<![CDATA[Secrets of Organ Playing - <br />Down-to-earth tips and advice about how to play the organ  - Home]]>Mon, 28 May 2012 00:57:10 +0200Weebly<![CDATA[What Is the Best Way to Practice Sight-Reading on the Organ?]]>Mon, 28 May 2012 10:40:18 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/what-is-the-best-way-to-practice-sight-reading-on-the-organ.htmlOrganists who struggle with sight-reading, often try to perfect their skills
and start playing unfamiliar pieces from their favorite collections regularly.
However, while doing so, they often have trouble looking ahead at the organ
score, playing fluently and without mistakes. In this article, I will give you
the advice on what is the best way to practice sight-reading on the organ.

The problem of looking ahead while playing new music on the organ is really
an important one. Inability to look ahead while playing and unfamiliar music
leads to mistakes, lack of fluency etc.

Concerning the issue of how many beats do you have to look ahead while
playing new music I would say that it depends upon tempo. The slower the tempo, the less beats you have to look ahead.

 In an ordinary tempo of 60 beats per minute, approximately 1 measure is
enough to look ahead. But if you take a really slow tempo like 40 beats per
minute, then looking 2 beats ahead are usually fine. However, in the pieces
where the meter is 2/2 there are 2 beats of 2 half notes per measure. So that
means while practicing slowly, you need to be looking ahead 1 measure.

In addition, it is better to lean backwards a bit while sitting at the keyboard. Sitting this way will allow you to see the big picture well while sight-reading at a normal tempo. It is like driving a car - the faster you go, to further ahead you are supposed to look.

I also recommend when you prepare to play a new material, you have to
mentally prepare for it as well. Don't open the score and jump right into sight-reading without the proper preparation. Take some 20-30 seconds to look
over the piece, notice key signature (and key), meter, try to discover the more
difficult measures in terms of chromaticisms or rhythms, such as syncopations
etc. This way you will be prepared for what is coming.

Then when you start playing the piece, try to look a some 2 beats ahead. But
don't worry, if this is going to be a difficult task at first. After several
months, when you have progressed far enough, your note-reading ability will
become much better and you will be able to look ahead easily. It is just a
natural process of practicing.

Finally, don't make the mistake of playing all parts together right from the
beginning. Unless you can sight-read fluently and without mistakes in notes,
rhythms and articulation all parts together in a slow tempo, I strongly recommend practicing separate voices first, then taking two various combinations of two parts combined, three voices, and only then the entire four-part texture.

Use the above tips, find the collection of organ music that you love, and start sight-reading it one page a day for best results today. Remember that only 15 minutes of wise and regular practice in playing new music is enough to begin to see some tremendous changes in your ability to play new music at sight.
 
By the way, if you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic Organ Sight-Reading Master Course which is intended for organists who want to perfect such seemingly supernatural abilities as playing fugues or any other advanced organ composition at sight. To successfully complete the practice material of this course will only take 15 minutes a day of regular and wise practice but you will learn to fluently sight-read any piece of organ music effortlessly.

]]><![CDATA[What Are the Common Myths About Organ Sight-Reading?]]>Sun, 27 May 2012 21:45:31 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/what-are-the-common-myths-about-organ-sight-reading.htmlAlthough sight-reading is a must for any organist, some people still have the common misconceptions about this skill. Without properly understanding the myths that surround the sight-reading ability, it will be difficult to advance to a new level at reading music on the organ. These myths are based on some people's fear which slows down progress in sight-reading. Today I will explain some of the most common myths about this very practical and useful skill.

1. Sight-reading can't be taught . Some of my readers have told me stories how they were told many years ago that this skill cannot be mastered in a step-by-step fashion. However, the truth is that in fact, systematic step-by-step approach is the best way to practice sight-reading. While learning to play slowly single voices in an unfamiliar piece, combinations of two voices, combinations of three voices etc. the fastest progress is achieved.

2. Sight-reading is difficult to master . This idea is also based on incorrect preconceived notion. In reality, if we approach the process of learning to read new music on the organ from the right perspective, then it is very easy to progress in sight-reading. The only important thing to remember is the need to practice slowly, regularly, and in a step-by-step fashion.

