- Level: Late Elementary
- Pages: 5 pages, 3 pages of music, cover included!
- Style: Celebratory
- Bonus: mp3 performance track + QR code to access recording online
- Format:PDF instant download
When you’re on a hay ride, bumping along through the field, surrounded by friends, family, and maybe hot chocolate or apple cider, what could go wrong? Nothing! Laughs and happy smiles abound with the celebratory nature of Hay Ride, a late elementary piece reminiscent of autumn skies and star sighting while singing and joking with loved ones!
What level is Hay Ride?
Hay Ride is in G Major and set in common time. Fun, happy triads go quickly back and forth between left and right hands in the opening measures. This piece contains grace notes, staccato articulations, and syncopation, which all lends to the peppy and happy sound of the piece.
The smallest note value in this piece is the eighth note. There are sections with legato pedaling. There is a brief section with triple meter and tempo changes, and a lyrical section leading back to the cheerful ending. This piece also contains an exciting glissando!
Bonus recording included!
Hay Ride comes with a bonus mp3 recording performed by Wendy Stevens. You are permitted to send this example performance track to your students to help them learn the piece.
Plus, a QR code is included on the first page of the PDF (not pictured in the sample) so students can scan the code and it will take them directly to the performance recording of the piece. This can help them be inspired and learn the piece even more effectively without you having to send the mp3 to them!
What is the Studio License?
Hay Ride is delivered digitally (through your email receipt) and is studio licensed. This means that you can print and use this for any student that you directly teach for your entire lifetime of teaching.
Sally –
This piece opens with an easy to play and catchy and energetic triad chord musical pattern. (My student won’t stop playing it!) The A section requires learning to play upbeat melody with even 8th notes. In the B section where the mood changes, the performer is required to play legato and with a softer touch. This piece has all of Wendy Steven’s fun elements that students love to play and audiences love to hear. It ends with an accelerando, the return of the intro and of course the final measures include a glissando. It will be a sure hit at a fall recital. (My student loves playing this!)
Pam –
My students (AND their teacher) are in love with both of these new fall pieces! They are so expressive but in totally different ways! Thank you, thank you, thank you for changing it up and giving us new autumn material that isn’t Halloween themed! The season lasts ever so much longer than the night of candy! We will keep these pieces in our repertoire for far longer!
Mary –
Your latest pieces are like a treat for them after they have learned their method songs, scales and technical challenges. These are like the musical icing on their cake!! I’ve never had any music that was as pleasing to learn in the pedagogical sound way you’ve designed them. The students feel they can read the music more effectively as they become progressively harder. The students enjoy the challenge and feel very accomplished in a short time playing your pieces. Parents are impressed with their progress as well. We appreciate your creativity and look forward to seasonal music for Christmas. We need more!!
Carol –
Thank you for your new Fall compositions, Wendy. Students come in asking, “May I play Harvest Bounty first?” The happy, fresh sounds of Hay Ride and Autumn’s Awakening are already favorites. This Fall, I have also included a “library” section (fun reading assignments) in their binders. They have one or two new songs each week, which they love. And most of the music are your compositions. So your Studio Licensing has made that easily attainable. Thank you for all you do for us.
Robin Steinweg –
This song is happy-making to everyone hearing (or playing) it! An adult student of mine whose hands are feeling the pain of arthritis finds it heartening to be able to play this with ease. We modified the glissando (too painful even using a square of felt) to grace-noted G’s from high to low (beats one and three for two measures, ending with the lowest G on the piano). Hay Ride has everything! Bounce and balmy breeze, refreshing frolic and calming quiet. Masterful writing, Wendy!
Patsy –
My students in the studio have really enjoyed working on: Top Dog, Leaf Surfing, Autumn’s Awakening, Autumn Glow, Hay Ride, Falling to New. We will be starting both versions of Over the River and Through the Woods, Deck the Halls, Sledding Shenanigans, and likely some others from the past. The students really enjoy working on your music. They find it easy to read, enjoy the colorful title pages, and older ones are using the QR codes as well.