Here’s a free copy of the music schedule I use for scheduling special music.

We usually insert special music on a Wednesday at least once a month but I left it out of this free handout.

I wish we could have special music every Wed. but time limits adequate practice for that many entries per month.

To prevent excess schedule conflicts, I make a rough draft copy…using a pencil to fill in the slots. Then I email everyone to verify the date works for them.  Several days later, I create the final schedule and email them a copy.The whole process takes at least three to four days.

Click on the following title for free copy of music schedule: January February Special Music Schedule

If you would like a blank schedule (without months and dates)…just leave a comment below requesting a blank template of the music schedule).

If someone were to ask  me if I practiced piano like I should…I would have to say, “Unfortunately…no.”

The older I get…the less motivated I am to practice. Anyone else have this problem or would admit to it?  “smile”

I hear this confession quite often from other composers. We spend so much time writing that we don’t take time to just sit and play.

What really motivates me…is getting with other piano friends and playing duets and duos.

I find myself wanting to sharpen my sightreading and technique skills.

A piano friend of mine and I are planning to meet  once a month starting in January. We plan to do  alot of sightreading.

I’m also planning to play a concert in the spring with another one of my piano friends to keep me on my toes.

Playing for a smaller church requires shorter offertories. The majority of the challenging arrangements I’ve learned through the years are too long for our offerings. I find myself just playing something from the hymnal most of the time.

Playing simple offertories from the hymnal is fine but I need a challenge every now and then… so occasionally, I’ll play a longer arrangement.

Click each song title  below to see the short offertories available on this site…

Let the Lower Lights Be Burning

Hallejuah, We Shall Rise

My Saviour First of All  (I Shall Know Him)

Feel free to share some of your own motivating practice tips by clicking on “comments” below.

Sincerely,

Jenifer

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?

Yes, I have been rather busy but taking time to send you all another free  Christmas piano arrangement.

It’s an intermediate piano solo of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”.

I wrote this arrangement for a student of mine last year for the Christmas piano recital.

Hopefully you or one of your students can make use of it.

You will see fingering suggestions throughout the arrangement.

Piano solo: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

I am giving away one of my piano arrangements off my Christmas CD…entitled “Simply Christmas”.

For more information on this CD, click the following link:

 https://thechurchpianist.com/christmas-cd-simply-christmas/

Free Audio: Silent Night  

This arrangement is written in a free style…which means not as structured as my other arrangements.

Click here…for Free Piano Arrangement of Silent Night