Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 306 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Jack and he writes:
 
“Hello Vidas,

I practice every day for 1 or 2 hours, sometimes even more. But I make slow progress on e.g. Bach level 1 course. Probably due to my age (71) and the fact that I didn't play for almost 30 years. But the good point is that I ENJOY the practicing now, thanks to your inspiring learning materials.

Rgds,
Jack”
 
V: This is really nice to hear when senior person is trying to reacquaint himself with the organ while being absent away from the keyboard for decades.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Right?  How old is your dad for example.
 
A: Seventy-six.
 
V: Seventy-six.  We certainly have students like that and older in their eighties I think too.  The oldest one was 89 maybe or 91, basically pushing towards 90 and still learning.  That’s the most fascinating thing to me while many people just watch TV all day at that age.  People like Jack tries to improve himself every day.  Of course it’s not easy at this age and Bach Organ Mastery Level 1 course is not really beginners course.  Eight Preludes and Fugues are not the easiest pieces that he wrote or his students wrote.  What would you have to say to Jack?
 
A: That he is doing an excellent job actually.  Just doing it is already wonderful.
 
V: At this age you don’t have to press yourself too much, you don’t have to worry about other things, how other people think about you, about your future career, where this might lead you or not, is it worth your time or not, you just play for your own enjoyment.  If you want a more thrilling experience you could actually after learning a piece or two go find a local church and play for the prelude or postlude just for experience and playing in public but it’s not required.  You could simply play it for your friends and family.  That would be amazing enjoyment for them.
 
A: Yes, and I think this age, 65 plus ten years, is when people retire usually and they have more time so they can practice organ.
 
V: It’s like hobby, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: But this hobby started late in life, right?  Is it good to take up something new at this stage?
 
A: I think yes and I think Jack used to play because he only hadn’t played now for thirty years.
 
V: Do you imagine yourself being at seventy or more and taking up some new things learn, if you are living that long.
 
A: Well yes, if I am living that’s a very good question.  I don’t think I will be living by seventy but…
 
V: If you do.
 
A: Yes, why not?
 
V: Why not (laughs) if you say so.  If that’s what you want dear.
 
A: But you know I already play, I already draw, what else could I do?  Do some sports at that age maybe?
 
V: Do some sports, yes.  Because you know stretching is important at this level, walking is important, moving basically.
 
A: But I’m walking now.  Not right now but in these days.
 
V: (laughs) Maybe something that you even haven’t thought about, something entirely different like jumping out of the airplane with a parachute.
 
A: Oh no, I’m afraid of heights. And I can swim so I cannot learn swimming at that age.  Maybe do some ice skating.
 
V: Ice skating, yes.  What about skiing? 
 
A: I don’t know, maybe.
 
V: Cross country skiing.
 
A: Winters are getting so mild we don’t get enough snow.
 
V: I’ll try to introduce you to skiing when we go to Alps next March if there is any snow left.  We’ll be playing at the organ festival there in the French Alps and it will be very fascinating to see the mountains from up close.
 
A: Thanks for warning me about your plans, maybe I can not go, find an excuse, and leave you alone to perform.
 
V: That would be a sad choice I think.  But we can work something out I think.  I’m not fond of skiing myself.  I just like watching other people ski.
 
A: Usually people who like to watch sports don’t like to take any and do it themselves.
 
V: What did we do last Wednesday, do you remember?
 
A: Oh, going to Leliunai to perform?
 
V: Yes. What did you think about that experience?
 
A: It was nice.  I have never played for kids so young in age.
 
V: There were kindergarten level kids and elementary school children too.  About twenty-eight total of them plus several adult teachers and all of them were gathering around the beginning of twentieth century organ in this little town of Leliunai and we were supposed to do organ demonstration for them.   Ausra was supposed to play for them and I was supposed to talk and Ausra played organ music.  What did you play?
 
A: Bach, Krebs, Mendelssohn, Franck, and Lefebure-Wely.
 
V: Exciting pieces, at least for adults.  And then I talked, I told them a fairy tale, like a story about piglet Pinky and hedgehog Spiky and their friends building pipe organ and that was my way of introducing the kids to the organ because through story we could remember better things.  And what else they did?  Oh, they drew the scenes from the story with George and the organ with animals too.  Also they were more focused this way.
 
A: Yes.  There was one small boy that stood behind me all the time and looked at the score, at my hands, through the entire performance.
 
V: Maybe that’s a future organist.
 
A: Could be, I thought about it too.
 
V: And then after Ausra played the last piece we invited everybody to try out the instrument for a few moments, not for a long time because twenty-eight kids, that’s a lot and we only had ten minutes left before we had to go to eat lunch.  And the priest was nice because he gave all the kids lollypops.
 
A: Even we got one for each.
 
V: We are saving them for Saturdays.
 
A: That’s right.  So Jack, I think you are on the right track because progress even for young people doesn’t come easily so just keep practicing.  The most important thing is that you are enjoying it.
 
V: If you master just four measures per day that’s beautiful progress I think and you repeat previously mastered measures too your progress grows stronger and stronger each day.  Thanks guys, this was Vidas.
 
A: And Ausra.
 
V: Please send us more of your questions.  We love helping you grow and remember when you practice…
 
A: Miracles happen.

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 305 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Alan, and he writes:
​
Vidas, we are back from our travels.  I enjoyed the Bach organ tour but the big surprise was how sharp most of the organs were.  It wreaked havoc with my absolute pitch and made it very difficult to play.

It didn't get easier, but I didn't push it too much as there were others waiting for a chance to play the organs.  For something else to do I took measurements of the temperament octaves of many of the organs in order to make some comparisons.  A podcast on coping with different pitches would be good.
 
V: So, Alan is already introduced to historical temperaments, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: This is nice.
 
A: True.
 
V: Was it difficult for you to adjust, Ausra, when you first encountered different pitch levels in the tuning of different organs?
 
A: Well, a little bit, yes, but I wouldn’t complain about it, actually, I liked it so much.
 
V: What was the first organ that was different from A440 that you played or heard?
 
A: Actually it was a small organ built by John Brombaugh in Gothenburg, Sweden, in Haga Church. That was my first organ.
 
V: So, probably the same for me.
 
A: That’s right, and because it has split keys, I remember that you could not figure out which are flats and which are sharps, and I had to do it. And somehow, I did it fine. You just need to listen, really.
 
V: On that organ, I chose E major Preludium by Buxtehude with four sharps—very stupid idea.
 
