A contemporary ragtime composition that draws upon traditional syncopated rhythms and structured phrasing. It stands out for its stylistic imitation of classic ragtime while incorporating modern harmonic sensibilities.
Mastering the syncopated rhythm in the right hand against the steady beat of the left hand is essential.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Bricktown Rag is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 4.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Bricktown Rag lasts about 4 minutes.
Bricktown Rag is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include 24th Street Rag by Cameron Lee Simpson, Bullseye Rag by Cameron Lee Simpson, Banana Pepper Rag by Cameron Lee Simpson — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.