Secrets Of Organ Playing Podcast

This question was sent by Sjouke. And he writes, Hello Vidas, It has been a while since I wrote to you, maybe last spring. My memory is not that great anymore, as we get older it seems that is one of the things that seems to stand out more being forgetful that is. My question to you is this, quite a few years ago I was pretty good playing fantasy and choral by Jan Zwart, Translation. A mighty Fortress is our God, you may not know that piece for he was an outstanding organist and composer as well, but getting back to my problem and question, I just picked up that piece again and I found something quite shocking that I have forgotten how to play that piece of music totally. For about a week now or a little more, I am practising this piece but I do not seem to be getting anywhere. Just as I think I am getting it together again I come back the next day, it is as though it is back to the first day again. Now to be fair to you and your wife, I suspect I have had the suspicion of having had a few minor strokes,

This question was sent by John. And he writes: I believe you and Ausra would have had quite a bit of experience organizing the church music program in the US, including choirs? Would be great to learn some tips from you guys! I would enjoy getting some advice from you on keyboard technique and finger accuracy.

This question was sent by J. Flemming. He writes, Although my teachers have stressed the importance of articulate legato in playing Baroque music, I was never taught early fingering, so it is very easy for me to lapse into familiar patterns (like crossing my thumb underneath my fingers). I am learning BWV 659 (ornamented chorale Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland) with Vidas’ fingering, and it is taking more repetitions to get used to the fingering. The results will be worth it, though. I expect to be able to play this in a service before Advent is over. It’s been a good exercise in developing the discipline to do it right instead of quickly.

This question was sent by Diana, and she is our Unda Maris organ studio student. She is practicing only the second year, and she writes that she struggles the most in coordination.

This question was sent by Emmanuel. He writes, Hello Sir, I thank God and you for your kind support to me indeed it's helpful as I can now play well some pieces, music chords and compositions, my request to you is to let me know if I can get a free music notes software that will guide me in composing songs. Regards, Emmanuel

This question was sent by May. She’s our Total Organist student. And she writes, Thanks Vidas. We just returned from a 2-week Europe trip yesterday. Now I almost fall asleep (because of the jetlag) practicing BWV 659 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland as the prelude for tomorrow. I should be very comfortable with this piece for I played it quite a few times at the Church in the past Advents. However, I am now very nervous about my ability of getting everything right tomorrow. I haven't practiced for 2 weeks and I am very tired. What is your advice on how I should proceed with my practice in the remaining hours of today? It is 4:05 pm here in Eastern Canada now. May And I wrote to her: Thanks May! It's 11:31 PM here in Vilnius and going to bed. So I'm keeping this message short: Go to sleep first. No use of practicing when you're exhausted. Then if you have time to practice BWV 659 do that. If not, play tomorrow several verses of the same hymn tune instead on different registration. 1. Principal

This question was sent by Harris, and he writes, As a little boy growing up, I started having great love, passion and zeal for church classical music. But there was nobody who could guide me, teach me and mentor me on what music was all about. I also had no access to any musical instruments at home. I had to join the church choir at age 14, and pleaded with the choir leaders to teach me music, but nobody had that time and patience to teach me music. All I was doing back then as a choir boy, was to internalize the kind of notes and sounds I hear from the organ/keyboard. I was learning how to sing tonic solfa as I hear the keyboard/organ sounds, each time we are having choir practice and during church services. I did this for several years and got myself into hearing music and playing what I hear. As time goes, I got a small phone and started reading small books about the rudiments of music, how to understand lines and spaces on a sheet music. I was able to understand a little about the STAFF and tr

This question was sent by Richard, and he writes, Dear Vidas and Ausra, How lovely to see our conversation make one of your SOPPs this week. Thank you! I don’t know Franck’s L’Organiste. I will order it and enjoy a good read. Do you know Guilmant’s ‘Organiste Liturgical’? A wonderful collection of his music that would have been (and still could be) used during Mass in France. Another gorgeous work I am dipping in and out of is Vierne’s Messe Basse for organ, again for use in Mass. It contains some wonderful movements, particularly ‘Elevation’ and ‘Communion’. I am vice chairman of the local organists’ association. The association is 70 next year and I’m arranging the trip to Paris as our birthday event. The organists I’ve met, or emailed this year, have been really lovely and welcoming. I have played some superb instruments, large and small, and am looking forward to the trip in April (I’m going back for a weekend in November as I just adore the wonderful instruments!). We will be playing at St. Eustach