A: Well, at that time, we simply didn’t have any idea what the historical temperaments are.
 
V: And what did you play there?
 
A: Well, I played, I think, Preludium in G minor.
 
V: Much better choice!
 
A: Yes. It was better.
 
V: With two flats. Anyway, so the tuning was quarter-comma meantone, and the pitch level was A=465, I think.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Half step higher.
 
A: Yes. And, you know, a couple remarks about “absolute pitch,” as Alan called it, or I would call it, “perfect pitch.” It’s usually not a pitch that is related to this, it’s usually your memory. Your musical memory. You simply memorize everything at A440.
 
V: And the reason I asked him if it got easier when he touched the keyboard and started to play is because for me, somehow, it became easier. I forgot somehow, but maybe I spent more time than Alan on the organ.
 
A: Well, let’s say, I used to have to play sometimes, even during the same recital, on three different instruments. I remember accompanying at Eastern Michigan University, for example, and I had to play on the organ, on the harpsichord, and on the piano. That was hard work. And I remember in one recital, I had to do Sweelinck’s Fantasia Chromatica on the harpsichord, which was tuned quarter-comma meantone, and then I played on the organ Bach/Vivaldi Concertos, which was tuned in A440. And for me, it was really difficult to go through the first page, and after that it was ok.
 
V: You mean of Bach?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Because you played Sweelinck first, and adjusted, got used to it, and then suddenly had to switch to Bach—to  the modern organ.
 
A: Yes. But you know, after working for a while with historical tuning, when you go back to 440, you see that it’s really harsh sounding. That there are no pure intervals, and everything is so, so out of tune, actually!
 
V: Did you notice that piano sounds milder with equal temperament than the organ, actually?
 
A: True, because I think the pipe sound is so much more prominent than the piano.
 
V: And the sound doesn’t fade.
 
A: True.
 
V: So, yes, it needs some adjustments and some experience with different instruments, but each new instrument gives you new perspective—new experience, right?
 
A: True, and I think if you are getting in trouble adjusting to a historical tuning, I think working on the 440 instrument, you need to transpose more often, to play the same pieces in different keys.
 
V: Mhm, why?
 
A: Then it will be easier for you to adjust.
 
V: Oh, transpose… we need to ask Alan if he practices transposition then!
A: True.
 
V: At some point, I remember making a few videos of the same piece in different keys—a Two Part Invention by Bach in C major. I played it in C major, in F major, and in G major, recorded on YouTube, and I transposed it into all the other major keys when I practiced, but didn't record it yet. So, it really helps to do this regularly.
 
A: Well, and another thing, if you want to adjust to historical tunings, if you have access to a harpsichord, then it’s easier to do, because harpsichord is an instrument which you can tune in different tuning systems very easily, so you could practice.
 
V: Or a clavichord.
 
A: Or a clavichord. I think it’s easier to access a harpsichord, probably, than a clavichord.
 
V: Right.
 
A: But I think it’s all a mental thing.
 
V: But I think Alan seems to have enjoyed this experience, right? But when he started to play that it was difficult, right? Or when other people played, he couldn’t listen to the original keys. I myself remember in Sweden, back in 2000, in Gothenburg, so other people played C major. I remember Bill Porter played 545 Preludium and Fugue in C major by Bach. This was one of…
 
A: In Örgryte
 
V: ...In Örgryte New Church one the first times I heard this piece, actually. And he announced that this piece will be in C major. And I prepared myself in C major, you know, my “perfect pitch system” based on 440, and he started to play, and it sounded D flat major, and the whole time, while being downstairs, I was mentally really struggling to think, “What is happening, and what is he actually playing?” Not, “What I’m hearing,” but, “What is he playing?” But again, when I started to play this on organ on another occasion, not right away, but after a few minutes, I think, it became easier.
 
A: Yes, for me, it takes about one page to adjust.
 
V: Right. So, Ausra, do you recommend people trying out different historical instruments and going on tours, like Alan did?
 
A: Yes, I think it broadens your perspectives in general. I think it’s a wonderful experience.
 
V: Tuning and pitches is just one side of the story. Another could be adjusting to the touch, adjusting to the bench height, or to the distance of the manuals when you have to reach the top manual and it’s very far from you…
 
A: But if we are talking about tunings and you see how different each key sounds, actually, then you understand what all those treatises about the meaning of the keys is.
 
V: And also in many historical instruments, the layout of the stops is not vertical from top to bottom, but from right to left, or from left to right horizontally! And you have to reach very, very far from the distant stop handles, and that makes it very difficult sometimes, and you might wonder if they really played with assistants or made less stop changes or what!
 
A: That’s true! And it also teaches us that when going somewhere, abroad especially, on an unfamiliar organ, you need to find out about them in advance as much as possible, so that you will be mentally prepared for it. That it wouldn’t catch you by surprise.
 
V: Like a short octave, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: In short octave, some of the lowest semitones are missing… sharp keys are missing… no C sharp, no D sharp, and sometimes even no F sharp and G sharp. So, if you don’t know this, and you are scheduled to play a recital on some historical organ with short octave, and you are used to playing a modern organ, then you don’t know what to play in that left hand section. Therefore, if you find out in advance, you can actually practice on your own keyboard at home or in a church with approximations of the target organ.
 
A: Usually next to the stop list of the organ, you get a compass of keys, so you could find out about it from it.
 
V: Thank you guys, we hope this was useful to you. Enjoy your travels, and enjoy experiences on other instruments—as many as possible, because each new organ gives you a new perspective. It’s like driving a car, right Ausra?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: The more you drive, the better you become at adjusting to each new vehicle. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice,
 
A: Miracles happen.

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.

Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 304, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Jeremy. In response to my weekly questions in our Total Organist Basecamp communication channel. When I ask ‘What’s the most frustrating thing for you this week, that you’ve been struggling with’? And Jeremy wrote:

Focusing. During the postlude at this mornings service, about half way through the fugue of BWV 555 bad things just started happening. I tried to bring myself back into the moment, but it took about ten measures to get back into the zone. I am trying some of the techniques you mention in your "focusing at the organ" lessons, so the fugue didn't completely fall apart. Just a few hairy moments on a piece I felt completely fine with yesterday. I will say, ten years ago I would have stopped the piece and tried to restart it somewhere, so that's a win.
 
V: Do you know, Ausra, BWV 555 E minor Prelude and Fugue from Eight Little Preludes and Fugues collection?

