James Koerts and I attended the same church many years ago. I have always enjoyed his style of playing. 

He has an excellent website that offers resources to church musicians. You’ll find several free sacred piano arrangements as well!  My favorite arrangement is  For the Beauty of the Earth.

His latest piano tip article entitled, Tips for Playing Piano Preludes, emphasizes how the songs used in the prelude should be familiar to the congregation…so important! 

 Visit Jame’s website at koertsmusic.com

“The Lily of the Valley” is a nice, uplifting hymn. Several factors make this hymn a challenge for most church pianists.

The hymn is loaded with repeated notes and a very busy rhythm…(what I call….the “wordy” hymns).

You don’t want it to sound like you’re trying to chop down a tree 🙂

The church pianist needs to basically outline or (play) the main beats of the hymn. This particular hymn is in 4/4 time.   So…the pianist should at least play on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th beats…creating a steady, rhythmic  tempo for the congregation.

It’s not necessary for the pianist to play “every word” of the song when accompanying. Playing every word would limit the pianist’s ability to improvise. 

The more familiar the congregation is with a hymn…the less dependent they are on hearing the melody.  This allows the  pianist more  freedom to stray from the melody…making it much easier to maneuver through the accompaniment.

Editor notes for today’s free piano sample of “The Lily of the Valley”

Notice the left hand plays the main beats (1,2,3,4) and the right hand skip words here and there for ease of movement.

Measure #3 (beats 3 through 4)  the right hand plays notes within the chord frame being used… “sweeping upward”…for a livelier sound.

Measure #4 (beats 1 through 4) the left hand begins with a dotted rhythm for a peppy tone and drives through with octaves to maintain tempo while the congregation holds the word “soul”.

Measure #4 (beat 4) into Measure #5…the right hand moves into middle range of keyboard for variety in location.

Click here for free piano sample of “The Lily of the Valley”

Just to let you know… I’m compiling a list of free piano music that I’ve offered over time on this website or elsewhere.

There are vocal arrangements of different sorts and piano solos.

You can find this free music at the top of the page under the music store title.

Do you struggle when trying to play a choir arrangement  for the first time?

You’re not alone. I remember in my younger years…taking all the choir music home with me and learning the pieces real well.

Sighteading can benefit the church pianist in many ways!

The more you sightread…the easier it becomes to read music.

My piano teachers advised me to sightread music within my reading capablity. Why? So I would feel comfortable wading through a song that I had never seen before…which would increase my confidence. It worked! 

Always look at the following things in an arrangement before playing for the first time:

1. Time signature

2. Key signature

3. Tricky rhythms

4. Accidentals

5. Now…play the piece at a slow tempo; allowing your brain to compute what’s on the page 🙂

6. Try to look at the music as much as possible while playing…only looking down for awkward moves.

Try sightreading at least two songs a day well within your reading ability. Remember…it must be songs you’ve never played before.

The hymnal would be a good place to start for those at the intermediate level. (Example: Faber Lesson Book 3B)

I have been spending time adding a few things to my music store. Several audio samples have been added to existing arrangements.

The newest piano duo arrangement was just added today. It’s a piano duo of “Since I Have Been Redeemed”.

This arrangement is one of our church’s favorite offertories.  The piano duo is very lively and easy to learn in a short amount of time.

Sample audio of page one

One of my readers recently asked some excellent questions and thought I’d share them with some answers that may help other church pianists in similar situations.

Question #1

Just wondering how often/how long your groups practice each week….

Answer:

The following answers are not intended to be the best answers for all churches. People and their abilities vary from church to church.

So many of our choir members are involved in various ministries which limits their availabity to practice.

The majority of our choir does not read music but are willing to sing for God’s glory:)  

Our large ensembles (consisting of 6 or more people) practice at least five times before singing.

The practice sessions are usually no more than ten minutes each. Therefore, we learn easy arrangements (no more than two parts). 

Question #2

Do you and the other pianists’ pick the music or the singers?

Answer:

Once again, every church has a different situation. At our church, we have not had a steady song leader for a great length of time.

It seems as though God has called our church to prepare young men going into full-time Christian service:)   We are located a little over an hour from Ambassador Baptist College. Over the past several years, some of the college men have commuted to our church to help out in the various ministries.

 But in time, each of them have been called into full time Christian service elsewhere. It’s hard to see them go but thankful we could play a part in preparing them for what lies ahead in their life.

The pastor is glad to have me and the other pianist work up small and large ensembles for specials.   The pianists generally help choose the small and large ensemble music. Ocasionally, one of the ensemble members will suggest a song and we will use it… if it works well with the entire group.

Question #3

Does your church have a choir?  

Answer:

Yes.  Our choir meets for practice once a week on Sunday nights from 5 – 5:30pm.  Presently, our Pastor, with the help of  another college student, helps lead the choir. 

I will share a video of our men’s large ensemble to give you an idea of what we do.

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