Home Means Nevada, for Piano

Nevada’s state song, “Home Means Nevada,” was written by Bertha Raffetto of Reno and adopted by an act of the Legislature on February 6, 1933. It’s a state song I really love, and while most long-time Nevadans can sing the chorus, the entire song is worth hearing and playing. I wasn’t able to find a decent beginner piano arrangement that included the verses as well as the chorus, so I made one.

It’s an accessible piano solo for beginner-to-intermediate players. The melody stays on top where you can hear it, the left hand keeps things simple, and the harmonies are there to support the tune rather than show off. A few notes on the page:

• Bring out the top note and keep the inner notes gentle.
• Play it warmly, with light pedal under the harmonies.
• The grace notes are optional; leave them out if they trip you up.

It sits comfortably around 100 beats per minute. You can listen to it, print it, or download it for free on MuseScore:

Home Means Nevada (Nevada State Song) on MuseScore

If you play it, I’d love to hear how it goes. I hope that by posting this online, it will become an occasional fixture of piano recitals from Elko to Yerington.