3. The skill at sight-reading is easy to forget . I have heard some people say that once you learn this skill, it requires constant hard work to maintain this ability. However, it can be compared to riding a bicycle. Once you learn how to ride a bicycle, even though you might have taken a break of several years, this skill quickly comes back after a short period of adjustment. The same principle is valid in sight-reading.

4. Only geniuses can master this skill . We all have our role-models, the great composers and organists, like Bach, Dupre or any other master from the past or present times. Therefore it is easy to start believing that only these great people have mastered sight-reading. However, if only we approach the learning process very systematically, everyone of us is capable to advance in sight-reading.

5. Sight-reading takes several hours of practice a day to learn . Although this might be partially true in organ playing in general, mastering sight-reading really takes not more that 15 minutes a day of regular practice. This is such an insignificant amount of time that with proper motivation we can practice even while watching a TV show or a movie during the commercials.

6. Not every organist needs to practice sight-reading . Some organists who believe they have the sufficient skills at reading new music at sight. However, this myth is easily broken once such an organist tries to sight-read a difficult organ composition written in imitative counterpoint, such as fugue. Intricate dialogues between independent voices make playing such a music fluently and without mistakes and interruptions an extremely difficult task. Therefore, no matter how far you have progressed in organ playing, there is always a room for improvement.

If you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic Organ Sight-Reading Master Course which is intended for organists who want to perfect such seemingly supernatural abilities. To successfully complete the practice material of this course will only take 15 minutes a day of regular and wise practice but you will learn to fluently sight-read any piece of organ music effortlessly.]]><![CDATA[Questions and Answers About My Organ Sight-Reading Master Course]]>Fri, 25 May 2012 19:25:09 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/questions-and-answers-about-my-organ-sight-reading-master-course.htmlPicture
Some people who signed up or are intending to sign up for my new "Organ Sight-Reading Master Course" have been asking me some important questions. I thought these questions might be valid to other organists, so I am sharing them with you today.

(By the way, to everyone who has already signed up... congratulations! This is going to be an awesome time!)




1) Question: What is the duration of this course?

Answer: This course is designed to be taken over 9 months - once a week I will send you the sight-reading materials to download, save, print and practice.

2) Question: I have no possibility to practice during the following 2 months so I was wondering, if I buy this master course in one payment now, would it still work if I kept all the materials you send each week and compile it and start working on it when I have the time available?

Answer: I completely understand that some people will be unable to practice for 9 months straight. That's why there are no deadlines in my course. When you receive practice materials, save them for later date and when you are ready, you can begin to work at your own pace. In fact, if you practice for a while and something comes up and you have to stop for some time - don't worry, you can pick up where you left (with some repetition of previously learned material, of course).

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

3) Question: Is the material to be covered only once (from beginning to the end of that day's section) and then not ever repeated; or is it meant to be sight-read, and then mastered before proceeding on the next day to the next section?

Answer: Playing once is enough because it is sight-reading but if you have time, playing two or tree times will be even better. Basically it also depends on how easy it will go. If you feel that the material at the beginning is easy to sight-read fluently at a slow speed, you can speed up the tempo a bit. Just try it and you'll get the feel of it. For best results Pick such a tempo which allows you to avoid mistakes.

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

4) Question: How is the practice material structured?

Answer: I am using a very systematic step-by-step approach. At first, you will learn how to sight-read separate voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), then all of the possible combinations of 2 voices, later we move to 3-voice combinations, and finally - the entire 4-part texture. Even though you might have very limited technical abilities today, while practicing the materials of this course you will begin to feel how each new combination is just one step way and never out of reach.

5) Question: How long does it take to learn the practice materials for each day?

Answer: Your total time spent practicing sight-reading should not be more than 15 minutes a day. The real results of this course come not from long hours of practicing every day but from the regular and wise practice over the period of nine months.

6) Question: How unique is this course compared to any other sight-reading course available today?

Answer: There is no other organ sight-reading course like this on the market today because it is so systematic and is based on one of the greatest master-pieces of human mind - Bach's "The Art of the Fugue" (plus some of the best known organ works of Bach as well).

