Prelude Blog

Using the Nairobi Statement in Worship Planning

Practicing and Noticing Courage as a Church Musician

Celebrating the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels

The Rhythm of Rehearsals

A Summer Celebration with John the Baptist

New Life from Death

Music Suggestions for Fewer Musicians on Pentecost

Building Trusting Relationships

Hymns to Connect with the Presentation of Our Lord

Hospitality in Worship Leadership and Planning

A Healthier Holiday Perspective

On Gratitude, Joy, and Hope

What Time Is It?

Summertime Renewal and Growth

Rethinking the Role of the Children's Choir in Worship

All Creation Sings Hymns and Songs Available as Anthems

This Is the Night! The Vigil of Easter

Psalm-Based Organ Music for Lent

Discovering Baptismal Connections in the Church Calendar

Thanking Your Volunteer Musicians

Drawing from the Well of Inspiration

Lessons and Carols for Advent

Routine Relieves Anxiety

Lessons from the Exile of the Pandemic

Hymns That Speak to Our Times

The Piano as Song Enlivener

Planning to Be Flexible

The Importance of Mentorship

Hosting a Music and Arts Camp

Intentionality in This Unusual Christmas Season

The Contemporary/Traditional Divide

The Importance of Hymns of Lament

The Animals Will Teach: A New View of Creation in All Creation Sings

Music for Lectionary 22, Sunday, August 30, 2020

Music for Lectionary 21, Sunday, August 23, 2020

Music for Lectionary 20, Sunday, August 16, 2020

Music for Lectionary 19, Sunday, August 9, 2020

Virtual Music Clinic Follow-Up

The Continued Relevance of a Musician's Handbook During a Pandemic

Solos and Duets for Pentecost and June

Zooming with My Youth Choirs, Part Three

Zooming with My Youth Choirs, Part Two

Free Sheet Music for Eastertide Vocal Solo

Zooming with My Youth Choirs

Intergenerational Choral Opportunities and Faith Formation

Out of the Ordinary: Choral Music for the Ordinary Time of Epiphany

Two Biblical Canticles

Let the Assembly Sing

Name that Tune!

One Thing for Holy Week

Reflections on Easter Vigil

Choir Devotions

Meet the Composer: Zebulon Highben

New Choral Titles for Lent, Easter, Spring 2019

Encouragement from Bach

Back to Basics: Leading Assembly Song

Meet the Composer: Anne Krentz Organ

Key Signatures and Effective Assembly Singing

Christmas in July: Piano/Organ Repertoire for Advent/Christmas

The Augsburg Chorale Book: Five Hundred Years of Singing (and Counting!)

Summer Music

Choral Music for Holy Week: Sunday of the Passion and the Three Days

A "Choral Ecology" in Worship Music Planning

The Lutheran Roots of an Epiphany Vespers

Making Biblical Stories Come Alive through Song:  Sing the Stories of Jesus

With New Voices—The Small Catechism in Song

Lightening the Load – A SAB Story

Choral Music for Fall 2017 (Lectionary Year A)

“The Replacements”: A View from the Substitute’s Bench(es)

Piano Music for Wedding Ceremonies

“Let’s Go to Camp!” Planning A Summer Choir Camp for Children and Youth

All our Treasures: A Musician's Care for the Visual Arts

Devotions for the Church Choir

One License and LicenSing Online Merge

How to Re-harmonize Hymns

Two- and Three-Part Choir Music

Free Downloads? You Bet! — Maximizing Your Prelude Membership

Five Tips For Children’s Choir Planning

Singing on September 11

Heinrich Schütz and Reformation 500

Choral Arranging in 10 Steps

20 Time-Saving Tips for Church Musicians

The Splendor of the Earth: Worship Planning and Ecological Stewardship

Singing in Summer

Unison Choral Singing

Finding Your Rhythm in Holy Week

Sharing Song with the Homebound

What Is Your Philosophy of Worship and Music?

Strategies for Supporting the Small Choir

All Hymns Were Once New: New Hymns for This Church Year

Thanksgiving: The Antidote to Worry

Register today for the National Conference for Sacred Music!

Singing with the Saints: Commemorations and Music Planning

Weaving It All Together: Church Music Planning at a Glance

How do I get my 20% Prelude discount when ordering music through augsburgfortress.org?

