Teen phenom Sarah Lonsert won the Overall Grand Prize of the 14th Annual USA Songwriting Competition along with co-writers Jonathan George and Jami Templeton. Her winning song “Dancing Through Life” will be on the USA Songwriting Competition’s compilation CD this year. Sarah is only 17 years old and she not only broke the first prize record of being the youngest winner but also the overall grand prize winner of being the youngest winner ever. The previous youngest first prize winner was Kate Voegele, who won in 2005 at 18 years old.

Adrianne Gonzalez was the youngest overall grand prize winner at 22 years old when she won in 1999. Sarah also won first prize in the Dance/Electronica category, making her the first from that category to ever win the overall grand prize.

Sarah Lonsert will be releasing a full length CD this year. Although Sarah suffers from autism, she is a budding singer-songwriter and has also won an award at the L.A. Music Awards last year.

Press

Today, The Hymn Project announced their classic hymn accompaniment on CD including 200 piano hymns. Unlike other church choir music with extensive orchestrations, this seven, full-length CD collection is performed on solo piano directly from a church hymnal, making it a simple and affordable hymn resource for small groups.

“This is the first collection of its kind, offering an extensive, archival-quality collection of piano hymns,” says Tasha Golden, The Hymn Project Co-founder. “And in the past, there was no hymnal resource for military chaplains, funeral directors, assisted living facilities, and others looking for simple, church choir music free of overwhelming musical embellishments and orchestrations. We decided to fill this need and offer affordable and classic hymn accompaniment on CD packed with 200 piano hymns for numerous occasions.”

Performed by professional, church choir accompanist Laura Ruble, The Hymn Project contains piano hymns perfect for:

• Worship music;
• Funeral music;
• Wedding music;
• Chaplains;
• Music therapists;
• Military chaplains (Air Force hymn music, U.S. Marine Corps hymn music, etc.);
• Retirement and nursing homes;
• Conference centers, libraries and camps;
• Meditation and relaxation;
• Background music;
• Hospital chapels;
• Prison fellowships and ministries; and
• A treasured gift for a friend, loved one or music lover!

“My family would have loved to have had CDs to sing along with at small church services, but nothing like that was available,” says pianist Ruble. “At several local churches, congregations often had to go without an accompanist on Sunday mornings so there was a huge need for this CD collection.”

“In addition to military chaplains, activity directors at assisted living facilities have welcomed The Hymn Project, using music as a form of therapy to Alzheimer’s patients,” says Golden. “To know that this music can offer therapy, that singing together can give hope to troops overseas, and that these church choir hymns can be a comfort to people who are grieving is truly rewarding, and this is where the music should be.”

For The Hymn Project Sets 1 and 2 with all 200 hymns on seven CDs, the cost is $99.00. For Set 1 with 150 hymns on five CDs, the cost drops to $75.00. And for Set 2, with 50 hymns on two CDs, the cost is only $25.00.