Contemporary Christian Hits: Piano Book

These arrangements capture the emotional directness of contemporary Christian music while respecting the integrity of well-loved songs that your students and congregation already know. Bober writes for pianists at this level with care, balancing musical substance with playability so the focus stays on the music's spiritual power rather than technical struggle. Programming them creates natural bridges between Sunday worship and concert performance, giving your pianists repertoire that feels both meaningful and achievable.

These pieces convey the warmth and sincerity that make contemporary Christian music resonate with listeners. Bober's harmonies honor the original songs' emotional content while adding pianistic depth through varied textures, thoughtful voicings, and moments of both intimacy and grandeur. Each arrangement invites genuine musical engagement rather than mere note-playing.

This collection serves pianists preparing recital repertoire, church musicians building a contemporary worship library, and festival participants (the collection is a Federation Festivals 2024-2028 selection). Whether you're accompanying services or performing solo recitals, these arrangements offer substantial, spiritually meaningful material at an early advanced level.

• Balance the melody line with accompaniment texture. These arrangements build their emotional impact through clear, singing lines, so avoid the temptation to drive the tempo or overpower supporting figures.
• Use the provided approximate performance times as a guide for pacing during services, but allow yourself flexibility in rubato, especially at key moments of harmonic or melodic intensity.
• Pay attention to the fingering suggestions Bober has included. They're designed to facilitate smooth voice leading and hand position, which becomes especially important in passages where the melody moves between hands.
• Consider the liturgical context where each piece will be performed. Some arrangements work beautifully as reflective service music, while others suit concert settings where you can let them breathe without time constraints.

These arrangements work naturally in Sunday services as preludes, offertories, or postludes, especially when the songs connect thematically to the day's message or season. For recital programming, select pieces that balance together emotionally and tonally, or perform a group of three to five consecutively as a contemporary Christian suite. Festival competition provides an excellent context to develop each arrangement to its fullest musical potential.

• Singing a melodic line while maintaining independent accompaniment textures
• Navigating block chords and arpeggiated figures in contemporary harmonic language
• Reading and executing fingering patterns that facilitate hand position transitions
• Shaping phrases with rubato and dynamic control suited to worship music
• Interpreting performance markings and tempo indications for spiritual expression