A favorite composition from my college Music Theory days featuring a theme piece on Silent Night along with several variations on the theme. In each consecutive variation, composers are expected to develop their theme material in many ways including (but not limited to): differing time signatures, genres, and added ornamentation. Also, (my favorite part) if the theme material is in a major key, then at least one variation must be in a minor key (or vice verse). Let this piece take you on a new journey with a classic twist on a traditional Christmas favorite!

Theme & Variations on Silent Night

A short Dixie Swing theme chorus with a classical-style twist (as opposed to a New-Orleans-style twist). This track in its entirety makes a great unintended musical fusion backdrop for the patriotic folk song "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie.

Dixie Swing Theme

A solemn and reflective, hymn-like worship chorus/refrain that reminds me of an old-time prayer hymn played in modern classical style. Great for playing during offertory time at church!

Prayer Psalm

A beautiful minor song filled with sequenced musical themes in both the Verse and Chorus. The similarities of the Chorus's chord structure & melody to that of two older Christian songs entitled "El Shaddai" (Amy Grant) and the chorus of "Cornerstone" (Leon Patillo) is unintentional as the lyric line came first and the chords came later.

The Rose and the Briar

A soothing and contemplative piano piece recorded impromptu during a light thunderstorm (for mood enhancement). The title is derived from the right-hand melody and left-hand accompaniment which bounce back and forth, often one note at a time, gently weaving one sound into another while creating calming & relaxing melodic consonances and dissonances with a peaceful effect.

This piece is quieter, so please feel free to turn your volume and bass effects up as loud as desired to allow yourself to take in the greatest effect of the music and thunder. I-Phones & headphones are some other great options for optimal listening quality! (Just don't forget to turn your levels back down afterwards.)

Credit: Thank-You, Heavenly Father, for giving me the idea to attempt a thunderstorm recording! Your evident breath transforms the simple into the supernatural!

Leaves Falling Softly on the Water

This arrangement is my personal spin-off of Randall Hartsell's arrangement of the Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (originally composed by Lewis H. Redner & a public domain song). Randall Hartsell's arrangement was published in a Christmas song collection for Intermediate Pianists entitled 'A Christmas to Remember' and produced by Alfred Publishing in 1991. In the foreword of the book, the player is welcomed to "experiment with generous amounts of pedal and other creative interpretations." After I learned the piece in high school back in 1997, I made my own spin-off arrangement and have been playing it annually now for the past 20 years. I have made several modifications, additions, and other changes to make the piece my own (I believe enough to qualify as a separate arrangement). I'm excited to share my own spin-off arrangement with you, wishing you a very Merry Christmas both now and throughout the year! Blessings!

O Little Town of Bethlehem

"Courts of Glory" began as private words and lyrics downloaded from the Lord and stored in Pastor Kim Korba's personal journal. I became musically involved with her monthly Friday night outreach ministry events and also with Eastside Healing Rooms which she oversaw in Spring of 2008. One evening that Summer, Pastor Kim made mention of this song, asking if I could help put music to it. One of my interests in music is in Theory & Composition, so we sat down and within an hour, I had helped figure out the chords to this moving piece.
A later attempt was made to make a polished recording of this piece the weekend leading up to Pastor Kim's ordination as a pastor, yet we were unsuccessful at managing to obtain equal treatment for all of the instruments and voices in our recording.
"Courts of Glory" was officially released during Pastor Kim's ordination ceremony in August of 2008 and has been in use to-date in her own church body. Yet no official recording has been made or released up until this time.
In 2010, I moved to Mississippi for work reasons and ended up spending 7 years living there. Pastor Kim's church became my vacation church family during that season of life, and upon return to Michigan in the Spring of 2017, these folks once again became my regular church family.
Since my return to Michigan, Pastor Kim and I have again begun to collaborate on music. (CD copies of our attempted recording from 2008 were issued but ended up being forgotten about. The recording project remained in discussion but fell to the wayside over time.) I casually offered to attempt a piano dub-over to see if I could salvage the old recording. The dub-over recording turned out far better than anticipated and with Pastor Kim's permission, I am so pleased to release to you her (our) single, "Courts of Glory"!!! May you be richly touched and blessed by it's words!
Even though some of the audible audio quality of the instrumentation represented was lost in the process of creating the original recording (2008) used for this dub-over recording (2017), special thanks go out to Pastor C.S. Oosterveen for reserving the two-hour recording time slot, Pastor Joshua Sherman at the sound booth, Anthony Oleksyn at the drums, Brandy Saigh, Tracie Kirchler, Carrie Oosterveen, Linda McGillivray, and Phil Hallman on vocals, Pastor Rona Hall and Elizabeth Perpignon on violins, Joni Rolando-James on flute, Ken & Scott Scheibner and Mr. Oosterveen & Pastor C.S. Oosterveen for their contributions on the guitars. Pastor Kim was the lead vocalist and contributed on guitar. I contributed at the keyboard (2008) and again with a piano dub-over (2017). There are likely several others whose names I am still trying to remember. Thank-you to you all for taking part in this project! Without your time & assistance with the original recording, this project would not have come to its eventual conclusion & release!

Courts of Glory

This ballad-like piece draws its inspiration from Irish songs like "Danny Boy," "You Raise Me Up," as well as the Christian song “Hiding Place.” I’ve even found a way to play the latter two together with this piece as a beautiful offertory medley at church! Both the verse and chorus of this piece swell up and recede around a reoccurring intro/outro theme that resembles a Scottish bagpipe fading away into the wind.

Irish Song

This short yet modern, classical-style piece is fitted for the Impressionist part of Romantic Period of music history (1850-1920) and is a sweet, little circle-of-fifths composition, written in G minor, which finds the brighter side of the minor aeolian mode and casts a graceful and reflective musical picture with rounded edges. In hindsight discovery, one could sing "You Are My Hiding Place" by Michael Ledner (C)1981, Maranatha Music over top of this piece.

The Impressionist's Vignette

A fresh and new, entertaining and playful duet in the lighthearted and whimsical style and spirit of popular short compositions like "Heart and Soul" & ”The Knuckle Song” that is sure to make you want to twist, jive, and sway to the beat! Hope it brings your day out swingin’!

A Day at the Circus

While loading up semi trucks in the Shipping Docks at my job, I was spending time with the Lord by 'Singing in the Spirit' (as it is called in Charismatic Christian circles) during the first (U.S.-nationally recognized) month of the Corona Virus pandemic. This is a worship song that was spontaneously received from the Lord which I sang over and over to myself until my next work break. I recorded the lyric/melody on my cell phone during my break time, and at my own convenience at home, I analyzed the chords using my acquired skills and studies in Music Composition and developed the words to the piece. I then applied for Copyright registry and with successful certification, I am now posting a fresh live recording of the song for the benefit of all who may listen. I sincerely hope it brings the manifest presence of the Lord into your life and home today! Blessings! :-)

I Will Praise You

I offer my spin on the Christmas carol "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)," which I have played since my high school days (20+ years). I hope that you enjoy it!

What Child Is This (Greensleeves)

Born & raised a Michigander in a Godly home by two wonderful parents. Musical background involves 12 years' private & 8 college semesters of applied music lessons in the Classical piano genres. Self-taught to play by ear with church music lead sheets as a teenager. Invested in 2 years of syncopation training by ear for personal enrichment. Love using my gifts & talents for the Lord in my home church band setting! Recently spent 7 years in Mississippi and then returned to my native state of Michigan in early 2017. You will find my personal compositions and arrangements featured here. Welcome & enjoy!

Everett Baranowski

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