News & Views Tuesday, August 19, 2025

My Best Performance: Piano Solos by Melody Bober
Whether at a lesson, recital, or at home in front of the family, every piano student wants to give their best performance! It is always fun to have new music that motivates practice and brings enjoyment to everyone: students, teachers and audiences alike.

Available in five volumes: Volume 1 (Early Elementary), Volume 2 (Elementary), Volume 3 (Late Elementary), Volume 4 (Intermediate to Late Intermediate), and Volume 5 (Intermediate to Late Intermediate).

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

SACRED CHORAL READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Church of the Messiah, 51 N. State Street, Westerville OH 43081
Presented by Mary McDonald
$25.00

Stanton’s is pleased to welcome back Mary McDonald as our clinician for the August Sacred Choral Music reading session. With a career that spans over forty years, her songs appear in the catalogs of every major publisher of church music. More than 1200 compositions through anthems, seasonal musicals and keyboard collections testify to her significant contribution to church music. Her greatest desire is “to give God glory for the songs He has allowed me to compose. He alone, is the true Creator behind my pen.”

In 2011, after serving as sacred music editor for The Lorenz Corporation in Dayton, Ohio for more than twenty years, Mary answered a new call. Now she takes her tremendous passion and love for music making directly to churches as an independent artist. Since then, she has been in constant demand in churches across the nation for composer weekends as well as served as host for many of the top choral music dealer conferences in the United States and Canada.

Your registration for the clinic includes a packet of over 30 new choral anthems that are hand-picked from the hundreds published each year. Please note that there is no pre-registration for this session – all registration will take place on-site beginning at 8:30 a.m. We look forward to seeing you on August 10th for a wonderful morning of singing with one of the nation’s most sought after church music experts.

Contact the Choral Department for more information on the Sacred Choral reading session.

SACRED PIANO READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Stanton’s Sheet Music, 330 S. Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
Presented by Mary McDonald
$5.00

Join us at Stanton’s Sheet Music for an afternoon of listening to new selections of sacred piano music that will be enjoyable to play in church or at home. Our clinician this year is Mary McDonald.

Contact the Keyboard Department for more information on the Sacred Piano reading session.

Eternal Praise: Sacred Arrangements for Piano and Organ Duet arr. Marianne Kim
Marianne Kim has selected seven anthems from the Beckenhorst catalog and transcribed them for piano and organ duet. These tastefully styled transcriptions, idiomatically written for both instruments, create washes of sound ranging from triumphant and majestic to tender and lyric. Highly recommended for adding color and interest to your worship services, or for sacred concerts.

Titles include: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “Rejoice the Lord is King,” “What Wondrous Love Is This,” “It Is Well With My Soul,” “How Firm a Foundation,” “Give Me Jesus,” and “And Can It Be.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

The Summer Portraits by Ludovico Einaudi
Ludovico Einaudi returns with brand new album, “The Summer Portraits.”

“I started to think of my summers, the time when my life was deeply connected with all my senses, where the days felt like months and the months like years, and I was free from morning to night, and every day was a new discovery of life, with nature being a fundamental part of it. We were one with nature.”

“I thought that everyone has their own version of the summer portraits. A beautiful season connected with the best moments of our lives. So I started to make my own paintings with music. This album is dedicated to all our endless summer memories, all our beautiful moments.” – Ludovico Einaudi

This exclusive, official folio presents all 13 pieces from the album in piano solo format. Title include: “Rose Bay,” “Punta Bianca,” “Sequence,” “Pathos,” “To Be Sun,” “Jay,” “In Memory of a Dream,” “In Limine,” “Summer Song,” “Oil on Wood,” “Episode One,” “Maria Callas,” and “Santiago.”

