My friend winning the state piano competition

[pianokidsmom]

the 3rd stanza, was written by Steven to increase the length of the piece for competition. It is a blues style. Steven is now a Jacobs Scholar at IU, loving piano studies.

[likespiano]

Thank you so much. I'll buy the book.

[likespiano]

Thank you so much. I'll buy the book.

[kelseylee94]

this song is one of my absolute favorites of mark hayes!

you rocked it. :)

[some1islooking]

@likespiano the arrangement is Mark Hayes



[buzzynurff]

What a brilliant pianist!

[jimoaklandu]

It's very evident why you won dude!! ;-) You are Awesome!!

[eugenemichigan]

WOW, you are Awesome dude!! ;-)

[mamaof3sweeties]

beautiful! What a joy to listen to! Thanks for sharing this amazing talent!!!! God Bless you!

[wppardue]

it's a nice piece, but me moves his arms WAY too much. I'm a professional pianist, and he uses too much energy with unnecessary arm movements. If you watch any pianist, hey really try to keep their arms near their sides, even when playing very stylized. so thats a tip for the pianist in this video. try keeping the arms closer to the sides, you'll be amazed at how that will improve the playing, and make you less tired by the end of whatever you're playing. Very good use of differen styles though!

[kelseylee94]

@wppardue how much you move your arms around is personal preference.

[misschris60ify]

Excellent job. He "felt" the music and added his own interpretations. That is what a good or great musician does. God has blessed this young man and I hope he gives God all the glory and uses this talent to serve Him. Your playing was a blessing to me. Thanks for sharing.

[Pianomasters2]

How long does he practice a day?? This is great!

[pianokidsmom]

@Pianomasters2

it depends on what is coming up, 2-4 hours easily.

[SouthernGospelPiano8]

Sign this guy for a quartet! He would make an great quartet player.

[jmvl1977]

He will be a star!

[pianokidsmom]

@SouthernGospelPiano8

Steven has a little jazz combo, but also has played with Aquinas College's Jazz Band since he was 15.

[theorganist08]

this is really good, although i do hope you credited mark hayes for his arrangement that you used, even though you didn't play it all completely through without adding your little addition in between, which is not in the original arrg., anyhow, really good

[jmvl1977]

Steven always credits other writers. In fact, he actually wrote to Mark Hayes and shared this arrangement. Mark responded by sending more of his music for Steven!

[pianokidsmom]

@jmvl1977

That Was Bruce Greer who was so kind to Steven.

[pianokidsmom]

@theorganist08 We did in credit Mark Hayes, but there were a lot of extras, not just the blues section. Fun piece-

[williamsshakur]

W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.... You are one of the few people who are inspiring me to play the piano.

[bridgeviewproduction]

this bro can play!!

[meepdog2]

lol u gotta hear his jazz improv. it's some of the best music iv ever herd

[dutchfumaster]

Dude, you are too amazing...honestly

that's so crazy

[mitsuhotboi]

WOW, such god given talent at it's best. I grew up in a southern Baptist church, and have never heard anything like this, absolutely wonderful. I would give anything if I had half his tallent.

[pianokidsmom]

Thank you. Glory to God!

[tytyhinder]

how long have u been playing?

ur like super awesome

[pianokidsmom]

Steven has been playing since age 1, as soon as he could climb onto the piano bench.

[RJtenor]

this is the best version i've ever heard of this song!

[foxygirl29303]

By The Way...What Is This Arrangement?

[pianokidsmom]

A Steven version of Mark Hayes' arrangement of "I'll Fly Away."

[foxygirl29303]

Fantastic Job...I Love The Feeling You Put Into Your Playing...It Really Shows You Enjoy...How Long Have You Studied?..Keep The Videos Coming...A Beautiful Ending To My Trying Work Day..

[pianokidsmom]

New arrangement coming soon, just waiting for the competition to be over before I post it! God has used Steven to touch hearts!

[tytyhinder]

man i wish i could do tht

[pianokidsmom]

Thank you. He plays for God.

[tegid699]

You mean God plays through him!

[pianokidsmom]

God's gift...God's glory!

[soberbaby83]

So young, talented and gutsy! BRAVO!!!

You make my heart sing! Congratulations!!

[pianokidsmom]

Thank you. I smile everytime I hear him play this piece.

[lightrays]

I want to see what this guy can do ten years from now.

[pianokidsmom]

Thanks for the encouragement.

[eyval307]

very nice... good for your friend... do you know how he is doing in the nationals?

[pianokidsmom]

Steven made the finals, top 21 in the nation. He also placed first with Choir, where he was the accompanist.

[likespiano]

Where can I find the sheet music to this piece. This version of it.

[ignorantshinobi]

i dont know rite now id have to ask him where he got it, but hes at the nationals rite now so you'll have to wait. just in case you didnt know,the iece is called "I'll Fly Away."

[likespiano]

No hurry. If you get it by December i would like to play it at a competeition in January in India. I recognised the tune. But he made it special. Thanks a lot!

[apsufan]

@ignorantshinobi other than the middle section, the piece is from the book Gospel Classics, arranged by Mark Hayes & published by Alfred. I have a youtube video playing this piece (minus the middle section this young man added in). Very talented young man!

[pianokidsmom]

This arrangement started with a Mark Hayes piece, but Steven rewrote it, adding the "blues" verse, and adding to the rest of the piece to fill it out and add difficulty. There is no written version of it in exhistance. Sorry.

[likespiano]

@pianokidsmom Could you please ask him to write it out. I'd love to play it in church. Music which sounds like this will inspire more children to learn to play the piano. They don't appreciate the old music that is played now.

[some1islooking]

@likespiano arragement by Mark Hayes..... W W W . M A R K H A Y E S . C O M ........My computer wont let me type the webpage so i wrote it like this...

[likespiano]

@some1islooking Thank you so much. I'll check it out.

[some1islooking]

@likespiano 4got to mension....is the gospel classics album

[rjholtmus2]

@likespiano

This arrangement is "mostly" Mark Hayes and can be found in the collection Gospel Classics published by Alfred Press. The reason I say "mostly" is that the middle slow section must have been interpelated from another arrangement somewhere, because the Alfred publication does not have this. I am not even sure it is by Mark because the recording I have of him playing it correspondes to the published version. Nicely played inceed regardless of the arrangement.