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 549! Vidas: I'm so excited to be able to talk with John Higgins now from Australia, my old friend, and he's been on our show for maybe 3 times before so I'm really delighted we can connect because John has some news to share. Last time we talked it was a while ago and he's very busy with raising a family - he has 3 sons. And also he's been working in a church, playing church music and also doing all kinds of church music related things which we will talk about today. So thank you so much, John and welcome to the show! John: Thank you so much, Vidas and it's such an honor to be on this podcast and I'm so proud to be one of your students for over 8 years now. V: I remember you were in Vilnius and recently I was looking through all the photos from the past and found the one with you playing our church organ and you together with me and Ausra and we all spent some time together. Your flight was delayed, it was a big adventure. And after practicing for 7 years, you fi

This question was sent by Maureen, and she writes: “Hello Vidas, Please can you direct me to any suitable organ music useful for devotions and quiet hours in the Catholic Church? I would possibly enjoy playing something around intermediate level as this would need to be learned as good sight reading at this stage. I am enjoying your expertise and that of Ausra. Wonderful! Thank you, Maureen”

This question was sent by Ray, and he writes: “Hello Vidas Pinkevicius, Thank you for asking for my answers to your questions. 1. I am 65 years old and have only returned to organ playing in 2014 after spending 35 years working as an architect and part-time singer “to earn money for our vacations.” My dream is to learn some of the major organ pieces on my list and be able to play them with my heart, with confidence and in recital. Having some substitute church assignments that require me to learn shorter pieces and play hymns is also fun for me. 2. The 3 most important things holding me back are: practice discipline, practice discipline and sight reading. My hope is that when I am fully retired at the end of 2020 I will have more time to practice and be more efficient with my practice time and learning ability. In the meantime, focusing on real learning during my practice time is my goal. I find it difficult to not read ahead or have patience to only learn a little bit each day, which I know is more effic

This question was sent by several people. And maybe even answers to our community on Basecamp, members of Total Organist, where I asked them: ​ ‘How do you like Total Organist so far?’ The first to reply, Jeremy. He wrote: Jeremy: I enjoy that there is a place that I can find encouragement. Being an organist and pianist, I spend a lot of time alone with little insight from other people. That occasional "Boost" makes the days sometimes more manageable, and I like that people post the same problems that I am having. We are not alone! Vidas: I wrote: I also enjoy seeing people supporting each other. It's one thing for me to connect with everybody through email but it's an entirely different level to give like-minded people an opportunity to connect to each other. Ruth jumped in, in the conversation: Ruth: I enjoy the diversity of persons who write in Total Organist. I am learning a great deal from their writing and experiences. I appreciate the energy and work that all of you are putting into your organ pr

This question was sent by James, and he writes: “Thank you for your podcast, it has been a great help. I have played the piano for 25 years and the organ at my church for 17, but was only able to take organ lessons for the first 2 years, the rest has been essentially self-taught. Your podcasts have been very informative. 1. my dream for organ playing: I know I will never be a concert organist, but I would like to be able to really make my church organ sound great, and select unique registrations throughout the Mass. 2. The 3 most important things holding me back: a. over the years, I have basically settled for just a handful of different basic registrations for hymns, etc. without much variety b. my church has a relatively small, 22-rank, 2-manual Zimmer pipe organ, installed in 1999, which is almost completely enclosed inside an alcove, and doesn't "sing" very well. The church is the size of a cathedral, but I'm afraid the organ is too small for the space. c. I have never had formal instruction in the th

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 545! Today's guest is Daniel Moult who is Head of Organ Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and international concert artist, is “one of the finest organists of our time” (The Organ). Renowned for his virtuosic, intelligent and engaging performances, his musicianship has been praised as “exhilarating” (Gramophone), “dazzling” (The Organ), and “formidable” (Organists’ Review). Daniel’s innovative approach to the promotion of organ music has seen him presenting and performing in the DVDs Virtuoso! Music for Organ, a film featuring some of the most demanding organ repertoire of the twentieth-century, and The Elusive English Organ, a journey through English organ music from Byrd to Wesley. He is currently filming The English Organ, a major DVD and CD boxset covering music and organs from Handelian times to the present day. He has made several CDs, including the first solo recording of the newly-restored organ of Arundel Cathedral, and one of Handel's organ c

