Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast

Today’s question was sent by Marvin. He writes, “I’m a beginner who still struggles with pedals, I really need your help”. http://www.organduo.lt

Today’s question was sent by Jerome, and he writes, “Can you please tell me the notes in this b minor chord progression?” And the chords are as follows: iv, ii 65, V42, i6, and V43. Secrets of Organ Playing: When You Practice, Miracles Happen - http://www.organduo.lt

Paul writes: "I want to be able to take any music and create an arrangement which would be possible for me to play without automatic or electronic tricks, and yet would be found interesting and fun for whoever should hear it. Secrets of Organ Playing: http://www.organduo.lt

Today’s question was sent by Paul, and he writes that his challenge is that he doesn’t have enough free time to become good enough to play difficult passages. He writes, “However, on thinking about it a little more, it is the problem of coordination between two hands and feet, with all three playing something different. Yes! It is this problem of coordination between separate rhythms. Unfortunatel...

Today’s question was sent by David, and he writes, “Thank you very much for answering my question. I have the Ritchie/Stauffer book and started with Chapter 3 Early Organ Technique since I am working on Handel's Largo. I have a follow up question. When I master Handel's Largo, should I continue with another early music piece or change to modern music and start at the beginning of the Ritchie/Stauf...

today’s question was sent by Don, and he writes, “Dear Vidas, while I respect your work as an organ teacher, I wonder if "selling" your ideas of fingerings is the best for students. My present teacher would never force me to copy or use other person's fingerings. Dupre, in my opinion, wasted a lot of his time with his "fingered" editions of the Bach works. My instructor at the time told me to "thr...

Today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes,: “Vidas and Ausra, I have enjoyed your posts and appreciate all the work you put in. My goal is to be a better church organist.” http://www.organduo.lt

Today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes that he wants to learn how to do proper registrations for standard pieces(Bach, Vierne, Franck. etc.) and good registration approaches in general. Get more organ playing advice and inspiration when you subscribe at http://www.organduo.lt

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #112! http://www.organduo.lt/podcast Today's guest is an American organist Robert L. Morehead, CAGO. He is a native of Pittsburgh and is the Director of Music Ministries at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, Virginia. Robert began his organ studies at the age of twelve in Germany under the instruction of Tassilo Schlenther. For twenty years, Robert has...

Today’s question was sent by Matt, and he writes that his challenge is with registration flow and marking: “How to use pistons and stops, to flow through pieces and mark them well in the score.” So as I understand, Ausra, this is a question about practicing registration changes and basically how you mark registration changes! Oh! That’s very simple. Secrets of Organ Playing: http://www.organduo.lt

And today’s question was sent by Matt, and Matt has a problem with pedal accuracy, especially across different pedalboards--flat or curved. Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen: http://www.organduo.lt

Today’s question was sent by Peter, and he writes that his main challenge is old age and lack of practice. To be more specific, he writes: “I would be interested in any techniques to promote a more flexible heel - the kind of thing you need when playing trills (even slow ones) with one foot. Also can you explain why, after 40 years or more, I can still hit the wrong pedal note? (This must mean tha...

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #111! http://www.organduo.lt/podcast Today's guest is an American organist and harpsichordist Dr. Kathleen Scheide who has concertized as a harpsichord and organ soloist throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Russia, the Far East and Caribbean. She has received touring artist grants from the Arkansas Arts Council, California Arts Council,...

Secrets of Organ Playing: http://www.organduo.lt Vince writes: “Dear Vidas and Ausra: When I am playing hymns or a classical piece with 4 parts, sometimes a mistake happens where I can not tell which voice has the mistake. If performing, and not able to stop and figure out where the mistake is, the error may carry over to subsequent notes in that part because I don't know WHERE to make the correct...

William writes, “My question is I started working on the first sonata of Mendelssohn. How is it to be articulated. Detached or legato? The fast passages are very difficult to keep smooth at tempo. Also who has ideas on how to register this opening movement. I am working from score from 1920's. I think there has to be some thought on playing these great works of Mendelssohn!" Get more organ playing...

This question was sent by Patti, and she writes, “Dear Vidas and Ausra, here is a question that you might be interested in addressing in your podcast. It is about learning to cope with differences in resonance and delay when you play the organ. The church where I normally play has a very “flat” acoustic -- no resonance -- and the organ sounds immediately, with no delay. So when I play a note, I im...

Dan asks: How not to find multiple keyboards of the organ to be a bit intimidating? Get more organ playing advice when you subscribe at http://www.organduo.lt

Kae asks, “When do you usually register a piece: before or after you learn to play all the notes? I think registering a piece can be the most fun part of preparing a performance, but maybe it should be saved for last? If my piece is very loud, I will usually practice using softer registration, but this means I get used to the quieter sound and start to prefer it. I don't know. What is your opinion...

Adeniyi has no organ to use and we try to help him find a solution. Get more organ playing advice when you subscribe at http://www.organduo.lt

Welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #110! http://www.organduo.lt/podcast Today's guest is Pieter van Dijk who is City Organist, and organist of the Grote Sint Laurenskerk, in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, where he acts as custodian to two of the world’s most significant historic organs. As one of Europe’s most sought-after teachers, Van Dijk is Professor and Head of Organ Studies at the Conser...

Today’s question was sent by Adeniyi, who says that he has no organ mentor--that’s his challenge. And today we we’re going to try to help him out. Get more organ playing advice when you subscribe at http://www.organduo.lt

Today’s question was sent by Minori. He writes that he has a small physique: “My height is 155 cm; small hands (I reach an octave, but not beyond); I have difficulty in maintaining postural stability while playing organ works with pedal part (perhaps because of poor muscle strength). I am always wondering what kind of exercise would improve my postural stability while playing the organ.” Get more...

Today’s question was sent by Minori, and he has a challenge with articulation and phrasing in the pedal part. He writes, “while playing the organ, I just can manage to coordinate my hands and feet and it is not easy for me to care about articulation and phrasing in the pedal part.” Get more organ playing advice and inspiration at http://www.organduo.lt

This question was sent by Minori, and he writes that he is having difficulty in adjusting his organ playing to the individuality of every organ he meets. He writes: “Every organ is unique with its own touch of the keyboards and pedal. It often happens that I can play well on my practice organ but not on other organs, especially when I play on them for the first time. I am a Roman catholic (a relig...

Christa writes: “Hello Ausra and Vidas, Thank you very much for your podcast. It is easier for me to follow the written version, so thanks a lot for it too. My question is: How can I avoid hitting two keys in the pedals at once? It happens easily, when I have to turn a bit over the middle and play lower notes with my right foot and higher ones with my left foot. Best wishes, Christa” Get more orga...