A: Yes, I know it.
 
V: I think Justas from Unda Maris studio, played it last year, or not? No. He played A minor. But E minor Regina played a number of years ago.
 
A: Yes, I know that piece.
 
V: Mmm-hmmm. And fugue is more complex than the preludes are obviously.
 
A: Yes, that’s true with all eight pieces in this collection.
 
V: Mmm-mmm. When was the last time Ausra, for you, when you lost something in the middle of the piece, and you had to figure out the way to get back into the song?
 
A: Well, I actually can’t recall that moment, right now.
 
V: Yeah. We would better forget it. (Laughs). Therefore we block it from our memory.
 
A: But I know now that I showed the F Major Preludes for my students and I killed the organ.
 
V: Oh! Tell us, please, more!
 
A: This happened this week, actually, Wednesday, and today we are talking on Saturday. So I was playing for her the F Major Preludes from the same collection—these Preludes and Fugues by J.S. Bach or Bach’s circle. And actually organ just, sound just disappeared. And there was this horrible smell—burning, burning smell.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
V: So I just shut down the organ and called Vidas.
 
V: And where was Vidas?
 
A: Vidas was practicing at the big organ in the church.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: So, organ engine was dead.
 
V: It’s good to have two organs in the church; one big for me and one small for Ausra.
 
A: Ha!
 
V: (Laughs). Now we only have one left.
 
A: Yes. Now we have to share, and play four hands.
 
V: So, what was the reason later, I could continue the story, because I was also worried. I climbed the balcony of that little chapel organ. We switched off all the fuses and smelled the burning of wires and called the security and authorities of the university. And they, it was actually almost the end of the work day, and they said, ‘Okay. Wait until the morning crew comes in, tomorrow, to check’.
 
A: And we were really scared because we thought that the fire might get started.
 
V: Uh-huh.
 
A: And part of the most important part of the church might burn out, so.
 
V: Yeah, but in Lithuania sometimes in those state funded or public positions like at the university, people work, not like they work in private...
 
A: Companies, yes.
 
V: ...companies. They work until the end of the day and they leave.
 
A: And nobody really cares about anything.
 
V: Uh-huh. So it was almost the end of their working day and they said wait until the morning. So then I, I then looked into the motor room and the smell was more intense there. The blower was sort of warm, not very hot but warm, which is obviously okay because it has been working for an hour or more. And then what else? I looked for open fires signs, like smoke or something. There wasn’t any, actually. So I thought maybe it stopped. Maybe it was just like a short, short circuit. And then I would, Ausra waited, ah. Ausra went to the big organ to practice.
 
A: Because I had another lesson to teach so I had to go somewhere else.
 
V: And I then spent entire afternoon and part of the evening, checking that smoke in the church while Ausra was still...
 
A: Teaching.
 
V: ...teaching. And even while we were almost leaving the church, I went to the security guard, to the chapel one more time so that they could smell it, and maybe check it in the middle of the night again, if the smoke is,,,
 
A: And actually I had an earlier hard last night to sleep because right in the morning I was checking all the newspapers to see if it’s on the news, and maybe the church has burned out, so.
 
A: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: But everything was calm.
 
V: And in the morning I dropped Ausra to school and then walked to the church. It’s about, what, twenty minutes walk, walking down the hill. And I was going with a fast pace, and when the church was approaching, I was sort of looking for smoke or fire brigade. But luckily, it was a quiet night there.
 
A: True.
 
V: The first thing I did as, I didn’t climb to the organ balcony to the church with the big organ but I looked right away at the chapel where that organ which we killed yesterday was.
 
A: Which I killed, or J.S. Bach’s F Major Prelude killed.
 
V: Right! I didn’t think about that F Major. Maybe that’s a very dangerous piece to play.
 
A: It is. And so now, because Jeremy is playing that E minor from the same collection, I remembered this.
 
V: Maybe Jeremy should be careful about playing this piece in public again, right? Or check the wiring of electricity, or the motor more frequently because of this piece. (Laughs). Right?
 
A: Well but anyway, we have to congratulate Jeremy because he survived throughout this piece, and he didn’t stop. That’s a good sign. So I think he’s really on the right track.
 
V: Next time, I think when he is out of the zone, the process of getting of getting back into the zone will be shorter, I think for him.
 
A: True. True.
 
V: Because he knows how to deal with that situation already.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Right? Because he says, ten years ago, he would have stopped the piece and tried to restart it somewhere. And now, it took only about ten measures. So next time maybe it will be nine measures.
 
A: Sometimes when I practice organ pieces, I’m sort of praying that all the mistakes that might happen would happen during my practice time. Then I would know what to do. But somehow, if mistakes happen during actual performance, they are always in the other spots.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: So, you never know what might happen.
 
V: And I think about, you killed one organ, and I killed also one organ.
 
A: In Liepaja.
 
V: In Liepaja, yeah. The largest mechanical organ in the world.
 
A: Well, but you didn’t kill it. It was just some electric stuff.
 
V: Yeah. The electric company forgot to add one phase, so it was not enough power. So now it’s okay. Umm, yes. So keep practicing guys. And I think the most important lesson here, with focusing, it just to play more in public.
 
A: True. The more you do it, the easier it will get.
 
V: Right. And realize that mistakes will not kill you.
 
A: As he killed this organ.
 
V: Right. (Laughs). Thanks guys. This was Vidas.
 
A: And Ausra.
 
V: Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice...
 
A: Miracles happen!

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 303 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Michael and he writes:
 
“Hi Vidas and Ausra,
 
Thank you for your recent email, to which I am now responding late (I apologize).
 
My dream for my organ playing is that I would like to apply for, and be admitted into, a doctoral program in Organ Performance. I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Organ Performance.
 
At this time, I cannot think of three hindrances to my dream, but I can think of one in particular that is proving to be, and has always proved to be, a great problem for me: I am very shy about people hearing my practicing the organ - the repetitions, making mistakes, etc., that attend the process of learning a piece of music.
 
I am a very introverted person (which I have found is not a very common personality trait amongst organists; at least, not amongst the organists I know personally). I believe that my fear of people hearing my practicing may (at least partially) stem from the shyness and introversion, and perhaps lack of confidence in myself: worrying that people may think I am not a skilled organist if they hear how painstaking practicing can be, and sometimes how tedious the process of learning a piece of music can be (for me, at least). Even at the university, though, where I am surrounded by other graduate music students who understand exactly what I am experiencing with practicing – even there I cannot bring myself to practice on the practice organ, which makes things very difficult for me sometimes, since the practice organ is the organ on which I perform when I receive my weekly lessons, and I really need to play it regularly to continue to be accustomed to its feel and action. What I normally do is practice at the church in the late afternoon or evenings, when I know no one will be present to hear my practicing.
 
