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Hit It. Dolores White

Dolores White at Oberlin

Dolores White at Oberlin Conservatory.

Hit It is a short character piece for solo piano with a clear jazz influence. The score is marked “sassy and accented,” and the opening immediately establishes a relaxed but stylish swing feel through triplet-based rhythms, offbeat gestures, and a steady accompanying bass line. The piece is moderate in tempo and only one page long, but it has a strong personality. Much of its charm comes from the contrast between the grounded left hand and the playful, syncopated right-hand figures.

Pedagogically, Hit It is accessible, but it still teaches important musical skills. It is a good introduction to swing style for late elementary or early intermediate students, especially those who have mostly played more square rhythmic styles. The main challenge is not speed or technique, but rhythmic feel. The performer has to avoid playing the eighth-note figures too literally and instead understand the piece’s light jazz inflection. The accents also need attention, since they help shape the character and prevent the music from sounding flat. In addition, students can use this piece to practice coordination between a steady left hand and a more flexible right hand line.

Some useful practice strategies include practicing the right hand alone to exaggerate the
swing rhythm, keeping the left hand very steady before combining both hands, and thinking of each phrase as a small gesture with attitude. Because the piece is not technically difficult, it gives students space to focus on style, articulation, and musical personality. In that sense, Hit It is a small but effective teaching piece.

Dolores White (1932-2023) was an African American composer, pianist, and teacher born in Chicago. She studied first at Howard University, then completed a degree in piano performance at Oberlin Conservatory, and later earned a master’s degree in piano performance and composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her career combined composing, performing, and teaching, and her music often drew from American, ethnic, and international influences. She was also especially interested in African American arts, Afro-Cuban music and dance, and the role of women in music.

Sources

 

Hit It, by Dolores White. Performed by Warner Nuñez-Solano

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