A to Z Praise and Worship Hits: Piano Book

Tornquist's arrangements solve the real scheduling challenge many church pianists face: they need substantial, professional-sounding repertoire that doesn't require weeks of preparation. These 40 pieces offer that immediately, with thoughtful harmonic choices and rhythmic treatments that elevate contemporary and classic hymn melodies without demanding virtuosity. The included fingerings and performance times show Tornquist's understanding of what working musicians actually need.

These arrangements strike a balance between respecting the integrity of beloved melodies and reimagining them through fresh harmonic and rhythmic language. Playing through the collection feels like discovering new dimensions in songs you thought you knew, with each arrangement revealing the arranger's ear for what a melody can become when placed in thoughtful new contexts.

Church pianists at the early advanced level who lead worship services and need a dependable, large repertoire of contemporary Christian and traditional hymn arrangements. This collection also serves piano students preparing for recitals or exploring sacred music repertoire with professional-quality material.

• Study the reharmonizations separately from the melody line. Tornquist's chord voicings are often unexpected; blocking them out first prevents reading them as wrong notes.
• Use the provided performance times during service planning to ensure smooth transitions and avoid rushes through transitions between pieces.
• Balance melody and accompaniment carefully in the rhythmically active sections. The clever rhythmic treatments can obscure the tune if the right hand overshadows the foundation you're building below.
• Practice the pieces in different tempos than marked to find the setting that suits your acoustic space and service flow.

Build Sunday services around individual pieces as prelude, offertory, or postlude music that matches the content of Scripture readings or sermon themes. You can also sequence several arrangements back-to-back for a brief piano concert or special music program, using the provided performance times to shape a cohesive 20-30 minute set.

• Reading and executing reharmonized arrangements that depart from lead-sheet voicings
• Managing rhythmic independence between hands in contemporary and syncopated accompaniment patterns
• Interpreting stylistic variety across contemporary worship, hymnal, and transitional arrangements
• Balancing melody projection with accompaniment texture in accompaniment-heavy writing
• Preparing professional-level church music literature efficiently