All of this causes me to waste time, and causes me to worry needlessly. I am aware of these things, yet the fear of people hearing me practice has been one with which I have struggled since childhood. Despite the fact that I have been successful enough to work as a church organist, pursue graduate-level Organ Performance studies, and compose, I worry that the shyness and introversion, which, I believe, is the basis, or part the of the basis, of my fear of others hearing my mistakes when I practice – I worry that this will directly harm my efforts to receive an admissions offer in the competitive world of doctoral studies because perhaps my skills will not be as good as they could be if I practiced more regularly. I also worry that my shy personality may indirectly harm my efforts to be admitted into a doctoral program since my non-extroverted, non-showmanship personality (and the music I prefer to play and compose as a result of this personality) may make me seem as though I would be less successful as a graduate of the program than would another more gregarious, “outgoing” applicant, and maybe the conservatory would prefer investing in a person like that rather than me, since my appearance alone may work against me. Sadly, I have found that a very skilled but introverted organist is often (and maybe even usually) unfavorably compared to an organist who is not as skilled, but who has a very extroverted and confident personality.
 
Thank you so much for your SoundCloud podcast and emails. I have found each podcast and email extremely helpful, informative, and enjoyable, and I am grateful for your work.
 
Most sincerely,
 
Michael”
 
V: That’s a long story Ausra but has a very interesting feedback.
 
A: Yes and he asks some things that I have never thought about.
 
V: That organists are not usually introvert, right?
 
A: Well actually I think that it might be wrong for you because I think many organists are extremely introverts because if you choose such an instrument you are probably an introvert because organists spend so much time alone with his or her instrument.
 
V: Plus the instrument is hidden from the public.
 
A: Yes in most churches so I think there are probably more introvert organists than extrovert, don’t you think so?
 
V: Let’s think about our friends.  Not all of them obviously, some of them are more outgoing than others just as in life probably.

A: Well but let’s see.  Let’s talk about ourselves.  Have you ever done any psychological tests to determine your personality?
 
V: Yeah, I did.
 
A: So what about the introvert/extrovert thing?
 
V: I don’t remember exactly those four letters about me but maybe you remember.
 
A: Well, I remember some of it but every test that I have done showed that I am extremely introvert person.  Something like eighty and more percent introvert.  I never thought about that problem that somebody would hear me practicing with mistakes.  Actually I don’t care about it.  The more I care is that I would play well during my actual performance because then it’s real important that I would play without mistakes.  So I would like to ask Michael if he feels performance anxiety during his actual performance because this is the moment when most musicians start worrying and get performance anxiety but not afraid of being heard playing with mistakes during rehearsals and another thing is that usually, especially in America, you have pretty well isolated practice rooms so if you are alone in a room nobody can hear you from outside.
 
V: Umm-hmm.  What he’s talking about is studio performance practice when he has to practice on the organ that his weekly lessons are held on, probably.  Remember in Nebraska.
 
A: Yes, I remember we had studio but I wouldn’t call it practice time.  It was held once a week and everybody would play what we learned during the week.
 
V: So maybe in his conservatory is different, maybe he doesn’t have too many isolated practice rooms.
 
A: But how can you practice organ if somebody else is practicing something else in the same room.
 
V: I don’t think that people are really sitting in the same room that he is playing there.
 
A: And you know Michael, what I could you tell is that every person is busy with its own life and nobody really cares about what you are playing and how many mistakes you are making especially during your rehearsal time.
 
V: Everyone is thinking about themselves, right.  Everyone is egoist in a way.

A: And everybody is thinking about their own mistakes, not yours.  So I think you need not to worry about it.
 
V: What I hear in between the lines that he’s not writing actually is that Michael might be a perfectionist who wants to do everything at the top level and if he cannot do it at the top level then he doesn’t do it at all.
 
A: But if he wants to become a doctoral student it means he needs to practice every day and it doesn’t matter if he will practice at the university or church he needs to do it every day.
 
V: Adapt this attitude, practice no matter what, right?  It’s a professional attitude.
 
A: True.
 
V: You don’t have to be paid actually to be a professional.  It’s the mindset that matters, right?  If you skip practice because of the weather or how you feel or if you’re tired or you simply not in the mood then you are not a pro and it’s OK not to be a pro actually, I’m not blaming anybody but anyone who wants to excel in this art or any other art form has to adapt an attitude of a pro.
 
A: Do you think it would matter much if a person who wants to become a doctoral student is extrovert or introvert.  How much will this be a deciding point during your admission?
 
V: I know what you mean, right?  There is no discrimination actually.  I don’t believe anybody would ask him you are introvert, no, no, we don’t accept introverts, just extroverts.  It’s not that way, but if because of his shyness he practices too little and is not advancing well enough and when the time comes to show his skills during the entrance examinations then he is not ready as well as his peers are and that might be a problem.
 
A: Yes, because if you are thinking about showing yourself bad during interview, if you are too shy to talk with people or professors, well, do all the other things good because you need to play wonderful during your audition, you need to get good recommendations and you need to have really top GPA because I remember when we were applying for doctoral studies our GPA was 4.0 so in U.S. standards that’s the highest so basically we were very competitive and then as I said excellent audition and good recommendations and then how much can the introvert harm yourself.  Not too much probably.

V: Not too much.  You also need to write essay about your motivation.
 
A: Not all schools require that but some do.
 
V: You know, in the end if we summarize our advice I think from my perspective is if you want it badly enough you will overcome your shyness.  If you don’t want it badly enough, if it’s not that important, if your shyness is more important, if how others see you is more important to you than how you actually see yourself then you will not overcome your shyness.
 
A: I think this problem is more related and more applicable to teenagers.  I think the teenager are at that age where it’s really important what others think.  People get really worried that nobody would laugh at them and sort of not to show themselves too much to be in that crowd.  But I think that at mature age and since Michael is in his Masters studies so he is already adult, we don’t have to worry so much about others and about what others think about us.  Don’t you think so?
 