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Solo Celebration selected and edited by Davis Dorrough
This vibrant, six-book series showcases ten original piano solos in each book, bringing together the creative work of many well-known composers and rising talents. Spanning the early-elementary to late-intermediate levels, “Solo Celebration” highlights a variety of styles with fresh, contemporary elements that spark curiosity and imagination. Composers include W. T. Skye Garcia, Jennifer Linn, Kevin Olson, Wynn-Anne Rossi, and more!

Students thrive when they engage with music that feels relevant and exciting, and teachers appreciate pieces that balance creativity with solid pedagogy. “Solo Celebration” accomplishes both objectives, bringing together the collective efforts of both well-known composers and emerging talents. The works in this series explore a wide variety of styles, many with fresh, contemporary elements that spark curiosity and imagination. Rich with drama and storytelling potential, these pieces help students form meaningful connections with the music and are designed to inspire confident, memorable performances, whether at home or on stage.

Book 1 (Early Elementary) titles include: “Grand Waltz,” “Spooky, the Black Cat,” “Floating in Outer Space,” “Boss Battle,” “Peguin Procession,” “Evening Path,” “Video Game Time,” “Little Lucky,” “Game Day,” and “Sunrise.”

Book 2 (Elementary) titles include: “Pirate’s Secret Hideout,” “Come Dance with Me,” “Robo March,” “Under the Mango Tree,” “My Sasquatch,” “Tiptoe Power,” “I Like Ice Cream,” “Baseball Rocks!,” “Lost in the Labyrinth,” and “Celestial Lullaby.”

Book 3 (Late Elementary) titles include: “Blues for Mr. Gershwin,” “T. Rex Goes for a Stroll,” “Sassy Cat,” “At the Aquarium,” “Finger Fiesta,” “Prelude to a Storm,” “Crash Toccatina,” “Rock It!,” “Rodeo’n,” and “Desert Mirage.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Jon Batiste: Beethoven Blues
Inspired by the timeless beauty of classical music and the raw emotion of blues, Jon Batiste’s “Beethoven Blues” reimagines tradition with a modern voice. Our new matching songbook features all 11 tracks from the acclaimed solo piano album, with transcriptions approved by the five-time GRAMMY Award® winner himself.

Titles include: “American Symphony Theme,” “Dusklight Movement,” “5th Symphony in Congo Square,” “Für Elise – Batiste,” “Für Elise – Reverie,” “Life of Ludwig,” “Moonlight Sonata Blues,” “Ode to Joyful,” “7th Symphony Elegy,” “Symphony No. 5 Stomp,” and “Waldstein Wobble.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

SACRED CHORAL READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Church of the Messiah, 51 N. State Street, Westerville OH 43081
Presented by Mary McDonald
$25.00

Stanton’s is pleased to welcome back Mary McDonald as our clinician for the August Sacred Choral Music reading session. With a career that spans over forty years, her songs appear in the catalogs of every major publisher of church music. More than 1200 compositions through anthems, seasonal musicals and keyboard collections testify to her significant contribution to church music. Her greatest desire is “to give God glory for the songs He has allowed me to compose. He alone, is the true Creator behind my pen.”

In 2011, after serving as sacred music editor for The Lorenz Corporation in Dayton, Ohio for more than twenty years, Mary answered a new call. Now she takes her tremendous passion and love for music making directly to churches as an independent artist. Since then, she has been in constant demand in churches across the nation for composer weekends as well as served as host for many of the top choral music dealer conferences in the United States and Canada.

Your registration for the clinic includes a packet of over 30 new choral anthems that are hand-picked from the hundreds published each year. Please note that there is no pre-registration for this session – all registration will take place on-site beginning at 8:30 a.m. We look forward to seeing you on August 10th for a wonderful morning of singing with one of the nation’s most sought after church music experts.

Contact the Choral Department for more information on the Sacred Choral reading session.

SACRED PIANO READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Stanton’s Sheet Music, 330 S. Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
Presented by Mary McDonald
$5.00

Join us at Stanton’s Sheet Music for an afternoon of listening to new selections of sacred piano music that will be enjoyable to play in church or at home. Our clinician this year is Mary McDonald.

