Busy times…but still here 🙂   I’d like to share a free patriotic  piano arrangement with my church pianist readers.  My Country Tis of Thee is a very old hymn. The author of the melody is unknown but the words were written by Samuel Francis Smith.  

My Country Tis of Thee (Audio of free piano arrangement)

I enjoy playing Canon in D for weddings.  Recently, I added a piano solo arrangement of  Canon in D to the music store. (store offline due to construction)

Here’s a group of my piano students and myself playing a piano quintet arrangement of Canon in D, plus a violinist.

I hope to post an article by Saturday.  Our oldest son just got engaged and we’ve had company. I”m also playing for a wedding this weekend….not my son’s 🙂

How many of you are playing for a wedding anytime soon and could use a free arrangement for a wedding?

Hi!  This week I’m working on several new arrangements to offer in the music store.

I recently posted “America Medley” piano duo in the piano ensemble section of the store. It’s actually more of a late-intermediate level.

I’ve also added a patriotic advanced piano  solo of “The Star Spangled Banner”.

Audio excerpt of America Medley

Wow!  After writing this piano arrangement of “O Holy Night”, I discovered that it was originally written in 4/4 time.

I like it in 6/8 time. It gives it a more flamboyant movement.

Here is part 2 of the free piano arrangement of “O Holy Night”.

O Holy Night in A Flat page two through four

Part 1 of “O Holy Night in A Flat Major can be downloaded from the following link:

O Holy Night Page One

O Holy Night has a wide note range! As a church pianist, I usually have to lower this song for vocalists.

Maybe you can use  this simple piano arrangement as either a piano solo or vocal accompaniment.

This is part one of O Holy Night.

O_ Holy_ Night_ in _A_ Flat

O Holy Night Part Two

I enjoy getting with my piano friends and playing piano duos!

Here is Betsy Kistler and I practicing for an upcoming concert at the mall.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen piano duo is available on this website in the new music store. 

Here is a video of my piano duo “Joy to the World”.

Nathan Mason is one of my more advanced students and enjoys playing piano duos as you will notice.   🙂

I do apologize for the lack of balance between the two pianos.

This piano duo of “Joy to the World” is featured on my
“Simply Christmas” Cd and is now available in the music store.

I just finished sharing chord substitutions for “Silent Night” with one of my piano students.

I was surprised at how fast she caught on to me just calling out the chord names and she just played that chord frame in the left hand while playing single note melody an octave higher with the right hand.

Special note:  This student does play by ear but can also read music.

Click on the following link for “Silent Night’ lyrics with left hand  chord substitutions:

Silent Night chord substitutions  Key of C Major

Our choir is singing “What Child is This?” in unison.  We’re singing it in a lower key.  Since the choir is unison….I like to insert chord substitutions to dress it up a bit.

I wrote a simple piano arrangement of “What Child” just so our other pianist could follow my chording to avoid chord clashes between us 🙂

Feel free to use this as accompaniment for unison choir or a vocal solo.

It wouldn’t be appropriate for a piano solo  because the melody is missing here and there.  Although, most of you could probably insert the melody in those places 🙂

Hope all is going well with your church’s Christmas program practices.

Click the title below for the free Christmas piano arrangment:

What Child is This?