V: I read a good book called “Ignore Everybody” by Hugh MacLeod, cartoonist and blogger who started his career while drawing cartoons on the back of business cards.  Basically he writes down 39 key points about creativity and the most important one is “Ignore everybody.”  So maybe we could conclude on that our conversation too.  Ignore our advice too Michael.  Thank you guys, this was Vidas.
 
A: And Ausra.
 
V: And remember when you practice…
 
A: Miracles happen.

A couple of days ago Ausra and I played organ demonstration in the little town called Leliunai. The listeners were 10 kindergarten kids and 18 elementary school children and a few of their teachers. This event was organized by National Association of Organists in Lithuania.

While Ausra played music of Bach, Krebs, Mendelssohn, Franck and Lefebure-Wely, I made up a fairly tale about how Pinky and Spiky built pipe organ for the kids.

We had color paper and color pencils with us so the kids could draw this story themselves... It was a lot of fun... We hope they will remember this for a long time...

​Here are some pictures from today. Would you like to have a similar event for children in your area? Let us know your thoughts...

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 302 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Henry, and he writes:
 
I would like to start accompanying the congregation using an electronic keyboard. My question is, when and how do i start learning congregational opening hymns? Please i need your piece of advise on this issue.
 
V: So, Ausra, opening hymns for congregational singing—I guess Henry should start learning them right from the start!
 
A: That’s right. How else could you start to learn them?
 
V: It depends on his level of ability, of course.
 
A: True.
 
V: If he can play four part harmonizations or not, yet. What to do if he can’t play four parts right away? Maybe sight read a bunch of hymns one voice at a time, two voices?
 
A: Yes, that’s right. And that electronic keyboard, I assume, doesn’t have the pedal board, yes?
 
V: Probably not. So then to me, accompanying hymns on the keyboard without pedals is more difficult that with pedals. What about you?
 
A: True.
 
V: Why?
 
A: There is not much you can do on an electronic keyboard without a pedalboard.
 
V: And your left hand, then, is very busy.
 
A: True.
 
V: Okay, so Henry might benefit from our “Hymn Playing Workshop”, probably, or “10 Day Hym Playing Challenge,” right? What do you think about that, Ausra?
 
A: True! I’m just not sure why he is asking only about opening hymns. Will somebody else play the rest of the hymns?
 
V: Right, it’s unclear. I can’t imagine the situation without him playing everything else.
 
A: Or is he talking, maybe, about introduction of the hymns?
 
V: Oh, you mean playing hymns like normally people would play, but adding introductions!
 
A: Maybe that’s what he means.
 
V: Okay, so then it’s another problem. He needs to creatively introduce hymns.
 
A: True.
 
V: What’s the easiest way?
 
A: Well, just to play the last phrase or four measures of the end of the hymn.
 
V: The last phrase.
 
A: Yes, the last phrase.
 
V: Or maybe eight measures—two phrases!
 
A: Well, that wouldn’t be a phrase. I phrase is two measures.
 
V: Yes, I meant two phrases, like a sentence.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Is it okay to end the introduction with the dominant chord?
 
A: Yes, in some cases that might work.
 
V: You change the last cadence to the half cadence, and finish with the dominant chord, and what happens then is very interesting. The congregation is propelled into singing the first verse right away.
 
A: Yes, that might work.
 
V: Because what happens with the half cadence, Ausra? What’s the feeling?
 
A: That something is unfinished and you have to continue and finish it.
 
V: Like a question mark.
 
A: Yes, it is like a question mark. Very good comparison.
 
V: This year, when you started the harmony with kids, are you already talking about cadences or not?
 
A: Yes, I’m talking about cadences all the time.
 
V: So, how are they doing in playing or writing down cadences?
 
A: Some better, some worse, as always.
 
V: Do they have to write down cadences or play them in your school?
 
A: Both.
 
V: Both, right? I see. What do they like more, to write or to play?
 
A: Some of them like writing more, some like playing. It depends upon the person.
 
V: But playing is rather more difficult, probably.
 
A: Yes, often it’s more difficult.
 
V: Because you don’t have much time to think, just play rhythmically.
 
A: But not for piano majors or choir conductors.
 
V: Usually people who play melodic instruments such wind instruments or strings, they can’t play piano very well.
 
A: Yes, it’s hard for them. Yes, it’s harder.
 
V: Can they still advance with sufficient practice?
 
A: Of course! Everybody can advance with enough practice.
 
V: So Henry could also advance, probably.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Do you think, Ausra, transposing hymns would benefit him?
 
A: I think every musician needs to know how to transpose and to do that occasionally.
 
V: Why?
 
A: That’s a very useful tool. Well, it broadens your perspective. You get better acquainted with various keys, and it’s sort of like exercise for your brain!
 
V: Like Sudoku?
 
A: Yes!
 
V: Musical Sudoku.
 
A: I think even better.
 
V: So it could postpone Alzheimer’s and similar illnesses.
 
A: True.
 
V: I see. Wonderful. So guys, you see, you can sometimes create your own exercises out of real hymns or even musical compositions that you are playing right now. Imagine you’re playing a piece of organ music: a chorale prelude. Is it possible, Ausra, to take an excerpt of a chorale prelude and to transpose it into other keys?
 
A: Yes, of course, why not?
 
V: What are the principles, when you do this? How do you think? I know you are a teacher, and you can’t imagine yourself, probably, as a beginner, but what do you think about when you transpose?
 
A: Well, I think about a given interval, by which I have to transpose it. Well, sometimes, I add a different clef, too. That’s a possibility, too.
 
V: What do you mean?
 
A: Well, let’s imagine that this piece is written, let’s say, not in the treble clef, but in alto clef. That’s it.
 
V: And alto clef means that on the middle line, there is treble C.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Okay.
 
A: Or some other key. Soprano key, Tenor key.
 
V: There are five C clefs,
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Three F clefs, and two G clefs.
 
A: Yes, but I think the most common way to transpose, I think, is on a given interval. Think about it.
 
V: How beneficial is it to think about scale degrees instead of intervals when you transpose? In which kind of music would that work?
 
A: Well, it depends on how you think when you’re playing a piece in the home key—if you’re thinking in scale degrees or not. If you’re thinking then yes, it would be easier probably to transpose, thinking about scale degrees. I don’t think that myself.
 
V: I don’t know many people who think in scale degrees.
 
A: Me, too.
 
V: Because, it’s harder for your brain, and we always strive to do easier things.
 
A: Well, I think it’s not that it’s harder, but I think it’s more of a math approach, a less musical approach, thinking in scale degrees. There are some people who are very good at it.
 