Contact the Keyboard Department for more information on the Sacred Piano reading session.

Popular Video Game Themes for Easy Piano
Beginning pianists can now play their favorite video game themes! Features 24 signature selections from 22 video games arranged for easy piano, including “God of War,” “Civilization VI,” “Medal of Honor,” “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” “Shadow of the Colossus,” “The Sims,” “Tetris,” “Undertale,” and more.

Popular Video Game Themes for Piano Solo
Level up your piano repertoire with “Popular Video Game Themes for Piano Solo!” This songbook features 24 iconic melodies from 22 beloved games, including “Assassin’s Creed,” “Ghost of Tsushima,” “Tetris,” and “Undertale.” Perfectly arranged for piano solo, it’s a must-have for gamers and music lovers alike. Bring the excitement of your favorite virtual worlds to life at the keyboard!

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialists

Peaceful Piano: 25 Meditative Interludes and Underscores for Worship by Mark Hayes
Here is a collection for your keyboard ministry that is both innovative and practical. Legendary arranger Mark Hayes has written 25 original vignettes designed to be used as service music. They can successfully underscore times of prayer, transition, or scripture reading, and can even be used as offertories. Each brief selection is intermediate in difficulty, and the table of contents highlights the key of each piece for easy reference. This is a volume that you will use again and again!

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialists

Our Joy and Wonder arr. Sandra Eithun
Eight fresh settings of cherished hymns are included in this new collection for intermediate sacred keyboard. “Our Joy and Wonder” contains a variety of arrangements that church musicians will find ideal for preludes, offertories, moments of prayer or contemplation. These settings are easy to learn with limited rehearsal time and rewarding to play.

Titles include: “Oh, Worship the King,” “For All the Saints,” “Reflection on a Swedish Tune,” “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “What Wondrous Love Is This,” “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,” and “To God Be the Glory.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.

SACRED CHORAL READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Church of the Messiah, 51 N. State Street, Westerville OH 43081
Presented by Lloyd Larson
$25.00

Stanton’s is pleased to welcome back Mary McDonald as our clinician for the August Sacred Choral Music reading session. With a career that spans over forty years, her songs appear in the catalogs of every major publisher of church music. More than 1200 compositions through anthems, seasonal musicals and keyboard collections testify to her significant contribution to church music. Her greatest desire is “to give God glory for the songs He has allowed me to compose. He alone, is the true Creator behind my pen.”

In 2011, after serving as sacred music editor for The Lorenz Corporation in Dayton, Ohio for more than twenty years, Mary answered a new call. Now she takes her tremendous passion and love for music making directly to churches as an independent artist. Since then, she has been in constant demand in churches across the nation for composer weekends as well as served as host for many of the top choral music dealer conferences in the United States and Canada.

Your registration for the clinic includes a packet of over 30 new choral anthems that are hand-picked from the hundreds published each year. Please note that there is no pre-registration for this session – all registration will take place on-site beginning at 8:30 a.m. We look forward to seeing you on August 10th for a wonderful morning of singing with one of the nation’s most sought after church music experts.

Contact the Choral Department for more information on the Sacred Choral reading session.

SACRED PIANO READING SESSION
Saturday August 9, 2025
2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Stanton’s Sheet Music, 330 S. Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
Presented by Mary McDonald
$5.00

Join us at Stanton’s Sheet Music for an afternoon of listening to new selections of sacred piano music that will be enjoyable to play in church or at home. Our clinician this year is Mary McDonald.

Contact the Keyboard Department for more information on the Sacred Piano reading session.

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialist

Practical Pairings: Accessible Medleys for the Church Pianist arr. David McDonald
The arrangements in this practical collection prove that one plus one really is three. David McDonald pairs two beloved hymns in each thematic-focused arrangement, showcasing why medleys are a favorite of so many church pianists. Written at an accessible level and perfect for worship through the year, the hymn texts are included to center personal worship and musical interpretation.

