Jane O'Leary has composed a collection of short pieces for advanced piano students

With a mission in mind to provide advanced piano students with a collection of short pieces which focus on careful use of the sostenuto pedal, Jane O’Leary has composed a collection of five pieces for solo piano.

An experienced pianist herself, she is acutely aware of the challenges involved in writing for piano, and considers the middle pedal an underused resource in modern composition for the piano. In the composer's own words:

"The music you see on the page is often quite different from what you will hear, as selected notes are sustained while others are not. This allows for the creation of many layers of sound, carefully constructed.  The colours are subtle, mingling in new ways as they fade.

The pieces in the collection are intended as ‘studies’ for advanced students, but also work as recital pieces – either independently, in any selection, or interspersed throughout a programme between other pieces."

This is an ongoing project and she hopes to continue adding short pieces to the collection. 

At this point, she would love to send the music out to teachers and performers, and receive their feedback. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please contact CMC's Library Co-ordinator, Caitríona Honohan.