Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Praise Hits, Level 3: Piano

Contemporary worship music sits somewhere between hymn and pop song, and these arrangements capture that hybrid quality. The writing is accessible and encouraging, with melodies that feel like coming home while harmonies provide just enough harmonic color to feel modern.

Piano students at Level 3 who know these songs from church, youth group, or worship gatherings and want to play them on their own instrument. This book especially serves students who might lose interest in classical repertoire alone but light up when they recognize a melody they've sung.

• Pay attention to the harmonic progressions in pieces like "In Christ Alone" and "Everlasting God." These songs rely on their chord movement for emotional impact, so voicing the harmony clearly matters more than rushing through the melody.
• Use the tempo and dynamic markings in the arrangements as your guide to character. Many of these worship songs benefit from subtle rubato and space, especially in the closing phrases, rather than metronomic precision.
• Let the pedal work for you in sustained hymn-style passages. Experiment with where to change the pedal to support harmonic clarity without muddying the texture.

Assign these pieces as reinforcement when you introduce corresponding Level 3 concepts in the Lesson Book. Many of these songs work beautifully in a student recital or worship service context, giving your students real-world performance opportunities beyond the studio.

• Playing hymn-style voicings and block chords
• Interpreting dynamic and tempo markings in contemporary sacred music
• Sustaining pedal technique across different harmonic contexts
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in accessible arrangements
• Recognizing and playing standard worship chord progressions