7) What if I get stuck in some difficult spot? Will you help me solve the problem?

Answer: You will receive an unlimited email access to me over your subscription time. So if you get into any problem along the way or have a question of any kind, just ask me - I'll be always here to help you out.

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

Look for the special offer with 30-day-money-back-guarantee at the bottom of that page which will expire this Monday.

I'll see you on the inside!

Vidas Pinkevicius
]]><![CDATA[Announcing My Brand New Organ Sight-Reading Master Course - Special Offer Inside]]>Tue, 22 May 2012 20:46:10 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/announcing-my-brand-new-organ-sight-reading-master-course-special-offer-inside.htmlWhen I reviewed the answers I received from many of my subscribers about what is holding them back from achieving their goals in organ playing, I realized that my list of subscribers is not made up from the advanced concert organists (although there are a few of them on my list). Instead the majority the people who read my articles are organists who struggle with the most basic tasks, like reading 3 lines of organ music, playing the organ without mistakes, playing hymns, sight-reading etc.

In fact, lack of formal training in sight-reading is one of the main reasons why organists have so much trouble learning new organ music. You see, many people think that a skill at sight-reading is developed by playing a bunch of unfamiliar music regularly and they are right about that.

Let's pretend that you are interested in learning to sight-read Bach's organ works. So you open the thick volume of his music, like vol. 1 of NBA edition with Orgelbuchlein and start playing from the beginning. What do you think will happen?

Obviously, if you are just starting the training in sight-reading, you will get stuck in the second measure of the chorale prelude "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland", BWV 599 - a very beautiful piece, by the way. Then you might think, OK, I need to persevere because I'm just starting out. Then you will resist the tempatation to give up and while struggling, finish the piece.

Then the next day you might take another chorale prelude and the same thing might happen - you will make a lot of mistakes and get stuck in some difficult spot.

Do you think that by practicing this way you will develop your skill at sight-reading? My answer is not likely.
You see the same laws are valid both in organ playing and in sight-reading.

If you make a mistake and continue to play without correcting it, then you will be developing the skill to play with mistakes which obviously is not what you want. Likewise in sight-reading, if you are playing with a lot of mistakes, this will not get you very far.

Instead, you should play the piece that you are sight-reading without mistakes right from the beginning.
How is this possible? Well, practicing tempo should be very slow, the pieces should be easy enough at first and gradually have to become more and more advanced one step at a time.

In order to help you reach your goals in organ playing, I am releasing my brand new Organ Sight-Reading Master Course - a 9-month highly systematic step-by-step coaching program which you can take advantage of today.

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

Look for the special offer at the bottom of that page which will expire next Monday.

You will discover that with my system you will NOT get stuck in any measure, because I will be guiding you along the way. You can imagine that I will take you by the hand and lead to your goal one step at a time.

And so little by little over the course of the next 9 months, you will begin to notice tremendous changes in your organ playing abilities in general and sight-reading in particular. The good thing about my course is that you will not need to spend more than 15 minutes a day sight-reading the practice material I will send you.

How would that make you feel? Would you start feeling more confident in your skills? Would you like that kind of progress? Would the perfected skill in sight-reading help you reach your dream in organ playing?

If so, click on the link below and read more detailed information about this course. On that page you will also find the practice material for Week 1-Day 1 which you can print and try out to see if you like it.

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

Perhaps you are thinking if this course is right for you? Go ahead and get it now, don't worry, if you are not completely satisfied, I will give you 30 days money back guarantee!

Sign up for Organ Sight-Reading Master Course

To your success in organ playing,

Vidas Pinkevicius ]]><![CDATA[Organ Practice: How to Overcome Lack of Patience Which Slows Down Progress?]]>Sat, 19 May 2012 22:33:22 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/organ-practice-how-to-overcome-lack-of-patience-which-slows-down-progress.htmlDo you ever feel like practicing organ the right way is a really great burden? Or perhaps you are frustrated that you can't master some particular place in your organ piece? If this happens, very often people feel lack of patience and want to stop practicing organ or they might take another piece without properly learning the current one. Fighting this problem is easier than you think. In this article, I will give you tips and advice on how to overcome lack of patience when practicing organ playing.

