Fun Experience with "Favorite LDS Piano Solos Book 3"

Here's another fun email I received from a piano teacher who was playing out my new book, Favorite LDS Piano Solos III.

Jason,
I am a piano teacher and have lots of LDS piano students. I have 32 students living in several different wards and stakes. I use your hymn arrangements for my students to perform in their sacrament meetings. I just have to keep track of who is in what ward, and which hymns have already been done in each ward. I love that your hymns are beautifully simple and not over done. I have a student that is doing Green Hill and My Redeemer lives, back to back, for Easter. Keep up the good work! We love you, Carrie Allen

True Story:

So I get asked to perform and accompany choirs or play at baptisms. I was playing for a private baptism for a little boy, Tanner. After he was baptized and we were waiting for him to get dressed, I played Kolob, I Know That My Redeemer Lives and Be Still My Soul. He came in, was confirmed, closing song and prayer..........As soon as the Amen was said, 30 people came up to the piano to ask me what song was that???? (Kolob) Where did I get the beautiful arrangements, etc? I had to remind everyone that maybe they should go congratulate Carter on his baptism and not to be distracted by the beautiful music.

New Song Arrangement - Be Thou My Vision / Take Time to Be Holy

This was a fun email I received in response to my new arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision/Take Time to Be Holy". It's these kind of emails that keep me writing and sharing my music.

I now have a piano solo arrangement of this song, as well as a flute/piano duet for the song. We've also finished full string orchestra to accompany the piano on the song. There will still be a few changes on that version, but it will be available soon.

Email Received: 4/10/2011

"I am overwhelmed! This is so beautiful, and the melodic changes in the 4 “verse” are stunning. I wondered how it would translate into piano from the flute part, and it is truly breathtaking. I had no idea that you would pick this up and run with it as you did. I can tell you have enjoyed this melody as much I do. I hope your family is also enjoying it. It should be shared.

May I make a confession? I just couldn’t help myself (which may give you an indication of how well this will sell). I got 15 pieces of music on Wednesday night at midnight for a violinist and Thursday night I got another 13 pieces for a flautist, both of whom were to play Saturday for 1 hour each at the Temple open house. It wasn’t easy music, I had very little time to rehearse, and am only able to practice after 7:00p because of my business. I went to a member’s house to practice on a “real” piano (don’t ask), and as part of my “gift” to them for having to endure 2.25 hours of unrecognizable accompaniment music, I gave them a peaceful departure and played 15 minutes of some of the music I will perform on the 23^rd in my solo time slot. As part of that gift I included what I knew to be her absolute favorite hymn, Be Thou My Vision (your version), as the closing number. When I finished, the house was quiet and peaceful, just as I hoped it would be. That was this past Friday. Yesterday I ran into her at the open house (she was an usher) and she told me when she heard that song she told her husband to let her listen and enjoy. She could feel the spirit wash over her as she listened to your beautiful music. Here is the confession…I felt “compelled” (moved by the spirit is more like it) to play it for the open house. It was our stake’s “day” to run the open house, and knowing it was a favorite to those who surrounded me, the flautist joined in and we played a stunning duet that nearly quieted an otherwise noisy tent full of visitors that was 85 degrees. It was the piece that hushed the soul, brought the spirit to us all, and stopped a crowd in their tracks. One woman ran over to see what it was, and I told her it wasn’t published yet, to which she replied, “That’s a shame. That’s the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.”

I hope you’re not mad at me for taking the opportunity to share so much of what I felt in my heart with the members of our Stake and the community who came to see the Atlanta Temple. You are a remarkable artist with a talent to give life to music; a life that allows the spirit to touch the souls of those who are blessed to be within the range of such melodic notes. This is Elder Giddens favorite piece of music and I will be playing it for him on Easter Sunday. THANK YOU! You will never know how much this means to any of us who are blessed enough to play or hear it."

Linda P - Georgia