More Favorite Songs of Praise: Clarinet Book

These arrangements capture the heartfelt, singable quality that defines contemporary Christian praise music. You'll find yourself playing melodies that feel natural to the clarinet, supported by harmonic settings that create warmth and space for the music to breathe. The combination of well-known songs and straightforward scoring makes each piece feel immediately musical rather than like an exercise.

Clarinetists in worship settings, community bands, or church music programs seeking accessible contemporary arrangements. Students at the Grade 2.5-3 level will find material that challenges their musicality without overwhelming technical demands. This book works equally well for a single player, a pair of clarinetists, or a trio sharing the melodic line.

• Balance your tone with the piano accompaniment by listening for the bass line; this keeps the harmonic foundation clear while your melody sings above it.
• In duets and trios, lock in on one player's rhythmic approach first, especially in hymn-based songs where slight rubato is expected.
• Treat the contemporary praise melodies with the same care you would a traditional hymn tune. The simplicity of the line is its strength, not a reason to rush.
• Use the optional instrumentation flexibly; if you're the only wind player available, the arrangement still holds together with just clarinet and piano.

Feature this book for postlude music during worship services, where flexible instrumentation lets you adapt to whatever soloists or ensemble members are available. Include selections in community band concerts alongside traditional hymn arrangements, showing the continuity between classic and contemporary praise repertoire. Assign pieces to students as recital material that doubles as congregational music.

• Playing from lead sheets with optional accompaniment
• Balancing solo and ensemble roles within the same arrangement
• Phrasing hymn-based and contemporary melodies with appropriate rubato
• Reading and performing flexible instrumentation (solo, duet, trio configurations)
• Building tone control in mid-range passages where the clarinet carries the primary melodic line