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?
Ever been nervous while playing an offertory? I’ve never met a church pianist who hasn’t dealt with this issue. (including myself).
A question from one of my readers…
How do you address the issue of nerves with your students? I am completely comfortable playing congregationals, but as soon as it is time for the offertory my hands start shaking!
A music professor shared some sound advice with me several years ago, about my being nervous to play or sing at church. I’m human too 🙂
He said, being nervous reflects on self.. thinking about how I will sound or look when I’m playing or singing in front of others. Then he said what I didn’t want to hear….PRIDE. I know…pride is a sin and therefore…well…
So true! If you think about it…being nervous hinders us as church pianists from being effective communicators through music.
I still get nervous at times, but this wise man’s words have rung in my ears many times… as a gentle reminder to forget self and focus on the message of the song. Ultimately, I should rely on God to help me convey His message of truth in song.
I also find it easier to play for congregational singing as opposed to playing for an offertory. During the offering, the church pianist is more on display right? 🙂 Just forget about all those eyes watching you and focus on the message of the song. I like to sing along in my head as I play…which draws me into the song. Just ask God to give you peace.
Either my parents or piano teacher once advised me to imagine myself just playing in my own livingroom when having to play in church. I found this helped me to forget the audience and focus on what I was playing.
I will have to say that experience over time does wonders to ease the nerves. I’ve been playing for church since about age eleven. I’m ancient now! Well…just 46. But…long enough to have gained some experience.
God has a way of keeping me humble if I get too prideful 🙂
There is another side to being nervous. Maybe the pianist hasn’t prepared enough and therefore he or she is nervous. Valid reason! Or…it could simply be…the pianist has chosen a piece above his or her level. If you can’t play it at home without struggling after sufficient practice…then don’t play it. It’s better to play a simple piece well than to play a fancy piece poorly.
In closing, I’d like to encourage all church pianists, including myself, to focus on pleasing God with our music and so much will just fall into place.
Thanks for your visits and comments! I pray for you all as you seek to please the Lord with the talents He has blessed you with.
I’ll be posting a free piano arrangement of “Like a River Glorious” sometime this week. This free arrangement will be written in a prelude/congregational style for the church pianist.
“Like a River Glorious” is a beautiful hymn….speaking of God’s wonderful, everlasting peace that He gives to those who have trusted in Him.
To start with…I will show you a page of hymn arrangement samples containing scales. Scales are used to embellish a melody or simply as a fill-in. In the following examples…both functions are utlizied.
Count Your Blessings (the opening scale is added as extra filler to an introduction)
Jesus Loves Me(the scale creates a nice dress-up for the melody)
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning(this scale creates a nice filler on the syllable “more” and blends into the next two words “But to”)
Editor Notes for final page “Practical Scale Exercises”
When trying to master technical passages in hymn arrangements…I will isolate the passage and master it. Sometimes I create or embellish upon the passage making it more fun to practice. Hope the following scale exercises will stimulate other church pianist’s creativity.