First of all, let's imagine that your dream in organ playing is being able to play the great works of Bach. This is a great dream, of course, which requires a great plan and wise practice. Obviously, this dream is a long-term one because it will take at least several years of concentrated effort from your part. So it is only natural that sometimes you might get frustrated and feel a rising impatience which slows down your progress.

If your lack of patience is holding you back from realizing your dream, then of course you have to persevere. I'm not immune from this problem either. However, it helps if I remember my goal which might be very specific, like master a specific piece, prepare for a recital etc.

So I guess if you experience lack of patience, remember your grand dream of being able to play on a good level big Bach's organ works. Or even better, subdivide your big dream into several others of a smaller scale, like learning a particular piece in a particular number of days. This will be your short-term goal or dream. Then think of what steps you should take in order to realize your dream.

For example, your dream might be to master Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C-major, BWV 553 in 2 weeks. This fantastic composition, the first from 8 Little Preludes and Fugues has 3 pages of 4 lines each which makes 12 lines total. In order to learn this piece in 2 weeks, you will have to learn 1 line a day and repeat the previously learn lines every day. So in about 12 days you will have learned this prelude and fugue.

This will be your plan. However, you are probably aware that the fugue is usually more difficult than the prelude to learn because of its polyphonic imitative writing style. It may well happen that you run into several problematic place while learning the fugue (especially when there are pedal entrances). And all of a sudden you want to quit practicing this piece and take another composition which is easier to learn. That's a very realistic situation for many organists.

So if you ever face a problem of losing patience and running away from the organ bench, think of your plan. Then no matter how impatient you might be or how boring it may be to practice this piece, all you have to do is to stick to your plan and continue practicing the right way which will lead you to success.

You just have to remember that sticking to your plan is like going from place A to place B on a train. Your plan is like train tracks and if you just follow these tracks, you will inevitably reach your destination.

On the contrary, if you give up practicing for some reason, lose patience or switch to an easier piece without properly mastering the current one, then you are sacrificing your progress. This is a very good thing to remember because your time is very limited and precious.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]><![CDATA[How to Program an Organ Recital? - An Example of Easy and Exciting Music for Beginners ]]>Sat, 19 May 2012 00:06:30 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/how-to-program-an-organ-recital-an-example-of-easy-and-exciting-music-for-beginners.html
Organists preparing for an organ recital often have a dilemma of what pieces to include and in what order. While concert organists with much experience normally have their own method of programing a recital, beginner organists often struggle with this question. This is because technical possibilities of the beginner organists are very limited, yet they still need to provide enough quality and interesting music for the audience. In this article, I will give you an example of beginner level organ recital with the most famous pieces of the repertoire of approximately 1 hour of duration (with stop changes). The compositions are arranged in an order for optimum listener-friendly experience.

1. Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major, BWV 560 formerly attributed to J.S.Bach. An excellent opening composition for your recital. The prelude is joyful, loud, and fast with an exciting pedal solo. The fugue is in triple meter and fairly straightforward. Organo pleno registration with mixtures is very appropriate.

2. In dulci jubilo, BWV 751 by J.S.Bach (?). Soft and gentle chorale prelude will be a nice relieve both for the listeners and organist.

3. Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 by J.S.Bach. This slow and meditative organ chorale prelude is among audience most-loved chorale preludes by Bach.

4. Pedal Exercitium, BWV 598. This piece was earlier attributed to J.S.Bach. Fast tempo, virtuoso pedal solo line will surely leave your audience stunned, especially if your feet are visible. By the way, this piece is a perfect work-out to develop your foot technique.

5. Prelude and Fugue in F Major, BWV 556 formerly attributed to J.S.Bach. Playful character of this piece does not require heavy Organo pleno registration with mixtures. Instead, various flute combinations work very well.

6. Herzlich thut mich verlangen, BWV 727 by J.S.Bach. A slow tempo and prayerful mood will be a nice contrast with the previous piece. Since it is an ornamented chorale prelude, use a soft reed, such as oboe, mutations or other colourful stops for the chorale tune in the right hand. The other parts can be played with the flutes and 16' in the pedals.

7. Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV 600 by J.S.Bach. Although the texture is in 4 parts with an obbligato pedal line, the pedaling is very comfortable and easy. Joyful registration with mixtures are perfect for this chorale prelude.

8. Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 558 formerly attributed to J.S.Bach. Although this is a free work, the registration could be without mixtures because of the serious and sad character. Even 8' principal will sound nice. The fugue is much more difficult than the prelude to learn because of the imitative polyphony.

9. Andante tranquillo from the Organ Sonata No. 3, Op. 65 by F.Mendelssohn. A slow, elegant, and soft piece. Easy to learn.

10. Fugue from the Organ Sonata No. 6, Op. 65 by F.Mendelssohn. Fairly straightforward fugue, serious sound and character.

11. Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen, Op. 122 by J.Brahms. Gentle and sweet chorale prelude, one of the most popular organ pieces by this composer. For manuals only.

12. Herzliebster Jesu, Op. 122 by J.Brahms. A fairly slow tempo and lack of imitative polyphony makes it easier to learn.

13. Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele, Op. 122 by J.Brahms. For manuals only. Lack of pedals make it quite easy to play but the polyphonic 3-voice texture is complicated.

14. Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Op. 122 by J.Brahms (6/4 meter). Easy to play because of very slow tempo, easy pedal line, lack of imitative polyphony. Gentle but sad character forms a welcome contrast in mode with the previous piece.

15. Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Op. 122 by J.Brahms (4/4 meter). Another setting of the same name, much louder and a bit faster.

16. Le Banquet Celeste by O.Messiaen. This fantastic meditative work is the easiest organ composition by the famous French composer. However, don't be deceived by the apparent short length of the piece. Although it is notated on 2 pages, the normal performance time is around 6.5 minutes which is extremely difficult mentally for many organists.

17. Fanfare by J.Lemmens. A joyful closing piece of your recital. Your listeners will love it. Loud but not too fast which makes it possible to play for an organist with little pedal experience. You will find repetitive motion of sixteenth notes in the right hand which reduces the stress for people who have a weak left hand technique.

You can use the above list as it is in preparing for a recital or plan your own program based on this example. Even if your technical abilities are limited, the pieces listed above should be within your reach with sufficient practice yet quite musically interesting. However, please note that although the pedal part is easy in all of the pieces, you should have some background of the piano playing to successfully learn this music.

Although the order of pieces may be changed according to your taste, they display the welcome variety in registration, tempos, mood and keys. Therefore, your listeners should be happy with your program. All you have to do is to master them one by one or all at once. This takes regular, wise, and persistent practice.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]><![CDATA[How to Harmonize a Hymn in 7 Easy Steps? ]]>Thu, 17 May 2012 08:02:16 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/how-to-harmonize-a-hymn-in-7-easy-steps.htmlWould you like to be able to write chords which go well with your favorite hymn? In order to harmonize it in 4 parts, you will have to know the basic rules of harmony and voice leading. In this article, I will show you 7 steps you could take in harmonizing any hymn tune in 4 parts.

1. Write in the treble clef on the upper stave and the bass clef on the lower stave. Insert a necessary key signature of the hymn and write in the meter signature.

2. Notate a melody on the upper stave with the stems up. This will be the soprano voice of your harmonization.

3. Determine the key of the hymn. Look at the key signature and the last note of the tune. The melody normally ends on a tonic note (1st, 3rd, or 5th scale degree of the home key).

4. Find the caesura point (the breathing place) and notate it with a "v" sign. Usually it is located after first four measures.

5. Determine what the most suitable chords are for each beat in the melody. Choose from the 3 most important chords: Tonic (a triad or a 3-note chord built on the 1st scale degree), Subdominant (a triad built on the 4th scale degree) or Dominant (a triad built on the 5th scale degree). If you know other chords, you can choose from them as well.

6. On the lower stave write in the bass line based on these chords with the stems down. You can make the bass line a bit smoother by using 1st inversion chords. Aim for the contrary motion with the soprano line most of the time.

7. Write in the 2 missing middle parts: alto (in the treble clef with stems down) and tenor (in the bass clef with stems up). Observe the proper voice leading: let the common notes of the chords be stationary and other notes move by a step.

