For those of my readers on facebook….I’ll be going live on Thursday, October 12th from 8-8:30pm (could last longer)

I will make this video available on my website a couple days after the live facebook session.

I’m asking my church pianist readers to give suggested topics. I will choose the “most mentioned” topic for this session…if reasonable enough 😉  You have until September 25th to enter your topic!

Submit your suggested topic(s)  below.  Thanks!  Looking forward to this time of fellowship and learning!

Need to brush up on chord theory?

I have a chord speller book by John Thompson that I use to teach my church pianist students who need to brush up on theory.

This book  provides foundational information needed for the church pianist to effectively improvise.

 Short synopsis of book:

John Thompson’s Chord-Speller

The purpose of this book is to present the Triads (including the Dominant and Diminished Seventh Chords) in a way that will enable the student to read them, write them and recognize them by sight or sound.

Having a working knowledge of  scale and chord structure will help the church pianist with improvising hymns.

If you’re interested in seeing sample pages or purchasing the book…just click on the image of the book above.

I’m always looking for simple-approach type books and this one fits the bill!  (I don’t get paid to sell this book)  🙂

This book has been around for awhile so you may find it on Ebay or Amazon.

Every now and then I have a splurge of music ideas run through my head. Last week was one of those times.  The results: an early intermediate piano arrangement of “I Must Tell Jesus” and a new melody for an old hymn “A Passion for Souls”.  (Here’s a sample of the new tune)

A Passion for Souls

At the time of my overwhelming inspiration, I was in final editing stage on “Jesus Paid it All” ladies two-part arrangement, “Nearer My God to Thee” adding violin bow marks….thanks to help from one one of my violin friends… Abby Phillips AND an updated version of my advanced piano arrangement of “Abide With Me” written as I performed for the recent Composer’s Symposium.

Just so you know…silence doesn’t mean I’m not writing 🙂

Do modulation and transposition mean the same thing?  They ARE closely related but describe two different actions.

Modulation is the transition process (the key change itself)… that takes the pianist to the new key.

Transposition is playing a song in a different key than what’s written.

Next post will share a modulation chord that is commonly used for modulating from one key to another.

This post is in reference to yesterday’s article about Ready-Made-Hymns.

How do you like this look? The “x” marks indicate original notes to help the church pianist see what note changes were made.

Is this beneficial to you? Feedback would be appreciated! Thanks for all the comments yesterday!  Very helpful!  🙂

Just click on the following image to enlarge for easier viewing.

*Special note: THANKS for the feedback! After reading the comments here and on facebook….I will be putting these type of easy-to-play congregationals into print instead of by hand. I will do away with the original notes from the hymnbook and ONLY type in my (hopefully) easy-to-play congregational/piano solo arrangement. Thanks again for your helpful comments!

Just arrived in Atlanta today for the annual Composer’s Symposium.

I’ve learned SO much already!

The afternoon sessions were given by well known writers: Joseph Martin, John Parker and Lloyd Larson followed by an open forum by all the writers…including James  Barnard, music editor for Growing in Grace curriculum.

Just pray my sore throat doesn’t continue which just started today.  I recently got over an infection and hope it’s not coming back.

Lord-willing I plan to attend the rest of the symposium which lasts through Thursday evening.

SO much to share with you all soon!

This thought has been on my mind lately, due to things I’ve seen via internet that is disturbing.

As musicians, we must be SO careful to draw ALL attention to God with our music…something I pray I always do!

The world’s pull is VERY strong and so easy to give way to its pressure but trying to stay far above reproach because I will answer to a holy  God for my actions.

Praying for God’s wisdom and discernment as I seek to Honor Him and Him alone.

Music is my passion and appreciate all of your encouraging notes about my arrangements…it’s what keeps me writing 🙂

Your forever thankful church pianist,

Jenifer

What a nice surprise! Just returned home from a short vacation to find I won the 2017 Sacred piano arrangement(public domain hymn) contest with SMPress! (Actually I first found out by a text from my dad yesterday… congratulating me) 😉

Thanks to all my readers who purchased my very advanced arrangement of “Were You There”… during the contest selling period! 🙂

The prize money will help towards me  attending the annual Composer’s Symposium in Atlanta, Ga. this summer.   It will be my first time to attend and looking forward to learning alot!

At the request of one of my piano students…I sat down and wrote an early advanced piano arrangement of “In the Garden this morning.

The student actually requested it sometime ago but ideas just wouldn’t flow. So…I sat down at the piano this morning and the creative juices started flowing!

Trying to get it ready for publication asap.

Audio sample: In the Garden