Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast

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...

This question was sent by Robert, and he answers my question where I asked him how is his organ practice going. He writes: “Oh I wish you hadn't asked. Not well I haven't practiced in a very long time. Health and other things are preventing me. I must get moving soon or I will not be qualified to call myself an organist any more. I do read and soak in and enjoy and certainly appreciate receiving t...

A few weeks ago was quite a difficult trip to Vabalninkas for me to demonstrate pipe organ to bunch of 8th graders and 9th graders. And from that trip the most difficult thing was to get them to play this 19th century organ. They were very shy. Too shy, I should say… So, Ausra, this is my question. Right? How to get young kids to be more excited during such events and willing to try things that ma...

This question was sent by Lee, and Lee commented on the YouTube video of mine where I talk about articulate legato touch in early organ music. I demonstrate how it sounds vs. normal legato. Normal legato is when notes are connected, and articulate legato are where there is some detachment between the notes. Right? So he asks: “"How would "articulate legato" be notated in a score vs. normal legato?...

This question was sent by May. She’s our Total Organist student. And he writes: Hi Vidas, I read from your post that you classify BWV 565 as advanced level. Actually, which part of this piece do you think is the most challenging? I personally find the fast passage towards the end (especially that part to be played by hands only with alternate hands. I find it very difficult to play each note evenl...

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 529! Today's guest is French organist Christophe Mantoux who is Professor of organ at the PSPBB and the Conservatoire régional of Paris and titular organist of Saint-Séverin Church in Paris, Prof. Mantoux studied organ and improvisation with Gaston Litaize and harmony and counterpoint at the National Superior Conservatoire of Paris. In 1984 he won the fi...

This question was sent by Alex, and he writes: “Hello Vidas, My dream as a long-time pianist/harpsichordist and new organist is to be an excellent performer of early music and hymnody. The three biggest obstacles: 1) Pedal technique 2) Lack of practice time due to graduate school (in choral conducting) 3) Physical limitations in my neck, back, and arms which keep me from being able to practice mor...

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast episode 528! Today's guest is a German organist Martin Sander who is an internationally renowned concert soloist and professor of organ at the Hochschule für Musik (University of Music) Detmold as well as at the University of Music in Basel. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover with Ulrich Bremsteller, organ, and Gerrit Zitterbart,...

This question was sent by Diana, and she writes: “It’s difficult for me to know how much time it’s best to leave for learning new music and how much time - for refreshing previously mastered material. Most often I spend too much time on new pieces and too little time - on pieces learned earlier.”

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast 527! Today's guest is a young and talented American organist Tyler Boehmer. ​With international acclaim for his keyboard abilities, Tyler carries much promise as a future organ virtuoso. After completing undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University with Dr. Don Cook, Tyler moved to the University of Kansas to study with Dr. James Higdon. He has also...

This question was sent by Roland, and he writes an answer to my question, how is his organ playing going on these days? He writes, Very well thank you. As I studied in the Netherlands and before that in Austria I was nervous of becoming too one-sidedly Dutch/Germanic in my repertoire and my approach, so am now preparing French repertoire and have tuition in Paris with Prof. Cauchefer Choplin (with...

This question was sent by Vitold, and he writes: “Good day! This is Vitold from the organist school. Can you send or recommend literature to better understand organ harmony? Because I write those notes and I can't understand where and how those intervals are calculated. The hardest part I ever studied was the harmony I never understood. I played mostly from hearing and finally I would like to lear...

This question was sent by Terry, and I asked him about his “8 Little Prelude and Fugues” practice. So, he writes: “Hi Vidas! Thanks for asking. The pedals are not second nature to me yet, unlike, say, doing scales on a piano. I made great progress with your pedal challenge courses but I need to get in some sort of regular pedal practice like doing my daily Hanson exercises, which I have not sorted...

Today's guest Carson Cooman who is an American composer with a catalog of hundreds of works in many forms—from solo instrumental pieces to operas, and from orchestral works to hymn tunes. He was already a guest on our podcast in episode 84 talking about creating and promoting contemporary music. His music has been performed on all six inhabited continents in venues that range from the stage of Car...

This question was sent by Joanna, and she writes: “Dear Vidas I bought a copy of Vieux Noel by Cesar Franck from your website. I wanted to ask you something which I do not understand. What are the numbers at the beginning of the piece...number 1, number 4 and number 0 in a circle? Regards and thanks Joanna”

This question was sent by Mark. And he writes: Hello I am 63 years old and have had a stroke on my left side. I fell and banged my head and had a further brain injury. I can still play but things feel different. I have reduced feeling in my fingers. I am trying to retrain myself. My muscle memory is just not there. My sight reading is much harder. I have a Rodgers organ at home so I have no troubl...

This questions was sent by Diana. And she writes: When I play an organ I look too much at my hands. So sometimes I lose where I play. And it makes trouble when I need to play in Mass or concert (not only this week).

Welcome to episode 516 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! Today it's my pleasure to introduce to you Paul Ayres who is a prize-winning composer, arranger, choral conductor, musical director, organist and accompanist from the UK. We are talking about his organ music. Vidas: Thank you so much, Paul for joining in this conversation! I'm very delighted to be able to talk with you through the interne...

This question was sent by me, Vidas, answering what I have been struggling the most this week. And my answer was, This week, I’ve been struggling the most with having an 8 hour sleep at night. Used to wake up quite early..

In this episode, we would like to thank Richard Knot, who sent us his generous donation of £10. And he wrote: Dear Vidas and Ausra. Enjoy a coffee on me!! Best wishes, Richard So then, I wrote to him a message thanking Richard. I wrote: Dear Richard! Thank you for your generous donation... It's very kind of you. How is your organ playing going? ~Vidas And he wrote: Dear Vidas, I thought you’d both...

This questions was sent by Oluwadotun. He’s a new subscriber of ours and he answered the question; when new subscriber after maybe two weeks, they get this question from us: ‘what are your dreams in organ playing right now and what are the challenges that prevent you from reaching your dream?’ And he wrote: Dream of playing MUSICAL scores or pieces at sight. V: And he writes further: Oluwadotun: I...

This question was sent by Lawrence. And he writes: Hello Vidas, In your last note to me, you asked me what challenges me. I find pedal playing a challenge because it is relatively new to me. I have only had this organ for a year and a half. All through my playing life I have found sight reading to be difficult. I also need to practice in a more structured way. I think your practice video should be...

Vidas: Thank you so much, Wolfram for joining this conversation with me! I'm so excited to be able to talk with you because one day ago I backed your project "Paper Organ". I saw this video last week on Facebook and I could not stop but watch and even share later on. I couldn't do anything for backing the project right then because it was pre-launch. But I subscribed to your email list and got not...

In this episode we’d like to talk a little bit about our Total Organist students answers. Once a month we ask them a question, ‘how do you like Total Organist so far?’, And here is what James wrote on Basecamp: James: I feel bad when I get the next week's email and I haven't even finished the one from two weeks ago haha! Vidas: I wrote: I like Total Organist because it gives people an opportunity...

This question was sent by Jay, who is on the team to transcribe our podcast conversations so we really appreciate his work every week. And he writes: Accuracy in all parts, especially pedals, keeping correct tempo throughout.