I’ve been spending a little extra time organizing our choir music at church.

We were using 1 inch notebooks that were overloaded with music!

Each notebook was divided into:

1. Choruses
2. Easy Specials
3. Arranged specials (more involved)

Our repertoire list began to grow…causing overloaded notebooks.

I removed all the arrangements from the notebook and  filed all of

our sheet music arrangements in alphabetical order in a file drawer.

We ordered 1/2 inch 3 ring notebooks and I created a simple (black & white) cover design.

Basically, the notebooks will only house what’s needed for am & pm Sunday services.

We have a very small classroom designated for the choir and don’t have the space to hang

wall storage of any kind…so we are making use of the file cabinet which already exists.

Our music repertoire is limited but expanding 🙂

Feel free to share how your choir keeps their music organized.

Many of you have purchased my advanced or real advanced arrangement of “Abide With Me”

Someone recently requested I share fingering suggestions for measure #30. Another tip about this measure…I take it slow enough to handle the excessive movement in the left hand.

*See video below to hear measures #22 through #30  (time marker 1:01-1:26) It will give you a better idea of how this transitional section flows into the new key.

How many of you church pianists besides myself grab the hymnal just before service to figure out a few prelude songs to play?

That works for me ONLY because I’ve been around awhile and and have memorized many hymns over time.  Seriously, it’s best to prepare in advance…at least before heading to church.

I try to play within a certain theme such as: comfort, peace, joy, thankfulness, salvation, etc.

One of my readers recently emailed me asking if I would provide a categorized list of songs for prelude possibilities.

I also got to thinking….how nice it would be to write/arrange these preludes.

For starters, I’ll share the suggested prelude lists by topic.  (Please note: Approx. 5 to 6 minute per prelude) if each song is played two times.

Click here to print the Prelude by Topic List.

For church pianists in the early intermediate level….here’s a piano congregational of “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” that I barely squeezed in for this Christmas.

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

Early intermediate Christmas piano congregational, 1 & 1/4 pgs. Key of C One verse and chorus with 1st & 2nd ending. *Compatible for mostly unison singing

Price: $1.75

Click on image to view sample pages

Easy-to-Play-Christmas-Congregationals-One

NEW: Click on image to view samples: Early intermediate Christmas piano congregational arrangements, 21 pgs. Due to numerous requests, Jenifer has created these easy-to-play piano congregationals...requiring minimal practice from the church pianist. Song list: Angels We Have Heard on High, Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, The First Noel, What Child is This. *Special note: Angels We Have Heard on High contains a nice key change for last verse. *No introductions are provided but the pianist can easily create their own by playing last few measures of arrangement for the intro.

Price: $14.00

Hymn Suggestions for Thanksgiving Prelude (not extensive list)

* Most of these hymns can be downloaded & printed for free from timelesstruths.org

Place them in a notebook in the desired order for prelude.

Tip:  Write brief modulation on a sticky-note staff pad to place at end of a song if needed.

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Blessed be the Name

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Count Your Blessings

For the Beauty of the Earth

Great is Thy Faithfulness

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

I Will Praise Him

Praise Him! Praise Him!

Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart

There Shall be Showers of Blessing

To God be the Glory

I LOVE how my dad leads the congregation!  Guess I am partial.

He sings with gusto and conviction…adding enrichment to the meaning of the song.

This is Dad leading congregational singing at the recent 50th Anniversary SCACS Teacher’s Convention in Spartanburg, SC. (Hard to believe he is 80 years old!)

Yes, that’s me (off camera) in the background…just how I like it 😉

While playing Leaning on the Everlasting Arms for congregational this morning…the thought occurred to me to share one of my fill-in ideas I usually use for the last chorus. This particular hymn needs lots of dress-up to bring it to life!

Some of you pianists may not like “going off the grid” so the first line is for you. The second line is for those who like to venture out in space 😉

Hope all of you are having a wonderful Sunday worshiping the Lord with your church family.

The following example is taken from the first line of the chorus.

Enjoyed teaching you all last night! Sorry it lasted longer than expected.

I also appreciate the feedback to help improve my sessions. Thanks as well for your words of encouragement!

The following Answer Keys are in reference to our live facebook session from October 12, 2017

Click HERE to watch the archived video of this session on facebook.

Text Answer Key

Showers of Blessing Answer Key

I Will Sing of My Redeemer Answer Key

O How I Love Jesus Answer Key

Click Here to Watch Live Session Tomorrow at 8pm EST

Tune in at the link above tomorrow evening at 8pm EST… to be a part of a live facebook session for church pianists all over the world! (even as far as the Cayman Islands) 🙂

Click below to print free downloads for tomorrow’s session:

Showers-of-Blessing-example-6 8-student-version

I-Will-Sing-of-My-Redeemer-student-version

O How I Love Jesus

Modulating-Up-a-5th-Chord-Structure

Modulating-Up-a-5th

6-8-Timing-Sheet-Fill-in-Blanks

Special Note!

There may be one more sheet to download by tomorrow morning. Bring notebook paper to jot down the numerous tips you will hear sprinkled throughout this session! You’ll also want a pencil to use on the download sheets.