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

I Got Circles of Rhythm

Ten Tips for Introducing New Music

New Choral Titles for Lent, Easter, Spring 2015

Gospel Acclamations for Lent through Holy Trinity

I Want Jesus to Walk with Me

Music Sourcebook for Lent and the Three Days

Second Sunday after Epiphany-January 18, 2015

Simple Pluses for Advent and Christmas Worship

How does Prelude Music Planner enhance your use of Evangelical Lutheran Worship?

Seasonal Notes: September 2014

Stuck in the Middle with You

Seasonal Notes: Summer 2014

Easily Find Music for Special Services

Looking for ways to make your music budget last longer?

Seasonal Notes

20 Years: Thank You, Martin Seltz!

Hark, the Glad Sound?

Music Planning Is Like...

Making Demands of Your Choir

A Simple Solution to Reconnect Divided Ministries

Planning Lent Worship in Our Small Parish

How Prelude Saved My Music Planning This Advent

Still Waiting For Inspiration? Several Seasonal Suggestions

In the Bleak Midwinter: arr. Mark Shepperd

Interview with David Cherwien

Psalm Meditations for Piano: composer John Carter

Evaluating Your Choir Program: Children's Choirs, part 2

Evaluating Your Choir Program: Children's Choirs, part 1

Planning for the Fall Choral Season

Summer Clinic Leader Interviews, part 2: Zebulon Highben

Summer Clinic Leader Interviews, part 1: Jeffrey Brillhart

August Planning

I Love to Tell the Story...

To Warm-up or Not to Warm-up

Marching in the Light of God

The Choir Rehearsal

Working with Small Choirs: Part 2 -- Other Resources

Choirs with Limited Resources: Part 1 – The Hymnal as a Resource

Instant Anthem 1.0

Music ... and Silence

Sound the Bamboo!

Good Diction: Start With Your Youngest Singers

Sending Forth: Tips for a Successful Youth Choir Tour, Part 2

Sending Forth: Tips for a Successful Youth Choir Tour, Part 1

Music that "Feeds" Us

Plan to Plan

Resources to Get You Moving!

Movement in the Children's Choir Rehearsal

¡Cantad al Señor!

Lenten Music as Pastoral Care

Taking on the Children's Musical

A Brief Look at Worship Planning

The 10 Commandments of Introducing New Music

“If You Build It They Will Come……….or Not”

The Importance of Good Conducting

Hymn Concertati

Jesus died for the church: you don't have to!

Epiphany Singing

The Concert Band in Church

The Concert Band in Church

Change Ringing for an American Handbell Director

Change Ringing for an American Handbell Director

Advent Thoughts

Mannerisms and Bad Habits

The Sound of Silence

What Can We Leave Out: Liturgies With Too Many Extras

Our Music

All Saints Sunday

Nurturing the Parish Choir: Accompaniment & Collaboration, part 3

Music Planning Ideas for November 2012

Nurturing the Parish Choir: Accompaniment & Collaboration, part 2

Celtic Music in Worship

Nurturing the Parish Choir: Accompaniment & Collaboration, part 1

Worship as Spiritual Formation

Lesser Festivals: To Observe or Not to Observe

How do I plan music for Sunday morning?

Text/Music Relationship: Imaginative Performance of Renaissance Music (part 2)

Your Ally, The Guitarist

Text/Music Relationship: Imaginative Performance of Renaissance Music

Five Keys to New Life

Introductions and Turnarounds

Articulation and Accent

Tactus and Tempo

No Need to Triage: They Can Do It! - Part Two

No Need to Triage: They Can Do It!

Brass music for the church: it's not just for Easter anymore

What is Lutheran Church Music?

A Few Thoughts on Rehearsal Techniques

Handchimes and Handbells: Starting Up

Teaching Hymns to Children

Radio and Internet Ministry

Scripture Based Children's Anthems

Music Literacy Techniques

Singing the Psalms: Old Words, New Life

Teaching Hymns and Liturgy to the Children’s Choir

Worship in the Season of Lent

Quote of Note

Quote of Note

Quote of Note

Quote of Note

Leading Hymns from the Organ

On Learning New Music

A (very) little humor

The Renaissance We Need