A modern, melodic original composition, suitable for students and advanced musicians alike.



Composer’s Note:

The title of this piece is taken from Sir Philip Sidney’s c.1590 sonnet sequence, known as Astrophel and Stella. The sonnets are meditations on romantic love, with the titular names derived from the Greek roots aster (star) and phil (love), and the Latin stella (also star). Hence, Stella is the object of Astrophel’s affection.


For interested students or teachers, here are a few pedagogical notes:

This piece is suitable for an intermediate-level student. It is playable as a simple waltz as-written, or as a jazz ballad with straight eighth notes. There are some left hand oom-pah shapes, as well as a couple of large arpeggiated shapes where the right hand might want to catch the top note of bass clef, primarily if a student’s hands are small (like the composer’s).


About the Composer:

Emily Nafius is a pianist in Southern California with her musical roots in jazz. As a soloist or sideman, she has performed at numerous music venues around California in an eclectic mix of styles, and recorded with a variety of jazz musicians, singer-songwriters, and rock bands. Her work as an accompanist spans classical, jazz, and musical theatre, receiving praise for her theatre work as a pianist and ensemble leader. She has maintained a teaching studio for over fifteen years, instructing musicians of all ages.