From Solo to Duet: Turning “One Summer's Day” into a Shared Musical Moment
This piece came to life because of a student’s simple request.
After she had fully mastered Golden, she asked what she could play next. Around the same time, both she and her sister were constantly humming the tune whenever they came to lessons. It was clear that this music had already become part of their everyday lives, not just something on the page.
I already had the score for the piano solo, but then another thought crossed my mind. Since both sisters play the piano, why not turn this piece into a piano duet? Instead of one person playing while the other listens, they could sit side by side, sharing the melody, the rhythm, and the joy of making music together.
So I decided to convert the solo into a duet arrangement. The goal was simple: to make the piece fun, collaborative, and musically meaningful for them. At the same time, it allowed me to add a new arrangement to my library—one that carries a personal story behind it.
What started as a student’s question became a small creative project, and more importantly, an opportunity for two siblings to connect through music. Moments like these are a reminder of why teaching and arranging music can be so rewarding: every piece can grow, change, and create new memories.
Here they are.
One Summer's Day Piano Duet, music by Joe Hisaishi.
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