Another way to connect two chords is in contrary motion with the bass. Here the voices move to the closest notes of the next chord. Avoid voice crossing, intervals of two consecutive unisons, 5ths and 8ves and forming a 5th or an 8ve parallel motion from the previous chord. The largest interval between the 3 upper parts is the octave while the distance between the bass and tenor could be one and a half octave.

Use the above steps to harmonize your favorite hymn today. Once the harmonization is complete, remember to play it on the keyboard, piano or organ. Correct any mistakes you find along the way. You can also impress your friends or family by playing your hymn harmonization for them.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]><![CDATA[ 8 Steps in Arranging a Song for the Organ]]>Thu, 17 May 2012 06:42:16 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/-8-steps-in-arranging-a-song-for-the-organ.htmlDo you have a favorite song and want to be able to play it on the organ? In order to do this, you will have to create an organ arrangement to adapt the song to the organ texture. In this article, I will show you 8 steps in making an organ arrangement from a song.

1. Notate the melody of the song in a stave notation. You can use a recording as your foundation for notating or sheet music of the original song.

2. Harmonize the song in 4 parts keeping the tune in soprano. Keep the original harmonies and chords or add your own harmonization. In order to be able to harmonize a tune, you will have to know the basic rules of harmony and voice-leading.

3. Add figuration in the accompaniment for more variety. The figuration can be melodic, rhythmic or both. A good example of figuration could be arpeggio, scalar passages based on chords. You can also add non chordal tones, such as diatonic or chromatic passing tones, neighbor tones, appogiaturas etc.

4. You can put the tune in the tenor of your harmonization. An interesting arrangement will have the melody of the song in the tenor voice played by the left hand while the right hand takes soprano and alto. The bass will be played by the pedals.

5. Notate the introduction, interludes, and conclusion. You can do this step either from the original or creating your own. Your arrangement will be incomplete without these structural parts of the composition. Again, use the original harmonies or create your own.

6. Write in the registration. Consider this point carefully and think which stops can be most useful in bringing out the tune? If the tune is in the right hand, softer reeds, compound stops and mutation combinations will sound very well. If the tune is in the left hand, play it on a reed. Use softer stops, such as flutes for the accompaniment.

7. Add dynamics. Once your harmonization, figuration, introduction, interludes, and endings are complete, notate the proper dynamics. Think about the culmination point of your song which often is the loudest part of the piece.

8. Add phrasing. Your arrangement also has to have phrasing markings. These are lines which connect several measures into one phrase. Usually a sign for the ending of the phrase is a breath mark (caesura), a rest, a long note, repetition of rhythmical figures, change in texture, change in dynamics etc.

Use the above steps to create your own unique and original organ arrangement of any song of your choice today. You will definitely have fun and learn many new things in the process. Once the arrangement is complete, you can impress your friends or family by learning to play it on the organ.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]><![CDATA[What Are 15 Steps in Becoming an International Concert Organist?]]>Wed, 16 May 2012 09:48:37 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/what-are-15-steps-in-becoming-an-international-concert-organist.htmlMany organists have a dream of one day becoming an organist of international level. They want to be able to tour the world extensively by giving organ concerts in the most famous cathedrals and concert halls of the world. Such a successful organist career gives possibilities to play interesting and important organs in various countries, meet new audiences, and showcase your organ skills for a large number of people. In this article, I will give you 15 tips which will help you in becoming an international concert organist.

1. Commit to practicing organ playing every day. Regular and wise practicing is vital in any organist career.

2. Develop an excellent finger and pedal technique on the organ. This is a critical step. You must have the ability to perform any technical feat which may be encountered in any organ composition.

3. Master a large amount of organ repertoire. Learn the most important pieces from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern periods of various national schools of organ composition.

4. Participate in various international organ academies and master classes. This will help you to advance your technical and artistic level, try new instruments, and make lots of personal connections.

5. If your age permits, participate in various local and international organ competitions. Winning major international organ competitions is the fastest road to success. Even if you don't win, the proper preparation and participation will propel you to the next level of advancement.

6. Make important personal and professional connections with organists across the globe. Use social media channels to increase the number of your friends in organ world.

