Whacky Chopstix

For over a century now, "Chopsticks" has been a staple of the beginning piano student's repertoire. Many of us learned to play it even before taking lessons or learning to read music. And, of course, it is one of the greatest piano duets ever written. Okay, so maybe that's a stretch. But "Chopsticks" is certainly one of the most recognizable piano pieces around. And while it's not the most singable tune, it does lend itself extremely well to Boomwhackers®.

Our arrangement features Boomwhackers® playing the "primo" part of the piano duet. There is also an optional Bass Boomwhacker® part that acts as the "secondo" part. You could make a real production of the performance by having your players march onto the stage from both sides, proudly holding their Boomwhackers®. Keep the two sections of Boomwhackers® separated for the "duet" effect.

The recording for "Whacky Chopstix" includes piano, flute, clarinet, and strings. The flute and clarinet have interesting contrasting melodies that give the arrangement a little variety. Using the CD accompaniment will definitely make for a great performance. However, if you have a nice piano and a couple of fairly accomplished pianists at your disposal (even other students), you could have a really neat, totally "live" experience. We should note that the included piano part is written as a solo, but it wouldn't be too difficult to break it into a duet.