V: Some are better than others.
 
A: That’s true.
 
V: So, you can think about scale degrees, think about intervals, and even think about different clefs when you transpose. Those are the main three principles.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: And, it can work for hymns, too, when you have to transpose either an entire hymn, or just a part of it like soprano, or bass. Right. So, Henry and others who struggle with learning congregational hymns could really benefit from transposing and sight reading in a home key, too, many many hymns. At first, it’s a slow process, right Ausra?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: And what happens later in three months, let’s say?
 
A: It gets easier and easier.
 
V: Would it always be as easy as sight reading? I mean can you sight read a hymn in a foreign key right away with fluency?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Yes, I believe so, too, because if you, for example, want to get certified by the American Guild of Organists, in certain levels of examinations, they have transposition exercises of hymns, too. So transpose up a half step or whole step, or downwards. Up a major or minor third, or downwards, too. We have this course “Transposition for Organists, Level 1” which would be helpful for people, too. Thank you guys, this was Vidas,
 
A: And Ausra!
 
V: Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice,
 
A: Miracles happen.

On September 23, 2018 when Pope Francis visited Lithuania, I had an opportunity to make music on the organ, together with choral polyphony and Gregorian chant while he was visiting Museum of Genocide Victims in Vilnius. 

The performers were chamber choir "Aidija" and Schola Cantorum Vilnensis", led by Romualdas Grazinis and myself at 3 manual digital Johannus organ which stood inside a special tent in front of a huge crowd in Lukiskiu Square.

My role was to improvise versets and accompany Gregorian chant. Towards the end we were not sure when the Pope would appear so we kept performing a mix of Tu es Petrus and Ubi Caritas...

If you want to find out what happened, here's the audio recording.

Let me know your thoughts...

Vidas: Hello guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 301 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Dan, and he writes:

Hi Vidas, back in June, i’d tried out a small Casavant organ, in a place which is used for people to stay at, they do corporate events there, and other stuff,  and the owner of the place, doesn’t really play the organ. She wants me to play it on a couple dates in November. It’s a 1929 Casavant organ, and it’s their opus 1375.

​When I’d tried  the instrument, I was mainly using the crescendo pedal to control it.  Those can give you sometimes less than desirable results. I’d asked her if she could provide me with a stop list for the organ, so I could know what it has on it, so I can have finer control over the instrument.  Her response was that she doesn’t play the organ, and that we’d have to get somebody in to help. Does Casavant, or any other organ builder for that matter, have an online database with specs on every instrument they’ve built that I could access?  OR would it be worth contacting Casavant about this? Secondly, the instrument hasn’t been looked at as far as tuning and maintenance for at least a year or two, and they don’t seem to have a regular contract with an organ technician. I suggested that they at least get one in, to tune the instrument, as when I’d tried it, it really needed it in my opinion.  Any advice in this situation would be appreciated. Thanks. Dan
 
V: So, it looks like Dan encountered a historical instrument by Casavant, and he wants to know what the stop lists are, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: So the easiest way would be to take a picture of the stops when you are there, and you won’t need any databases, then.
 
A: True. Especially, because he already has played this instrument, as I understood.
 
V: But, some of our subscribers are blind, actually, so if this would be the case, then taking a picture, for Dan, wouldn’t work, right, if he can not see? So, I guess every respectable organ builder has its own database online, so you can just google Casavant and Archives and, I guess, they would find it.
 
A: True.
 
V: And the second question would be about the instrument tuning and maintenance. And Dan suggested they get a technician to look at it. Is that a good idea, Ausra?
 
A: Sure. Definitely. I would do it in his case, because I think any instrument needs at least once a year to have a look.
 
V: Twice even. Every season change, right?
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: But at least once. And it doesn’t have to be an overseas expert from another continent or even another country, it can have a local organ technician come in and help the tuning and the regulation of the instrument. Sometimes you need it not only to be tuned, but sometimes you need to regulate the mechanics of the instrument. Maybe there are some ciphers, you have to fix that. Maybe the couplers need to get adjusted if it’s a mechanical instrument. What else, Ausra?
 
A: Well, it might be almost anything. You never know what might happen, so you need to check it.
 
V: For example, yesterday, I checked an organ in Vilnius University St. Johns’s’ church. The chapel, where they have everyday weekday masses, and the reason I checked and fixed it a little bit, two keys, is that today, Ausra is going to teach organ on that instrument, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Would you like to share with us what the occasion was?
 
A: Well, in Vilnius today, we are actually starting a school for church organists.
 
V: The National Association of Organists is organizing….they call it organ school, or maybe church music school of Gregory. St. Gregory, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: And Ausra has been invited as an organ and harmony teacher.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: So, how many students will you have?
 
A: I’ll have two organ students and everybody else as harmony students.
 
V: Group lessons.
 
A: Yes. I think in total there will be about 14 students.
 
V: So, for organists today on that chapel organ, you will have an introductory lesson, right?
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: What are you planning to do?
 
A: I’m planning to introduce myself and get acquainted to see what level they are, and to bring them some repertoire.
 
V: It’s hard to plan beforehand, before you know what they can do or not.
 
A: That’s right. I selected some pieces, but I don’t know if they will work, because I don’t know  how technically advanced they are.
 
V: Have you selected the pieces in various levels of difficulty?
 
A: Yes, sure. Some are easier, some are more difficult.
 
V: So, I guess they will find something.
 
A: Yes, something will work, and for the next lesson, I’ll bring more music.
 
V: And, you also will have in the future some harmony classes, right?
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: What’s your first class about?
 
A: About how chords are made.
 
V: Right. How to put the three notes together.
 
A: Yes, actually four notes.
 
V: Four!
 
A: Because it’s usually four notes. And about closed and open position.
 
V: Mhm.
 
A: And about all the basic stuff.
 
V: Interesting. We will be looking forward to know your feedback from the organ classes and harmony classes that you teach, and I guess our students from other countries will also benefit from that.
 
A: Well, you know, I don’t know how I will teach harmony in four sessions!
 
V: Just four sessions?
 
A: Yes, before the midterm. And then there will be six sessions before the final exam.
 
V: Four midterm, and then six, and then final.
 
A: Yes. So can you teach, you know, harmony in ten sessions?
 
V: Basics, maybe.
 
A: Basics, yes, for some people, not for everybody.
 
