I enjoy creating pieces with a certain student in mind. This particular piece goes to one of my older female students who enjoys playing songs in a minor key.

The idea for the introduction hit me as I laid down to sleep this past Wednesday.  I had to get up and write it down or the idea would have been history!

Even though I’m an advanced level pianist, I still enjoy playing this early intermediate arrangement of “O Come O Come Emmanuel”.

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Early intermediate Christmas piano solo, 2 pgs. A nice selection for Christmas recitals or offertory.

Price: $2.75

Meryt Wilson and I REALLY enjoyed getting together a couple weeks ago to discuss Accompanying Vocal Specials.  We came up with a series of short videos talking about various ideas on accompanying the vocalist.

Here are several practice tips for the church pianist who plays for vocal specials.

In our next video…we’ll share a couple thoughts when creating an intro for a vocal solo.  Meryt sings while I try to create intros!

Practice Tips

Part One

Finding time to practice vocal specials is a challenge for most church pianists!  Listen to Meryt Wilson and Jenifer Cook as they discuss this challenging topic.

The following article discusses the limitations that come with the intermediate level church pianist.  A reminder, they are doing the best they can do for the moment. But with a little extra practice…they can blossom into a fuller sound of playing by expanding their right hand horizon; opening up space for more left hand creativity!  The following article is meant to encourage the intermediate level church pianist.

Most intermediate level church pianists play basically in the middle area of the keyboard when accompanying congregational singing or other vocal specials.

(See the picture of their range below)

The bass part in the hymnal doesn’t normally go below the second G under Middle C and the right hand probably doesn’t go as high as the second F above Middle C unless the intermediate pianist takes quick ventures into the upper register 😉

When the right hand stays within this boundary…the left hand playing space is limited.  Taking the right hand an octave higher for an occasional spin…opens up more room for the left hand. This does not mean the pianist must stay an octave higher throughout the entire hymn.  It’s actually better to use a combination of both the middle or upper register for variety in sound.

When to change registers for the right hand?  In my early days of training, I was taught to change right hand registers at the end of a line which equates to at least two sentences.  It’s nice to gradually work your way up or down by playing extra chords or notes leading into whatever register you’re heading for.

See example below in the hymn excerpt “Like a River Glorious” (click on image to enlarge)

Click HERE to download free pdf copy of this image without comments in red

And the winner is…

Interested in a notebook which stores your 8 & 1/2 x 11 inch sheet music AND prevents page turns?!  Every church pianist can greatly benefit from this special designed notebook!

I just recently purchased one of these ChoreoKeeper notebooks and absolutely LOVE it!

The ChoreoKeeper notebook easily displays  up to six pages at once. (see video HERE where Catherine (the designer) shows how to display more than six pages with minimal turns)  There’s more….the notebook can also accommodate 11″ x 17″  landscape format sheet music!  See info HERE on Catherine’s blog.  (scroll down a ways to see)

The notebook will easily hold up to 50 pages of music which is stored in  bi-fold or tri-fold reduced-glare sheet protectors.

See the following link for more details:  CHOREOKEEPER

Catherine, the inventor of the Choreokeeper, is graciously willing to give away one free Choreokeeper in a drawing to be held next Monday, July 15th!

To enter the drawing, simply do the following:

1. Leave a comment at bottom of this article to enter your name one time.  If you want to enter your name a second time…

2. Share the link to this  giveaway on your personal blog, facebook or twitter and leave a second comment…providing the link in your comment.  This allows you to enter your name a second time in same drawing. (use my social share buttons at bottom of article for your convenience).

3. A random drawing will be held on July 15th, 2019…  8pm EST.

The winner will be announced here on my website sometime after 8pm EST on Monday… July 15, 2019

Quite often, while surfing facebook, I would come across a video advertisement for this Choreo Keeper notebook.

I never clicked on the video until recently and was very intrigued with the idea of no more page turns!

I decided to buy one of these notebooks and try it out for myself.  Absolutely LOVE it!

No more page turns for offertories!  (notebook size paper arrangements fit the page protectors for this notebook)

More details soon!

Just finished creating video recordings of the songs from my book entitled “My Redeemer and Friend”.

Lorenz Publishing owns this book of my arrangements and can be purchased HERE

I will upload them to Youtube as time permits.

Here’s an easy early intermediate sacred piano solo of “Great is Thy Faithfulness”.

This piece was also written for one of my early intermediate students.

I have several students who play in church and are always looking for early intermediate sacred piano solos that don’t take a long time to learn 😉

Church pianists are busy people! Always practicing with choir or other vocal specials…so it’s nice to have an arrangement that the pianist can learn in a reasonable amount of time.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Early intermediate sacred piano solo, 3 pg.

Price: $3.00

I originally wrote this arrangement for one of my piano students and then forgot about it.  This arrangement of “Lead Me to Calvary”makes an excellent choice for the Lord’s supper, Lent, offertory or another devotional time in your service.

Lead Me to Calvary

Early intermediate sacred piano solo, 2 pgs.

Price: $3.00