Invite Greg to do a church pianist seminar in your area. Besides giving practical tips that are useful for church pianists of at levels, he will inspire your pianists to strive to get better.
Here are popular topics that Greg often covers:
Traditional congregational accompaniment (hymnplaying)
How to play softly during quiet times of the service.
Theory that every church pianist should know.
How to change triads into 7th chords.
Chord substitutions
Modulations
Basics of arranging
If you would like Greg to cover something not listed above, just ask. Greg also conducts masters classes where your pianists can play pieces in front of their peers and get feedback.
A typical seminar can be as short as an hour or two or be as long as a full day. Full day seminar typically include a series of classes along with a few masters classes. Greg will also work one-on-one with your pianists outside the seminar if they wish.
The material presented will not be fluff. Greg uses music theory to give very specific tips that can be applied to any song. Every attendee will leave with concrete things they can do to improve, and most will leave inspired to work harder.
What level do pianists need to be at in order to learn from the seminar?
Greg is used to working with church pianists at every level, and will do everything possible to make the material practical for everyone. Invite pianists at every level to the seminar, including students. If there is too much difference in skill levels, an optional beginner or advanced session might be appropriate.
What results can I expect to see?
While a one-day seminar is not sufficient to teach pianists everything they need to know, it is enough to provide inspiration and a few seeds that will start pianists on a journey of growth. Greg himself can point to those kinds of events as influential in his development.
As your pianists get excited about learning, there are numerous resources to help them after the class including the free lessons at www.greghowlett.com as well as Greg’s DVD course Inspirational Improvisation.
What is the cost?
Greg asks only for expenses, and is appreciative for anything you decide to pay him over that. You can pass some of the costs along to the attendees if you wish. Also, consider collaborating with other churches in your area that are interested.
Ideally, Greg likes to combine Saturday seminar with Sunday concerts. This helps churches spread the travel costs over two events.
How is Greg’s teaching style different from others?
It is very common to teach these concepts by simply playing a song and letting people watch over your shoulder. This approach is ineffective and frustrating for the pianists trying to learn.
Greg is different in that he gets very specific. For example, he is not going to tell pianists to find chord substitutions; rather, he is going to tell them substitutions that work and why they work from a solid theory perspective. To our knowledge, his approach is very unique in this regard.
Pianists will be able to walk away with concrete principles and tips that they can easily apply to any song.
How do we get started
If you are interested in hosting a church piano seminar, please contact us. Typically, churches agree to host the event by simply providing a room with a good piano. If you are a pianist, just ask your music pastor if he would be interested. Hosting these events is a great opportunity for churches to get exposure in the community.
If your church does not have enough pianists to justify the event, call other churches in the area to see if they would be interested in sending their pianists. Call us for more marketing tips and strategies.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Greg. He has a wealth of information to share, and does so in a very practical manner. His professional and personable presentation combined with his subtle humor makes for an enjoyable experience.
I highly recommend Greg's ministry; he's a great role model for our students, and a tremendous source of inspiration for all levels of musicianship.
Everyone who attended our piano seminar had nothing but positive comments to share. He's the kind of clinician you'll want to have back; I know we will!
James Koerts Composer, Recording artist, and Music Minister at Mikado Baptist Church, Macon, GA
Greg's ability to communicate a message through his music is only rivaled by his ability to connect with people. When our church hosted Greg's piano workshop for local church pianists in the Fort Worth area, I was relieved to find that Greg was able to address a variety of issues on differing skill levels.
Every participant was extremely pleased with the practical tips they learned and were surprised that Greg was so "down to earth" despite his success as a pianist. The very next morning I found one of our church pianists practicing the chord progressions and substitutions Greg taught during the workshop, and what a nice difference it made.
Every church pianist, regardless of their experience or skill level, will benefit from Greg's knowledge of music philosophy and theory. As far as I'm concerned, Greg's workshop will be a yearly event for our church.
