Spooky Sounds: Halloween Piano Music for Students of All Ages
Updated: Oct 18, 2024
Published Oct.1st, 2023
Isn't it scary how quickly Halloween comes up in the school year? I always start planning for this music in August so that my students have a goal and a motivation to practice right from our first lesson in September. I've gone through all of my books and online resources and compiled a great list of Halloween repertoire that I use with my students in preparation for our annual Halloween recital, hosted by ORMTA Central Toronto Branch.
First of all my main tip is to pick piece(s) that they can learn in a week or two. This might be lower than their current level AND THAT IS OK! Or you can pick something the first week of September that is a little bit of a reach, but gives them a goal to get the piece ready in two months. With a little bit of forethought and planning, it gives the students great motivation to kick start a new school year!
I also like to forgo the idea of levels and really just show them the piece on it's own. I frame it as a fun extra piece to learn for the sake of performing or enjoying on Halloween day. I do the same with Christmas music in November & December.
My first go to book is this one because:
the duets are phenomenal
it includes favourites such as Monster Mash, Hedwig's theme and This is Halloween
the music is fairly accessible for beginners who can read middle C position. I would use this with anyone in the primer level of Piano Adventures and beyond.
I've organized the rest by composer - please do buy this music direct from the composer to support them! I've put links and descriptions where applicable.
WunderKeys
Mummy Music - gives them a chance to compose as well!
Midnight Hour
(both are available from the linked site above)
Christopher Norton
Creaking Stairs - can be found in the Connections book 1
Night Sky - is in the Conservatory Canada repertoire book 3
Linda Niamath
March of the Terrible Trolls
Halloween Night
Spider's Web
Clifford Poole
Spooks - a classic! Found in most older RCM books for level 1
Christine Donkin
Haunted Harp - Prep books through RCM
Witches & Wizards - Level 3 study book with RCM
Boris Berlin
Haunted Castle
March of the Goblins
Nancy & Randall Faber (originals and arrangements)
Little Ghost's Recital
Horseman's Night Ride
Monster's Midnight March
The Crawling Spider
Adam's Family Theme - Level 4 Popular
Phantom of the Opera - Level 4 Popular
Moonlight Sonata - Technique & Artistry books
Danse Macabre - Piano Adventures Level 4 Classics Book
Skeleton Waltz - very accessible and great duet!
Nancy Telfer
Sleeping Dragon
Skeleton Dance
Andrew Harbridge
Forest at Twilight - found in the Conservatory Canada Contemporary Idioms book 2
Anne Crosby
Banshee's Ball
Julie Lind
Lady in the Woods
Jennifer Eklund
Toccata in d minor arrangement (an easy and an intermediate version on musicnotes.com)
Cornelius Gurlitt
Etude in D Minor, Op. 82 No. 65 "Night Ride" - found in Level 2 Etudes
Bonus: two more advanced works (Level 9)
Tchaikovsky's October is perfect for this time of year and Ocean Vista by Canadian composer Ruth Watson Henderson is terrifying!
There is much much more Halloween piano music out there but this list has some of my favourites and a good variety to choose from for beginners to early intermediate students. If you are interested in starting piano lessons with me, the first step is to fill out the registration form here
Happy Fall!
Compiling a Halloween list in the summer is the unglamorous part of teaching music, and it is exactly what makes the October lessons work. We build AI Fruit (aifruit.net): give it one reference image plus a prompt and it generates or reworks the illustrations, so the resource post, the printable and the social post keep the same look.
What a fantastic collection of Halloween piano pieces! I really like the idea of choosing fun seasonal music that students can learn quickly and perform with confidence. Special events like Halloween recitals give learners extra motivation to practice and make music lessons even more enjoyable. The mix of beginner-friendly and more advanced repertoire ensures that students of all ages can participate and experience success.
I also appreciate the focus on making music accessible rather than worrying too much about levels. When students are excited about what they're playing, their confidence and engagement often grow naturally. In many educational settings, Personalized Academic Assistance Improves Learning Outcomes because learners benefit from guidance that matches their individual interests, goals, and abilities. The same principle…