7. Think about how you can be unique among other organists. Because the competition in the international organ scene is so huge, this is crucial point. You must find an angle which will help other people to perceive you and your skills in a different light from others.

8. Consistently market yourself as an organist. Use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other social media channels to regularly spread the word about your professional achievements, activities, and engagements. However, be careful not to spam. All ways aim that your postings be of value and interest others first.

9. Create a personal website. Your website must make easy for your visitors to get more information about you.

10. Record video and/or audio samples of your playing. Your best recordings and videos will testify your advancement level.

11. Prepare unique and attractive program. Think of your audience, particular instrument as well as the concert organizers as you create a list of the organ pieces you want to put together for a recital.

12. Research and compile a list of possible organ concert venues and festivals. Use the Internet to find various churches, cathedrals and concert halls which offer international organ recital series.

13. Write an attractive recital proposal. Everything from a Subject line (a title) to introduction, body of your message and a call-to-action is important to keep the interest of your readers. If you fail but one detail, chances are that your email will end up in the spam or junk folder.

14. Send this proposal to your personal connections and a list of concert venues and festivals. Use your list you compiled in step 11 to spread your message.

15. Repeat previous steps as many times as you want. Remember, that personal development and marketing is an ongoing task so the more consistent effort you put into action the better chances you have to succeed. Don't expect to receive tons of offers from your first email. People have to trust you, they must have confidence in you and this takes time and persistence from your part.

There is much more you can do which can help you to become an international known organist. But these are the most important things. Although it takes many months to successfully complete this step-by-step plan, you can begin to implement it today.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]><![CDATA[8 Tips on Using Crescendo Pedal on the Organ]]>Fri, 11 May 2012 15:54:40 +0200http://www.organduo.lt/1/post/2012/05/8-tips-on-using-crescendo-pedal-on-the-organ.htmlMany modern and eclectic organs are equipped with a crescendo pedal which is sometimes a necessary tool in creating dynamics in certain type of organ music, especially from German Romantic period, such as music by Liszt, Reger, Rheinberger, Karg-Elert and others. Some pieces from the modern times also are suited for crescendo pedal. Although you can perform this music without the use of this pedal quite successfully, knowing how to employ it can be very beneficial to the organist. The crescendo pedal facilitates the registration changes that can be achieved by the organist alone. In this article, I will give you 8 tips on using crescendo pedal on the organ.

1) Prepare in advance. Because the use of crescendo pedal is a new skill that an organist has to learn, it is best to plan your practice and include the necessary drills in advance. I do not recommend taking it for granted during the recital or any other performance in public.

2) Practice repeatedly. Locate the place in your music score which requires the crescendo pedal and play it over and over in a slow tempo to gain automation and freedom.

3) Imagine crescendo pedal and practice. If your organ does not have this pedal, you can also pretend that it is there, put the right foot in place and push it back and forth when appropriate as if it was for real.

4) Practice using any foot. Although the right foot is the most often used foot for making crescendo, sometimes there is a need to manipulate a pedal with the left foot as well. It depends on which foot is busy at the moment.

5) Adjust the pedaling. If the pedal line allows, it is a good idea to write in your pedaling for the left foot so that the right foot would be free to use the crescendo pedal.

6) Avoid sudden movements of the foot. When you press this pedal, try to be sensitive and feel how much movement you have to use because the more force you use, the more dynamic contrast you will create.

7) Aim for gradual crescendo during a single passage. Very often there is a need to make gradual dynamic changes when there are no sudden changes in texture over the course of the piece. However, during section breaks, according to the wish of the composer, contrasts, such as FF-pp often are quite necessary.

8) Programmable crescendo pedal. Some organs with electro-pneumatical action are equipped with the pedal you can program in advance according to your taste. This means that you can even adjust the way and order this pedal adds the stops and make your crescendo and diminuendo even smoother.

If your organ music requires the use of crescendo pedal, use the above tips to incorporate it in your practice today. By learning how to manipulate this pedal you will gain the necessary freedom on the organ bench and there will be no need for an assistant to change the registration for you in many cases.

By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe
organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ 
Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I  use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.]]>