Concerto for piano and orchestra for an eight year old girl?

Question

I am a piano teacher and have a very capable student who will play a solo with orchestra next year. She has currently finished Beethoven's Sonatina in F major and has played it very well at the school concert (in tempo!!!). Do you have any any ideas about concertos for piano and orchestra which are suitable for a nine year old. It can also be only one movement from a concerto. I've heard Rowley's Miniature concert and Vanhal's Concerto for Children....any other suggestions or ideas? Thank you very much.

Piano teacher from Slovenia, Europe

Answer 1

Oh wow... let me check my memory banks... Didn't Mozart play a piano with Orchestra work when he was 9 or 10 years old?  My personal favorite is Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto... maybe just the first movement... it's light and, if she as talented as you say, she should be able to handle it.  Ohhh... how about something from the Nutcracker... Dance of the Sugar Plum Faires, perhaps?

Good luck... You are SO lucky... I will happily trade you 10 tone deaf plonkers who want to be famous playing the guitar for your 8 year old star... he,he,he...