- Level: Late Elementary
- Pages: 5 pages, 3 pages of music, cover included!
- Style: Majestic and Dynamic
- Bonus: mp3 performance track + QR code to access recording online
- Format: PDF instant download
The Great Wave is an exciting, majestic piece that puts into music the image of breakers crashing at sea, making it an exhilarating recital piece! This solo was inspired by the iconic woodblock print called Under the Wave off Kanagawa by the artist Hokusai, which has inspired various works of music (besides this one)!
What level is The Great Wave?
The Great Wave is in C Major and set in common time. The smallest note value in this piece is the eighth note. There is harmonic pedaling throughout the piece. The biggest interval is a fifth. The piece features triads, accidentals, grace notes, and moving around the keyboard. The A section can easily be taught by Rote and Reading®. The piece is carefully edited with pedagogical fingering and articulations, making this an excellent teaching or recital piece!
Bonus recording and link to exhibit included!
The Great Wave 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!
In addition to the recording, the QR code links to a special page where a copy of the painting exists and also a link to an interesting exhibit about the painting that students of all ages will find interesting!
Art and Music Series
The Art and Music Series features piano solos inspired by famous works of art. This series will be expanding to include all kinds of art from a diverse group of artists and will be an excellent exposure to great works of art, styles of art, and artists from around the world. Music Cubed is included in this Art and Music Bundle. Other pieces in this series include:
- Blue Chair Chillin’
- Recess Rally
- The Great Wave (that’s this piece!)
- Mona Lisa Melody
- Music Cubed
What is the Studio License?
The Great Wave 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.
Adrienne –
My students absolutely LOVE “The Great Wave” and “Music Cubed” !!!! I knew these pieces would be a huge hit with my Jr high and high school piano students. I always give my intermediate level students several choices to pick from for their May recital piece. As soon as I played one of these two for my students, their reaction was a resounding ‘YES, I want to learn this piece now!!!’. It’s a good thing I have two recitals back-to-back. I can have students perform these pieces in both recitals. They also loved the idea behind the inspiration from famous paintings that motivated you to compose these pieces. These styles of piano pieces are highly motivating for teens, and I personally would love to see more of these in your future compositions.