2013 Greatest Christian Hits: Piano Book

Tornquist's arrangements capture the emotional core of these contemporary Christian hits while keeping the technical demands realistic for pianists still building fluency. The collection spans genuine stylistic variety, from contemplative ballads to driving rock grooves, so it accommodates both quiet devotional moments and energetic congregational singing. Programming a few of these songs lets you feature current repertoire that your students and congregation already know and love.

These arrangements blend contemporary songwriting with pianistic sincerity. You'll encounter straightforward accompaniment patterns and clear harmonic progressions in some moments, then discover more rhythmically interesting textures in others, all designed to support vocal melody without technical pretension. The overall effect is warm and approachable, inviting both performer and listener into the emotional world of each song.

Church pianists accompanying singers or leading congregational worship will find accessible, performance-ready arrangements that don't require years of advanced training. Students at the early-intermediate level who want to play music they recognize and hear regularly can build confidence with repertoire that feels relevant to their own musical lives.

• Balance the vocal line against the piano part by letting the melody sit slightly forward in the texture; the accompaniment should support without overwhelming.
• Pay attention to the rhythmic character of each song. Some pieces thrive on straightforward, grounded accompaniment, while others benefit from rhythmic lilt and dynamic breathing between phrases.
• Use the harmonic voicings as written initially, then experiment with inversions or octave doublings to match the acoustic and emotional needs of your space.
• When learning a new arrangement, play through the entire song slowly to understand its harmonic arc before focusing on technical passages.

Build a contemporary worship service or special music event entirely from this collection, or select individual pieces to complement traditional hymns and classical repertoire in a blended program. Several arrangements work beautifully as congregational song-alongs, while others function as excellent solo or duet features for a church pianist or student recital.

• Reading and performing contemporary chord progressions and lead-sheet style accompaniment patterns
• Coordinating vocal line awareness with independent accompaniment in both hands
• Navigating rhythm guitar-influenced figures adapted for piano
• Shaping phrase contours in popular song forms
• Building confidence with repetoire that feels relevant and current