Carter composed this piece his senior year in high school.

I (Leila, his mom) felt that Carter’s piece had appeal and others may like to play it. So, I learned it by ear and then notated it at Noteflight.com—my notation platform of choice for my work and for my students use, too. I asked my youngest son Levi if he’d like to learn to play it and as you can see in the video below, he mastered it.

Carter is not able to play it right now because he lost his right arm when he was struck by a boat.

[To learn more about Carter’s recovery, please visit his Caring Bridge site at this link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/carterviss/journal]

Both Carter and Levi play all the repeated “As” in the right hand. My notation of the piece redistributes most of them to the left hand which may be easier to manage for some pianists.

Carter didn’t have an official title for this piece besides “Freshmen Year” so Levi and I chose “Onward.” We thought it fit well with how most freshmen feel in high school—ready to move on. In addition, it’s a word that reminds us of our entire family. Carter is moving onward with incredible strength and because he is, we all are, too. And as this is being released during the world’s battle with COVID-19, “onward” seems an appropriate response for all of us as we power through this unprecedented time. 

Reminder, this is for STUDIO LICENSE. You may share this with students in your teaching studio.  Please do not share this digital download with students and teachers outside your studio.  Thank you!

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If you have any questions, please contact me at leilaviss88@gmail.com