V: Sort of level 1, right?
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Remember we have this course, “Harmony for Organists, Level 1,” so until the dominant seventh chord or a little bit more, but you know better than I.
 
A: Okay, let’s go back to Dan’s questions about about that Casavant organ. It’s interesting, for instance, that in Lincoln, USA, we have also played Casavant at Grace Lutheran Church, and it was a nice instrument. I really enjoyed playing it.
 
V: It had reverberant acoustics!
 
A: Yes! For the United States, yes, something like two seconds.
 
V: Wonderful. So I’m looking now at the Casavant organ building Website, and let’s see what they have….do they have instrument’s specifications….recent instruments. Obviously it’s not recent in Dan’s case, but let’s see. They build so many, right, and…
 
A: Yes
 
V: The latest opus is 3,794. Wow. But, they have actually an email on that page. You can contact Casavant, and maybe they can provide the stop list of your desired opus. You know, you just specify the location and opus number, and maybe they can send it to you.
 
A: I hope they keep such kind of data.
 
V: Obviously, they do. You can, if not online.
 
A: I think they started to put them online when the Internet began.
 
V: Right, and that was obviously before the time of the Internet. So, it’s nice that Dan travels to try out other instruments, right?
 
A: I think it’s important for every organist to try new instruments and a new environment.
 
V: It gives new perspectives, and if you try a variety of instruments—mechanical, pneumatic, electro-pneumatic, electric—all kinds of action types, you get sort of very broad perspective of what can be done, what sounds better than in other locations, and you learn more from just visiting those instruments.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Thank you guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. This was Vidas,
 
A: And Ausra,
 
V: And remember, when you practice,
 
A: Miracles happen.

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.

Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 300, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And this question was sent by John. And it doesn't start like a question, but rather like feedback or response to another question that we discussed earlier about improvising alternate hymn harmonizations. So John writes:
 
There are a number of books of varied accompaniment [published by companies such as Kevin Mayhew and Novello], but these are for hymns sung by English-speaking congregations. Eric Thiman composed two books of excellent accompaniments [published by Novello and OUP, still available]. A very effective way of beginning a final verse is by playing a flattened seventh on the pedals. Other devices include: introduce a dominant pedal towards the end of the hymn, changing major chords into minor [if possible], playing the alto line above the treble, placing the treble line in the tenor [fauxbourdon - this is quite difficult and needs to be written out in full]. My advice would be (i) get hold of Thiman's books to see the techniques he uses and (ii) if you require a varied accompaniment for a choral, write in out if you are a beginner. Do not try improvising harmonisations until you are proficient. There is no fast-track route I'm afraid. I have just seen a single copy of C H Lloyd's "Free Accompaniment of Unison Hymn Singing" available on Amazon—this is a very rare book—brilliant accompaniments written by a master. Good luck! John

V: That’s a lot of advice, right Ausra?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: And quite solid advice, I would say. John knows what he is talking about.
 
A: But I think he took them all from that book that he advertises.
 
V: Could be. We could discuss a little bit, what he is suggesting. For example, at the beginning of the final verse, you should play a flattened seventh on the pedals. Let’s imagine, C Major, flattened Major would be B flat, right? But in C Major there are no accidentals, so how would this sound?
 
A: I don’t think it would work for every hymn, what he is talking about.
 
V: Uh-huh.
 
A: That dominant pedal point toward the end of the hymn, that nothing special. That’s very obvious too, in general,,,
 
V: Okay.
 
A: to have a pedal point.
 
V: What about changing major chords into minor?
 
A: That’s a possibility, yes. That’s if you would look at the collections such as, Cesar Franck’s ‘The Organist’. You would find it in each of the piece that he switches very often from major to minor. Because it’s a very easy thing to do, and you don’t have to do a modulation in order to do that. So that’s a very common tool.
 
V: It is just a juxtaposition of two modes. And you mention Franck; yes he takes the same theme, right?
 
A: That’s right. Yes
 
V: Only rewrites it in minor.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: With no accidentals. So if the theme of the hymn is in C Major, you could just add three flats.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: In many cases it would work.
 
A: But not always, as John mentioned too.
 
V: I imagine it would not work very well if we use harmonic minor; if this augmented second between the sixth and the seventh scale degrees would be, somewhat uncomfortable to listen and to sing.
 
A: And again, because it’s hymn singing, you need to look at the text, because of that particular stanza where you would like to switch from major to minor or otherwise, because it might not suit the text very well.
 
V: Uh-huh. So if the language talks about,,,
 
A: Joy, and you will switch suddenly to a minor, I don’t think it would be appropriate.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. And vice-versa. And you can add major in the minor hymn.
 
A: I know. For example during the Lent, probably wouldn’t be good.
 
V: Right. I find it easier to add major keys in the contemplative hymn, let’s say for communion, and play it softly, just like a meditation. Mmm-hmm. What about playing alto line above the treble?
 
A: Well we talked many times about this but actually he suggested to play tenor voice above the other voices.
 
V: Uh-huh.
 
A: Because for alto voice, I don’t know, about this particular case that John talks, but in general while teaching harmony for many, many years, what I noticed that alto voice is the most,,,
 
V: Stationary?
 
A: Stationary. And it’s the most stationary voice and I don’t think it would sound so well in the soprano, in the treble range.
 
V: Unless, we could add eighth notes.
 
A: Yes. That’s true.
 
V: Or interesting rhythms.
 
A: Yes. Because in general when I look at the four voice harmonization, I can tell if it’s good or not just from looking at the alto voice. If it’s stationary, I know that it’s no good.
 
V: No good, or good?
 
A: It’s good.
 
V: Ahh.
 
A: If it jumps a lot then I’m looking for treble, and for mistakes.
 
V: I see. If it jumps a lot your student is looking for treble.
 
A: That’s right. Because, sort of like tenor voice, it’s like an inversion of soprano voice. So you can easily switch these two voices. But alto stays stationary...
 
V: I see.
 
A: ...most of the time.
 
V: Right. What about the advice of writing down varied accompaniment?
 
A: I think that’s a good idea, but I wouldn’t do that for myself, because I wouldn’t have time to do it.
 
V: That’s probably for beginners more.
 
A: Yes, but imagine if you are playing a church service, well you have to play what, at least four or five hymns for each service, and sometimes even more. So if you would start writing down the accompaniment for each of those hymns, I think it wouldn’t be enough for you, hours in the day.
 
V: What if this is a full-time job and you are immersed in this position and have forty hours to do your preparation?
 
