Are there other church pianists besides myself who work with instrumental or vocal groups for special music at your church?
Over the years I’ve developed some guidelines to help us use our time wisely. I know every church has its own level of abilities. That being said, you may need more or less practice than what’s suggested below.
We stick with unison or two part arrangements for our ladies’ and two to three parts for our men’s groups. You would be amazed at how nice unison can sound… especially if the pianist can make up for lack of harmony by using chord substitutions…creating a colorful; rich sound.
I try to allow for a total of six rehearsals when the arrangement is new to them. The group just stands around the piano for all but the last practice. (Details below) In addition, I email practice audios for those wanting additional practice. With the group providing surround sound around the piano…I’m able to listen to their blend, balance of parts, etc. and better coach them as they sing. Once the group becomes familiar with the words…say…maybe after the first three practices…I’ll ask them a question about the approaching sentences in the song (while they’re singing and I’m playing)… forcing them to think about what they are singing. I LOVE doing this, because you can hear the difference in their voice expression…making for very effective communication!
For example, I’ll use the hymn “Amazing Grace” since everyone knows it 🙂 While the group is singing the first sentence..”Amazing grace how sweet the sound…”
I’ll ask the following question for the upcoming sentence…”What did God’s grace do for you?!” They’ll answer in singing response “That saved a wretch like me!” 🙂 The results: A more meaningful delivery!
If it’s an arrangement they have done before…we may only have four practice sessions.
Our practice sessions are generally no more than 10 minutes.
General checklist for carrying out the group rehearsals:
Beginning of 1st practice (may need to cover at second practice too in case someone was missing at first practice), hand out practice schedule which includes the date and service for when they are singing.
Kindly tell the group that it will work best to attend all of the scheduled practices in order to be adequately prepared. Otherwise…they can wait until the next scheduled time. (Exception: missing one practice due to sickness or other unavoidable reason).
Make following suggestion: Arrange someone to watch your young kid(s) during these practices. (Our ladies are SO good about doing this)
Please remind them that each person is essential to the group as a whole. (Have them stand in the same order for each practice.) Each person gets accustomed to singing by the same person for each practice so it can throw a person off when they’re missing a team member.
The vocal ensemble will practice on stage around the pulpit during the final rehearsal for a sound check. (Arrange for sound person to be at this rehearsal so he or she can do the sound check.)
Our ultimate goal is to honor Christ by being adequately prepared. I Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”*I usually have groups practice around the piano that I’m playing for a more up-close
Most of the above suggested guidelines will also apply to instrumental ensembles….depending on the age of your members.
Hopefully the information above has been an encouragement to other church pianists who work with vocal and/or instrumental ensembles.
*Next article: What details I work on with ensembles during these brief rehearsals
During choir practice yesterday afternoon…our choir was practicing “Faith is the Victory” in unison.
I noticed it was just SO awkward trying to grab all the melody notes…especially during the verse!
Each sentence of the verse starts on a fast note (eighth note) making it almost impossible to keep up with the melody. I thought, “The choir KNOWS the melody…why not delete the first word of each sentence to alleviate the awkwardness!?! (Exception: I’ll play the first word of the song to allow for secure entry) 🙂
My mind devised a plan to ease up my old moving hands 😉 Time to have some fun! Just stay within the vicinity of the melody and you won’t get AS lost 😉
Let the singers do the work!
The result: (Download the free pdf version of “Faith is the Victory” below)
I was able to adapt When I Survey Ensemble to a two piano arrangement. I know not every church has three pianos in addition to flute and clarinet but hope this arrangement of When I Survey will be more feasible for the church pianist(s).
We have two pianos (one grand plus one digital piano) at our church on opposite ends of the stage. I’m going to add strings and have one of our pianists play the digital for the strings. I’m bringing in two… 76 key keyboards and placing them facing me at the grand piano. The flutes and clarinet will play from the front pew facing the pianos. I have found it easier to stay together when positioning the instruments as close as possible to each other with the pianists facing each or maybe side view (depending on the space) in order to see each other’s movements for unified playing.
I’m sharing a “buy it now” and preview of the two piano version below. Click on the image to view a sample page from each piano part.
Intermediate to late intermediate sacred piano duo (two pianos) 4 pages per piano. *Adapted from "When I Survey Palm Sunday Ensemble" Also available as Three Pianos with flute and clarinet
Early intermediate to Advanced Ensemble
Includes: Three Pianos (Piano One: Early Advanced, Piano Two: Late Intermediate, Piano Three: Early Intermediate)
One flute clarinet or Two Flutes (2nd flute can replace clarinet)
*Piano 3 is optional and a violin can replace flute #1
View sample pages by clicking on product image.
10 Late intermediate to early advanced piano congregational arrangements. 37 pages
Songs include: And Can it Be, At the Cross, Come Thou Fount, Heaven Came Down, Higher Ground, I Shall Know Him (My Saviour First of All), It's Just Like His Great Love, My Faith Has Found a Resting Place, Near the Cross, What a Friend We Have in Jesus)
*Special note: The arrangements in this booklet do not support the four-part singing found in most hymnals. *Other suggested uses: vocal solos, violin specials, unison choir specials. **Another special note: These arrangements can not stand alone as piano solos since some of the melody is absent during the piano accompaniment.
Price: $16.00
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Congregational piano accompaniment, late intermediate to early advanced, 4pgs Contains two verses and two choruses.
*Supports unison or soprano and tenor voice parts. Not intended for four part singing.