This question was sent by Maureen, and she writes: “Dear Vidas, I am a graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London which was for piano playing.. I have never sat any organ exams nor played music for the organ at that level. My foot work was not at such a high standard. In recent years I had to give up playing in public because of my physical health. I have a condition called Fibromyalgia which is a painful and debilitating one. Playing the organ was my first love and made my debut in my hometown when I was only 13 years old. I played at a Sunday evening service in the Protestant Church of Scotland and later asked to deputise for my music teacher who was the church organist. Good organists were scarce as was money so choices had to be made as to the disciplines which would be most beneficial to me. I chose piano, singing and cello. Organ was almost an extension to the piano lessons. I loved playing in Church for all the various Sunday services and for Mass. Hymns were particularly

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 541! Today's guest is organist and harpsichordist Frank Mento, who was born in the United States and holds degrees from the Dana School of Music (Youngstown State University), from the College-Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati) and from the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. He has done additional study with Huguette Dreyfus (harpsichord), Eiji Hashimoto (basso continuo), Daniel Roth and Raphaël Tambyeff (organ). He is Professor Emeritus of Harpsichord at the Conservatory of the 18th precinct in Paris and Organist Emeritus at Saint-Jean de Montmartre Church, also in Paris. He concertizes in Europe and North America. Frank has already been on our podcast talking about the earlier volumes of his Complete Harpsichord Method: http://www.organduo.lt/podcast/sop-podcast-14-frank-mento-on-harpsichord-playing-for-organists https://www.organduo.lt/home/frank-mento-on-teaching-harpsichord-technique Now has an exciting update to share because his harpsichord

This question was sent by Kirk. And he writes: "Vidas; I have been practicing 2 hours a day on my full console organ. A couple of questions for my organ only has 25 pedals, so what does one do when running in organ music that is above the range of that pedalboard which runs down to 2 octaves below middle C up to Middle C on the piano. Also, I have been working out of my hymnal breaking up my practicing on the hymns down from soprano, alto and tenor and the bass part separately. With the Marcel Dupré book, I am working on one piece at a time, and working consistently on one section at a time in piece until I get my coordination and phrasing right before I go to the next phrase to work on. Kirk"

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 531! Today's guest is Michael Calabris who is a Northeast Ohio-based composer, organist, harpsichordist, and clavichordist. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from the University of Akron and his Master of Music (Composition) from Cleveland State University. In January 2017, Michael’s composition Kyrie Eleison (for SATB Choir) was premiered by the Cleveland Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. Scott MacPherson. His string trio, Aria, was premiered by members of Cleveland’s NO EXIT New Music Ensemble in March 2018. Michael is currently completing Master of Music Performance degrees in both Organ and Harpsichord at Cleveland State University, where his instructors include Todd Wilson (organ) and Joela Jones (Harpsichord). ​During his time as a graduate student at Cleveland State University, Michael has been the recipient of several academic awards, including the Bain Murray Award for Excellence in Music Composition and the Leonard and Joan Terr Ronis Memoria

This questions was sent by Kirk. And he writes: "Vidas It has been a long time since I have written you. How are you doing? I am working out of Marcel Dupre 79 Chorales for Organ. Talk about working on coordination, for me to do them I am practice between 50-60 MM. And if I mess up I go to the measure and practice at least 10 times just to start. Question besides having a teacher, how can a self-taught organist become proficient and get to the master level of the organ?"

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 530! Today's guest is Samuel Giddy, young and talented organist from Australia. Described as “one of the finest young musicians of his generation” (The Sydney Organ Journal), Samuel has rapidly established a reputation as one of Australia’s leading young organists. After studying piano with Israeli pianist Arnan Wiesel, Samuel began learning the organ in 2011, taking lessons with Philip Swanton in Canberra and practicing at St Clement’s Church in his home town Yass. He gained his Licentiate in organ with distinction at age fifteen. Two years later, he began his studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, majoring in organ performance and graduating in 2019. During this time, he served as the inaugural organ scholar at St Mark’s, Darling Point, as organist at St Paul’s, Burwood, and (from 2019) in his current role as senior organ scholar at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Performance highlights include inaugurating the successful St Mark’s Organ Scholar Recital seri