Compositions

Ghosts

Did you hear that? What was that sound? Was somebody tiptoeing through the house? This spooky piece is LOTS of fun to listen to, and even more fun to play. Perfect any time of the year, but especially at Halloween.

Level: Early elementary

$3.50

Cassiopeia

I don't know about you, but I've always been enchanted by the night sky. One of my favorite constellations is Cassiopeia, although before I knew its name, I just called it "the W". There's plenty of space in this composition, and there's also a regal sense to it—a nod to the queen the constellation was named after.

Level: Late elementary

$3.50

The Dancing Machine

What kind of machine is it? That's up to you to decide! This is a fast, energetic piece with loud percussive sounds. The odd and quirky harmonies make this piece even more satisfying to play. Check it out!

Level: Late elementary

$3.50

Grieving

Life can be really hard sometimes. This emotionally complicated piece reflects that. It's not technically hard to play, but the phrases are a little strange. The harmonies are full of anxiety. The voice of the melody cracks now and then. I wrote lots of tears into this piece, but all feelings are important—even the ones we don't always want to feel.

Level: Late elementary

$3.50

Miss Mosquito Meets Grumpy Grizzly (duet)

The title gives away the whole story, I suppose. Miss Mosquito (the primo part) meets Grumpy Grizzly (secondo), and they don't exactly hit it off. Nobody's hurt, thankfully, but we certainly do have fun listening to them interact!

Level: Late elementary

$3.50

Outdoors at Midnight

There's nothing quite like being outside in the middle of the night. Everything's so quiet. There's not much to listen to except for the crickets and your own thoughts. And that's just fine. Sometimes, stillness is just fine.

Level: Early intermediate

$3.50

Gusty Afternoon

I love this one. I grew up in a small town in west-central Minnesota, where the flat land offers spectacular views of the sky and gives the wind free reign over the ground. I used to go outside of the town just to look at the clouds and watch the crops or native grasses or whatever else was growing as it danced in the ever-present wind. People who say that nothing happens in small towns have obviously never listened to cottonwood trees chatting with each other on a windy day. I hope that you can see what I mean when you hear this composition.

Level: Early intermediate

$3.50

Floating

Floating. But where? I can see it a couple of different ways. I can see myself floating face-up in the lake, hammocked by the water and blanketed by the blue summer sky, kept company by the turtles and fish and dragonflies and ducks. I can also see myself floating peacefully in the air, hundreds of feet above the ground, shaking hands with clouds and gazing down at the birds. How you view it is completely up to you.

Level: Early intermediate

$3.50

Affirmation

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves to be kind to ourselves. This piece features a comforting motive that is announced and then explored several more times. All of this happens in a 13/4 time signature: the repetitive counting soothes the performer (really, it does!), and the intentional lack of a clear down-beat gives the piece a cloud-like feeling.

Level: Intermediate

$3.50

Loon

This is exactly what it sounds like: a musical representation of Minnesota's state bird, the common loon. I've incorporated two of the loon's calls into this composition, and just like the woods and lakes that the loon inhabits, this piece offers plenty of chances to enjoy silence and stillness.

Level: Intermediate

$3.50

Porcelain Doll Whispers

Glassy eyes in a pale and flawless face gaze at you for longer than you can gaze back. You can look away, but the eyes still watch you, never blinking, never closing. Always staring.

Level: Late intermediate

$3.50

Madame Allura's Crystal Ball...

...knows all, sees all, tells all

What is there to be seen? What is there to be heard? What does the crystal ball know? What can we learn about ourselves by playing and listening to music? In this piece, no two performances are the same. Ambiguity reigns. By design, there is no single correct way to play it. What will your interpretations be?

Level: Late intermedate

$3.50

Prism

Scattering light into rainbows, prisms have long been admired for their ability to create mesmerising and dynamic displays. Originally composed as a meditatiive piece for pianists, this piece found a second purpose when, in June of 2021, Kassidy Effinger premiered it as her PRIDE MUSIC PROJECT highlighting queer composers. This piece, while not physically demanding, is composed in 17/4 time, forcing the performer to slow down, count, and be mindful and present.

Level: Late intermediate

$3.50