Have you ever felt a giraffe’s whiskers?
I met a very stylish, very tall, leaf-eating creature: A GIRAFFE!
I took a day trip to the Houston Interactive Zoo and there he was. He was tall, graceful, and giving off some serious “king of the treetops” vibes. Oh my gosh, was he ever adorable!
You know giraffes are the tallest animals on the planet, right? Imagine three grown-ups stacked on each other’s shoulders, and that’s about the right way to estimate a giraffe’s height. It is really incredible to be right beside a giraffe! This is the kind of friend who could help me get things off my top shelf so I wouldn’t need to get a ladder! I could have used his help recently when I was cleaning out my closet! 🤣
I just love giraffes! They are so kind. In the wild, they usually hang out in Africa, living in the savannas and open woodlands. Imagine living in a place where trees are your buffet, and you’ve got the best seat in the house everywhere you go. With their super long necks, giraffes can munch on tasty leaves no one else can reach, which might be why they always seem so calm and relaxed. No fighting over food for them because they have exclusive access to the treetops. What a life!
As I got close to the giraffe, I couldn’t help but admire his coat. Giraffes have these awesome, one-of-a-kind patterns, kind of like a giant puzzle made of spots. Did you know that no two giraffes have the same pattern? I learned this fact that day at the zoo and I found that so interesting. It’s like their own version of a fingerprint. And when I watched the giraffe walk, I could just imagine what it would be like for this giraffe to just strut down the savanna runway. You’d think with legs that long and lanky this animal would be clumsy, but nope! Giraffes have a smooth, graceful glide.
Here’s another fun fact that blew my mind: giraffes only need around 30 minutes of sleep a day. That’s it! They take quick power naps standing up and then get back to their business. And by business, I mean just hanging around looking fabulous and reaching leaves other animals can only dream about. This is so cool! I wonder what I could accomplish if I only needed 30 minutes of sleep each day? I totally need way more sleep than that. Gosh! Can we bottle this “no need for sleep formula?”
The best moment of my giraffe visit was when my son generously offered me some of his zoo credits and said, “Mom, do you want to feed him?” I didn’t even know we were allowed to feed the giraffe! Feed the giraffe?! Oh, Yes! Boy was I ever delighted! I fed the giraffe and I even scratched his chin! I held out some long leafy greens and I held them tightly as I watched the giraffe stripped the leaves off the branch with one long gentle chomp. He munched the leaves while he looked at me as if to say, “thanks, human!” We definitely shared a long moment. Well maybe I just imagined it. But when I looked into his big, brown gentle eyes, I got an idea. This giraffe needed a song all his own, and my elementary piano solo about a giraffe, “A Giraffe Named LeeHi,” was born.
Elementary Piano Music about a Giraffe
When I got home from the zoo I quickly wrote lyrics and then added a cute little melody for my new song. Next I worked on an optional teacher duet and I made sure I added some rich harmonies so the optional teacher duet would really enhance the student solo. I put it all together to create a fun elementary piece for students that will keep them wanting to practice the piano longer.
A Giraffe Named LeeHi is now an elementary piano solo that is just packed with playful charm, just like LeeHi himself. The lyrics tell the story about my visit to meet LeeHi and the interesting melody captures the giraffe’s cool, laid-back vibe. The optional teacher duet adds a rich harmonic flair. There are spots in the elementary piano solo where the student hears wide octaves which represent the tall reach of the giraffe!
The piece is perfect as an elementary piano solo piece or teachers and even more advanced students can play along withe the included optional teacher duet and make the piece even more fun. The piece is student tested! Students have already used A Giraffe Named LeeHi for for recitals. The students and audience loved it! This piece is so perfect for recitals, festivals and other piano events alike and it is great for sight reading improvement or just playing for fun. A Giraffe Named LeeHi will be included in the Studio Savers Songs About Animals collection which will be available on my website soon. but you can get an immediate pdf download of A Giraffe Named LeeHi FREE by clicking below!
A Giraffe Named LeeHi is such a happy piano solo! Students have fun singing the lyrics as they play along. I’ve personally enjoyed many sessions at the piano playing this solo about LeeHi the giraffe and the accompanying optional teacher duet with my own students and some of my colleagues as well! We laugh and sing together and we just can’t get enough. Everyone loves A Giraffe Named LeeHi whether they’re animal fans or just looking for something fun and different to play.
Grab this piece and let A Giraffe Named LeeHi bring a little adventure to your piano practice! 🌿🦒🎶
A Giraffe Named LeeHi, Elementary Piano Solo, found in the Studio Savers Songs About Animals Collection.
Do you want to hear the song? Listen to my elementary piano solo about the giraffe I met at the Houston Interactive Zoo! Be sure your sound is on and enjoy the music to A Giraffe Named Lee-Hi.