A: Well, maybe do it once or twice, but in the future I would rather spend that time practicing, actual thing than writing it down.
 
V: And then you will gain the skill of doing it on the spot.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Faster.
 
A: Like with my ninth-graders, in music theory course, we start playing sequences on the piano. And some of them actually write them down. And I’m actually really not supporting these things, because I’m telling them in order spending all that time while writing, and memorizing it, rather just sit and play it.
 
V: So, although John writes, there is no fast-track route, but I would think that the idea of ‘not trying improvising harmonizations until you are proficient’ needs to be somewhat understood not literally, right? How can you get proficient if you are not improvising hymn harmonizations? You have to improvise them, and make mistakes, and then get frustrated and get more mistakes. But it’s a process which needs to be done, I think.
 
A: Yes. And I think sometimes you have to take a risk. That’s no different approach, how people learn for example, how to swim.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: Somebody just tells that, drop somebody into the middle of the lake, and you either swim, or you will...
 
V: Sink.
 
A: Sink. I’m not telling that you have to sink and do these extreme things, but I think sometimes it’s worth risking. You cannot write everything down.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. Right. And those mistakes will teach you many things, too.
 
A: True.
 
V: You learn more from mistakes than from good playing, I guess. Thank you guys. I hope this was useful to you. Ausra is also joining me, right?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: In hoping that you can apply those tips in your practice. And please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice...
 
A: Miracles happen!

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 299 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by John and he writes:
 
“Hi Vidas and Ausra,

Thank you for your amazing blogs lately, there's been some great discussions and I value the different perspectives you both bring.

I'm wondering if you could please talk about how to improve finger accuracy, especially with fast passages. Specifically I'm trying to play In Dulci Jubilo BWV 729 by Bach, your training videos were great and I surprised myself how fast I was able to learn it (for me), it still took 2 months.

Now my problem is trying to speed up to concert tempo. Most professional organists on YouTube seem to play this piece in 2:40-2:50 minutes, your Christmas Concert video shows you play it in about this time.

I seem to be able to play it in about 3:10 mins quite ok without mistakes, but when I go faster, I seem to slur lots of notes by brushing against the key alongside, for example playing the note A I might bump the G sharp alongside. It feels like my fingers fumble, and I make mistakes in random places and even lose my place completely. This makes me feel quite uneasy and I don't have any confidence that I can get through the piece without messing it up.
So I need to go about 10-20% faster and it seems a big jump in difficulty. I have noticed I struggle with fast pieces in general.
Is it normal to take a long time to increase the tempo after having learnt a new piece?
What exercises should I do to be able to play fast tempo pieces accurately?

I want to play this piece as the postlude for the Nine Lessons and Carols service on Dec 16th, so I still have time, but this will be a big occasion with lots of people and the former retired organist will be there so I don't want to stuff it up!

I hope your day goes well,

Take care,
God bless,
John...”
 
V: That’s a nice message.
 
A: Yes, that’s a very nice message as John always writes to us.  Well, let’s try to help him.
 
V: OK.  In Dulci Jubilo the most characteristic thing is probably passages in the upper part.  Sometimes they run in soprano but sometimes they go between both hands and Bach learned this technique presumably from visiting Buxtehude in Lubeck.
 
A: Yes.
 
V: I think the main difficulty with those passages is 3 sharps of course.  It’s in A Major.
 
A: So what we could suggest for John if he has the possibility to practice those scales. 
 
V: Right.
 
A: I would work on scales in A Major.
 
V: A Major.  Probably in related keys as well because Bach has modulation.
 
A: In D Major probably, E Major.
 
V: F Sharp Minor.
 
A: F Sharp Minor yes, it’s a parallel key.
 
V: And C Sharp Minor maybe.
 
A: True.  In general I think playing scales is important technique to develop and it helps a lot when playing repertoire.
 
V: B Minor too because it has 2 sharps.  So playing scales and arpeggios too because these passages have arpeggiated figures as well.  Maybe we could suggest to John to isolate one passage and look how it is put together and maybe transpose it to different keys.  The only passage, nothing more, just the passage.  Would that work?
 
A: Well that might work but in general I think he needs to strengthen his finger muscles.
 
V: Oh, so Hanon exercises.
 
A: Yes Hanon exercises would be another resource to look at and to work on.  But overall I think that you don’t have to look at other performers and compare your tempo with another.  Because the most important thing is that you wouldn’t take too fast tempo.  You need to take tempo as fast as you can still control everything because otherwise that freedom is OK for now.  Maybe you will speed it up a little bit but don’t rush.
 
V: And maybe when John comes back to this piece maybe couple years later he can play without any trouble in less than three minutes.
 
A: That’s right.  So I think listeners will forgive you if you will not play very fast but they will not forgive you if you mess up everything even if you play it fast.
 
V: One or two mistakes is OK obviously but in things like that we tend to get scared of mistakes and one mistake leads to another and another to another and pretty soon we panic.
 
A: That’s right.  And for listeners it’s so uncomfortable to listen to such a performance because you know that you are not guilty of something but you feel that way.
 
V: Umm-hmm.  You feel sorry for that organist and sort of helpless because you can’t jump in and play for him.
 
A: That’s right.  So I always think you need to take a tempo in which you can control the situation because otherwise things might just get out of your control.
 
V: So probably the most beneficial would be Part 1 and Part 2 Hanon exercises and he could stack up maybe ten to twenty exercises in a row.  Maybe not necessarily learning all of them together but maybe one day he would learn number one and then repeat a few days, after a while he would add number two so then he would have two exercises in his repertoire, three, four, five, and I don’t know in three months he would have maybe entire first part ready to play in a medium tempo and then his hands get tired, his fingers would get tired too, but sooner or later they would be stronger.
 
A: That’s right and it’s very good to practice on the piano too.  Because in order to improve your technique you need to practice mechanical instruments, either mechanical organ or mechanical piano because electronic keyboard does not give for you enough for your fingers to work on.
 
V: Resistance?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: Some very new keyboards they have this artificial resistance which is similar to real organ but not many people play them.
 
A: True.
 
V: So I guess I could also recommend playing on a table just mechanically lifting and hitting the table with fingers those exercises because it’s a pain to listen to them, right, for the family for example.  They are very un-musical and boring unless he takes different modes and adds some sharps, not only in C Major.

​OK guys, please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow.  This was Vidas.
 
A: And Ausra.
 
V: And remember when you practice…
 
A: Miracles happen.