Titles include: “Mighty God Medley (I Sing the Mighty Power of God & A Mighty Fortress Is Our God),” “Love Medley (Jesus Loves Me & Jesus Loves Even Me),” “Grace Medley (Amazing Grace & Grace Greater Than Our Sin),” “Praise Medley (Praise Him! Praise Him! & Praise to the Lord, the Almighty),” “God’s World Medley (This Is My Father’s World & For the Beauty of the Earth),” “Thankful Medley (We Gather Together, An Ash Grove Thanksgiving & Come, Ye Thankful People, Come),” and “Blessing Medley (God Be with You & The Lord Bless You and Keep You).”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.

Music Is More Than Technique: A Guide to Why and How by Dennis Shrock
In recent decades, the classical music of past eras has appeared on concert programs less and less frequently despite its historical significance and artistic merit.

In this volume, noted scholar Dennis Shrock argues that expressive performances which transcend mere technical precision – correct notes, rhythms, and articulations – will generate renewed interest in the musical masterpieces of the past.

Using primary source quotations and music excerpts from the Medieval through Modern eras, Shrock explains how to perform historic music authentically and artfully, revealing its innate nature as intended by the composer.

In this way, the music of past eras – like its counterparts in visual art and architecture – may be “restored” to its original state and appreciated by performers and audiences alike, ensuring its continued relevance and rightful place on concert programs for generations to come.

A balance of scholarship and practical performance tips, “Music Is More Than Technique” is a must-have reference for conductors of school, community, and professional ensembles.

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialist

A Keyboard Festival of Hymns, Volume 2 arr. Lloyd Larson
This collection of piano solos from Lloyd Larson builds upon the popularity of A Keyboard Festival of Hymns, Vol. 1. Like its predecessor, this volume features five arrangements adapted for four-hand piano from Lloyd’s cantata, A Festival of Hymns. These pieces may be performed as stand-alone selections, or they may function as an accompaniment for several correlating choral arrangements Lloyd has released over the years. Pianists will enjoy the symphonic treatment given to these hymns, and congregations will be blessed as they hear time-honored melodies come to life in a new way.

Volume 2 titles include: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart,” “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?, “ “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialist

Simply Curry Vol. 3: Ten Moments of Worship at the Piano arr. Craig Curry
These ten piano solos, gathered in the third volume of Craig Curry’s popular series, provide stirring and creative renditions of well-known hymns for the intermediate pianist to play at home or share with an audience. You’ll want to fill your sanctuary with the sounds of these inspired arrangements written by one of our most respected writers.

Titles include: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus,” “Rock of Ages,” “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” “Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated,” “How Can I Keep from Singing,” “Like a River Glorious,” “In the Garden,” and “If You But Trust in God to Guide You.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.

recommended by Caryn G., Sacred Piano Music Specialist

Then I Met the Master: Songs of Our Gospel Heritage for Solo Piano arr. Brad Nix
Brad Nix explores the classic songs of our gospel heritage in this fun and joyous collection of keyboard solos. As Brad writes in the foreword, this book is a tribute to a style of music and a style of piano playing that he loves. While the volume is crafted for intermediate pianists, more advanced pianists can easily use the arrangements as templates for their own embellished performances.

Titles include: “Then I Met the Master,” “I’m Feeling Fine,” “Just a Little Talk with Jesus,” “Consider the Lilies,” “How Long Has It Been?,” “Sweet, Sweet Spirit,” “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary,” and “Goodby, World, Goodby.”

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Caryn G. is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran College (Washington state). She has over 24 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments, specializing in sacred piano music. She is a church pianist/accompanist and has enjoyed being a piano teacher and singing in many choirs over the years. When not working at Stanton’s or at church, she loves spending time with family members and friends, traveling and exploring, watching movies, reading, bike riding and most recently trying to better her culinary knowledge and be a little more artsy by painting rocks and water coloring.