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"Be Still My Soul"

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0500

I am happy to introduce a new instrumental collection entitled "Be Still My Soul" (published by Soundforth.) My daughter, Jen Whitcomb, has joined me to arrange this flute duo collection, with optional solos. I think you will enjoy the old and the new songs that are included.

It really has been a joy to collaborate with both of my children in instrumental collections. Several years ago, my son Mark and I created a book of trumpet arrangments titled "Give Me Jesus" (also published by Soundforth). I think all those years of music lessons are starting to pay off!

Winter 2011

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:10:00 -0500

Life gets busy! But that is no excuse for my long absence from this page, so here goes....

I am so excited to be playing at Northland International University next week, in their Chamber Series. Of course, -2 temperatures may be a bit of a hindrance, but I have stocked my handwarmer packets, so we're good to go! I'll be teaching four classes in the music department while I'm there, and am looking forward to seeing old friends, as well as making new ones.

Several new books have been released since I last wrote:

Grace So Amazing is available from Soundforth. This is a very usable piano/organ collection written with my good friend and fine organist, Carolyn Hamlin.

Seasons Of Worship (Soundforth) is an early-advanced piano solo collection, including well-loved older hymns as well as newer ones, such as Power Of The Cross.

Following Jesus (Soundforth) is the newest keyboard release for early intermediate pianists, with optional teacher duets.

Be watching for a new flute collection coming this summer, written with my daughter, Jennifer Whitcomb. Also, Lorenz is publishing a couple of piano collections in the next few years. The first one will include some Lorenz tunes, such as Walk Worthy, which is the title song.

Stay warm...keep practicing...keep serving the Lord with your music!

New Trumpet Collection from Soundforth

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:37:00 -0500

A new trumpet/piano collection is now available from Soundforth! "Give Me Jesus" is a collaborative effort with my son, Mark Lopez. Included with the book is a demo CD, with additional play-along trax. Mark and I had a wonderful time doing this project together. It started in our living room, before Mark was married, when we would play together to prepare offertories for church. We both wanted to create something where the trumpet wasn't too "busy," and where the simplicity of melodic line would carry the text and message of the song well.

You will be able to enjoy old familiar hymns, some newer tunes, a Spiritual, a Christmas piece, and a missions medley (Jesus Saves.) Please see the list of tunes below.

Be Thou My Vision/Before The Throne of God Above/Give Me Jesus/How Deep The Father's Love For Us/Immortal, Invisible/I Will Arise/Jesus Paid It All/Jesus Saves (with Lord, Send Me Anywhere and Lord Lay Some Soul Upon My Heart)/O Holy Night/O Sacred Head, Now Wounded/The Solid Rock/When I Can Read My Title Clear

Enjoy listening to sound samples:

http://fayelopez.com/catalog/instrumental/brass/give-me-jesus.html

Christmas Piano Music

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:52:24 -0500

Don’t you love this season of the year? Christmas at our house starts on Thanksgiving weekend, when we decorate our tree, and start to get more serious about Christmas shopping and planning. Just this morning as I was starting to cook, I listened to He Is Born (Wilds), the beautiful recording for harp and orchestra by my good friend Brigette Shevy.

I want to make you aware of some piano resources for your church playing this Christmas. If you are an advanced pianist, be sure to try my collection entitled How Great Our Joy (Soundforth). The arrangements at the beginning of the book are not as difficult as those at the end. Even though there are a few arpeggios early on, there are some directions to help you simplify these, if arpeggios are not “your thing.”

For the intermediate pianist, try He Is Born, a solo arrangement book from Soundforth for those offertories that need to be put together in a hurry (or for the budding pianist who needs to work on them a while!)

A few collections that have been out longer include:

Joyful Celebrations (Soundforth)- For various seasons of the year, this book includes three Christmas pieces. These can be used as stand-alone solos, or can be done as piano/synthesizer duos. Many people have adapted these for piano/organ, or piano/piano.

I Will Follow (Wilds)-Although this intermediate collection has been out for a while, people are still enjoying Christmas Joy and What Child Is This.

Matchless Grace (Wilds, co-arranged with Brigette Shevy)- Another intermediate-to-late intermediate collection, with three Christmas pieces included…be sure to enjoy Carol of the Bells for 1 piano/4 hands!

I already can’t wait until next year, when there will be more Christmas music options from fayelopez.com, such as the selections included in the Hamlin/Lopez piano/organ collection, and the trumpet solo of O Holy Night co-arranged with my son, Mark. Be sure to watch the website for more information as these come out in the next few months.

As we remember Christ’s birth, may the music of Christmas fill our hearts with joy!

And His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)

School Is Starting

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:57:40 -0400

School is starting...and so is my website! Today is finally the day that we launch the catalog. I hope you enjoy browsing through it as much as I've enjoyed the process of creating it, along with the talented web team!

When I was a teenager, a boss of mine on a music staff asked me to arrange a ladies' trio....by TOMORROW! I said, "I don't know if I can," and she said, "Just go DO it!" I did, and the rest is history.

My late mother was my piano teacher, and when I was very young she noticed that I liked to experiment at the piano. She was a stickler about notereading and detail in practice, but she also allowed me time to explore different chords and sounds as part of my practice time. I'm so grateful!

My wonderful mentor and friend, Dr. Dwight Gustafson, had a lot to do with the process as well. He taught a course in Graduate Composition, and it was in that class that I wrote "Lord, Send Me Anywhere," which became my first published piece more than 30 years ago.

If you haven't already, please keep reading my older blog, because it lists some of the "coming soon" projects.

Let's Sing to Him....Play for Him....as Psalm 33:3 says!

Summer

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:43:00 -0400

Summer for me means…
Not sipping lemonade by the pool…
Not traveling across the country (although we just did that for our 30th anniversary!!)…

But writing and arranging church music!

Since I teach college music full-time, the school year stays full with normal “professorial” responsibilities, and the writing happens in little spurts on the side.

But ah, the summer…many days, I’m writing by 8:30 a.m., and except for a quick lunch break with Steve, I continue until 4:30 or 5:00 o’clock, when it’s time to fix dinner.

So, what are the current projects this summer? I am working on three piano books for Soundforth as follows:

A church calendar book of offertories-
This includes pieces for the normal holidays, with additions for Lord’s Table, missions services, and stewardship emphasis, to name a few.
A fun new sacred collection for the early intermediate pianist-
These are stand-alone solos, but can be played one octave up, to accomodate duet options with the teacher. I think you find that these sound like full-blown offertories, rather than pedagogy pieces.
I am so excited to be writing a piano/organ collection with my dear friend, Carolyn Hamlin (some of you may know her as the composer of “Grace.”) She is a fine, widely published organist and composer of choral anthems, and will do her “magic” on the scores!

There are two commissioned choral pieces on the docket for pastor’s anniversary celebrations this summer as well.

I am planning several choral pieces also, mostly for the Wilds summer program of ’10.

Products coming soon:

Give Me Jesus- a sacred trumpet/piano collection son Mark and I have arranged together.
A new intermediate piano duo collection, co-arranged with Gina Sprunger (my office-mate at school.)

Well, I must run! Back to the writing...