snowdrifts — Martha Hill Duncan (unequal duet 1P4H) — PREP, Level 4
“Snowdrifts is an unequal duet written for two of my more promising piano students, Madeleine and Sofia. The primo (the younger sister’s part) is within stationary 5 finger positions and can be read or taught by rote, while the secondo (the older sister’s part) is at a Level 3-4.” ~ Martha
To purchase Snowdrifts by Martha Hill Duncan, click here!
Level 5
Red Line — Rebekah Maxner — Level 5
“Red Line is all about hockey faceoffs! The red centre line in every hockey rink marks the place where the puck drops and the intensity begins. The boogie bass, tight harmony jazz chords and hammond organ harmonics capture the energy felt in every arena!” ~ Rebekah
Red Line is available as an eSheet or in Rebekah Maxner’s The Color Collection, eBook or print book!
Winter Stars — Beverly Porter — Level 5
“A quiet, romantic piece. The stillness of a starry winter night sky is suggested by a melodic line and parallel sixths floating over an ostinato bass. After a contrasting middle section, the ostinato returns with widely spaced intervals.” ~ Beverly
Available as a print book, an eBook and an eSheet!
Level 6
White Drift — Rebekah Maxner — Level 7
Imagine big white snowflakes swirling through the air. This piece captures the excitement of the first snow or any important day; a white wedding dress, the clean white pages on the first day of school, the feeling of a clean slate or starting over. It’s in C-sharp minor and the black and white key pattern makes it simple to teach and learn by rote! When the thumb tucks on the white keys, the melody falls very naturally under the hands.
White Drift is available as an eSheet or in the eBook and print book The Color Collection.
Lament for the Polar Bear — Susan Griesdale — Level 6
“An expressive piece with emotions of sadness, anger, remembering, this little piece takes you on a sad journey lamenting an unfortunate end for those that do not survive with the bell tolling at the end. Play slowly with a fragile sound to portray the devastating plight of the Polar Bear today. We pray for these noble creatures as they struggle to survive on ice flows that continue to disappear.” ~ Susan
~ Lament for the Polar Bear is in RCM Level 6 and is listed on the Contemporary Showcase syllabus.
It’s available in Susan Griesdale’s collection, Arctic Voices. Click here to get yours!
The Snow Queen — June Armstrong — Level 6
“The Snow Queen from Dreams and Dragons. This is the Snow Queen from Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 fairy tale. She is a fantastical majestic figure with extraordinary powers to bewitch and to devastate.” ~ June
Get The Snow Queen in the piano collection Dreams and Dragons, here!
Brighten your winter this year with great piano pieces! Embrace the joy of winter!
- For winter pieces PREP to Level 2 (Early to Late Elementary), click here!
- For winter pieces Levels 3 to 6 (Early to Late Intermediate), read the post above!
- For winter pieces Levels 7 to 9 (Early Advanced to Advanced), click here!
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I appreciate shares, comments and likes. Happy teaching! ❤
Video of the Week
Saplings, 21 Intermediate piano solos by the composers of Red Leaf Pianoworks. June Armstrong, Joanne Bender, John Burge, Martha Hill Duncan, Janet Geick, Susan Griesdale, Rebekah Maxner, Beverly Porter, Teresa Richert, Peter Rudzik and Irene Voros.
Rebekah Maxner 