{"id":27496,"date":"2024-11-22T15:06:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T20:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=27496"},"modified":"2026-02-11T16:01:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T21:01:29","slug":"christmas-music-favorites-from-berklee-gospel-keyboard-instructors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/christmas-music-favorites-from-berklee-gospel-keyboard-instructors\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Music Favorites from Berklee Gospel Keyboard Instructors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Berklee Online Gospel Keyboard<\/em> instructors Dennis Montgomery III and Mark Copeland on Carols, Congregations, and Turning up the Organ for Christmas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For gospel keyboardists, December is about more than just bringing tidings of comfort and joy. According to the authors of the Berklee Online course Gospel Music for Keyboard<\/em><\/a>, it\u2019s about balancing tradition, taste, and congregational singability. The twin notions of knowing your material and knowing your audience are prevalent in any keyboard conversation about classic Christmas carols. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes you\u2019ve got to choose stuff that\u2019s easy,\u201d says course author Dennis Montgomery III<\/a>, who is playing a number of services leading up to and including Christmas, at Ebenezer Baptist Church<\/a> in Abington, Massachusetts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether I\u2019m on the Hammond B3 or the Rodgers 950B, it\u2019s more of an accompanying type of situation: If we\u2019re doing something liturgical and I\u2019m on the Rodgers, if I feel the energy building, then I might go in a little bit more on the sforzando<\/em> pedal and pull out some of the bombards and all of the loud-sounding stops, but if it\u2019s casual singing, I just keep it at a minimal, or find a little happy medium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course author Mark Copeland<\/a> is also playing a number of services throughout the month, at Kingdom Builders\u2019 Worship Center<\/a> in Boston, as well as\u00a0A Gospel Christmas with Michelle Brooks-Thompson<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(best known as a finalist on Season 3 of The Voice<\/em><\/a>). He says, \u201cIt\u2019s all about what congregations connect with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    5 Essential Gospel Christmas Carols<\/h2>\n

    The two course authors put together a list of the top five Christmas carols they think every gospel keyboardist should know:<\/p>\n\n

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    1. \u201cO Come, O Come, Emmanuel\u201d<\/li>\n
    2. \u201cSilent Night\u201d<\/li>\n
    3. \u201cGo Tell It on the Mountain\u201d<\/li>\n
    4. \u201cAngels We Have Heard on High\u201d<\/li>\n
    5. \u201cOh Come All Ye Faithful\u201d<\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n