Online Newsletter / June 2007

Student Playing for Religious Services

By Wesley Schaum

As your students become more experienced at playing hymns and other religious music, they may be asked to help as a substitute to accompany a choir or to play all or part of a worship service. If a piano can be used in the service, you can help prepare the student for the music needed.

Prelude, offertory and postlude music can often be chosen from pieces that the student has learned previously. Otherwise, choose new music that can be easily learned. Timing is important, especially for the prelude and offertory. Find out the amount of time needed for these parts of the service. The student's pieces should be timed to be sure they will fit the time needed. If a piece is too short, show the student how to repeat all or part of it to stretch out the time.

Learning choir accompaniments will require extra teaching help. Show your student how to find the staffs of the piano part and explain the staffs used for the various voice parts. Try to get two copies of the music that can be spread out to eliminate some of the page turns. If you think the accompaniment is too difficult, the student should decline the job. It's best to give the student at least two weeks to practice the music before he/she rehearses with the choir.

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