 Thank you everyone for participating! You all made us very happy with your entries. We have all selected the following winners. You can congratulate the here.
Vidas Pinkevicius performs some of the favourite hymns on Rotterdam Sint Laurenskerk (main organ) sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. PROGRAM: 0:00 Introduction 0:33 Amazing Grace 7:37 For All the Saints 13:52 Ein feste Burg 20:41 Old Hundredth 26:05 Abide With Me 33:32 I Love to Tell the Story 44:34 Slane 52:15 Nearer My God to Thee 01:00:54 Anima Christi 01:06:00 Finlandia If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/VPinkevicius  Today wasn't a day very suitable for practicing the organ - Vidas and I bought and installed mobile air conditioner. It took us a better half of the day and after that we were pretty tired. However, I still wanted to record something so gave this Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke a try. Good timing, because just as I was finished, the thunderstorm hit us and I had to shut down the computer and Hauptwerk. Let me know if you have enjoyed it! Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/the-oxford-book-of-wedding-music-with-pedals-sheet-music/3612167?aff_id=454957 I have played this piece using Rotterdam Sint Laurenskerk (the main organ) sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO.  Today I wanted to improvise a voluntary - a prelude on my 4 manual Hauptwerk setup, starting and ending on the key of C major. I started with a medium dynamic sound - Ruckpositiv had principals 8' and 4', Hauptwerk - principals and flutes 8' and 4', Schwellwerk - principal 8' and Chamade division - Flute harmonique 8'. Pedals - Principal 16' and Flutes 8'. I went through various keys by creating modulations and at the end grew the sound to reeds and mixtures. Let me know if you have enjoyed it! I have played this improvisation on Billerbeck Dom Fleiter organ sample set set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying Would you like to improvise like this? If so, check out my Organ Verset Improvisation Master Course: https://secrets-of-organ-playing.myshopify.com/products/organ-verset-improvisation-master-course?_pos=1&_sid=9be58e1fb&_ss=r   I have improvised this piece on Vox humana 8' stop using Velesovo sample set of Hauptwerk VPO. I dedicate it to Michael Calabris for his participation in our Secrets of Organ Playing Contest. Hope you will enjoy it! PDF score. Beginner level. 1 page. Thanks to Diana Danilova for transcribing the music and the fingering from the video! This piece is free for Total Organist students. Check it out here  Dear friends!
Will you join in our online recital premieres on YouTube today? Ausra's at 12 PM UTC: https://youtu.be/2dRUEvvn7qQ PROGRAM: Piece d'Orgue, BWV 572 (Johann Sebastian Bach) Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, BuxWV 199 (Dieterich Buxtehude) Echo Fantasia (Aeolian) (Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck) 7 Pieces en fa majeur et fa mineur from L'Organiste (Cesar Franck) Vidas' at 1 PM UTC: https://youtu.be/4EDEUQhMOB PROGRAM: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 (Johann Sebastian Bach) Vor deinem Thron tret' ich hiermit, BWV 668 (J.S. Bach) Sonata No. 7, Op. 89: V. Cantabile (Alexander Guilmant) Fanfare in D Major (Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens) See you soon in the live chat! Vidas and Ausra
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 599 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by María de Jesús Redentor. And Maria writes, Good evening, Vidas. My goal in learning to play the organ is to play during the liturgical celebrations and I would like to focus on that. In addition, I would like to get to know the organ registration, as well as improvisation and improvised accompaniment, and also the possibility of performing pieces, especially in the Baroque and Classicist style. My obstacles are: 1) I am a beginner organist and I do not have much practice. 2) Because of my personal situation I do not have a lot of time to exercise and I cannot commit myself to systematic and conscientious exercise. 3) What I want to add is that I still have difficulty in performing typical organ pieces with a pedal. Using the opportunity, I would like to thank you very much for this possibility to learn playing the organ online and for very practical and helpful instructions. María de Jesús Redentor V: She wants to play in church services, basically. A: Yes, yes. That's what I understood from her letter. V: So Maria first needs to overcome her obstacles, obviously. She's a beginner, and maybe that's natural to have less experience than more advanced organists, don’t you think? A: Yes. And I don't think that this is the main problem, not having experience. You can gain experience by practicing diligently on a regular basis. I think that not finding time to practice, it’s a bigger problem. V: Mm hm. A: Because, you know, nothing comes without hard work. You have to do it on a regular basis. Especially, you know, if she writes that she still struggles with pedal technique. I think it all comes from the lack of practice. V: My mom always used to say, “Art requires sacrifice.” Remember that saying? A: Yes. I remember that. V: Do you remember the context in which she would say that? A: I remember you telling me, but maybe it doesn’t work, doesn’t apply to this situation. V: (laughs) Maybe, but I just tell you because it's funny. My mom would, she's a graphic artist, and when she was a student, she would try to catch butterflies, and I think make them into, what, what’s this word, you know, like an exposition of butterflies. And she would say, “Art requires sacrifice.” (laughs) A: So basically she would hunt and kill the butterflies. V: Yes. A: How cruel your mom was. V: (laughs) She was very sorry afterwards. Yeah. So in this case, art requires exercise - not exercise - and exercise, too, but also sacrifice. From Maria’s part. A: So basically, you have to find time to practice on a regular basis. Because otherwise, your progress, you would still progress if you would practice, let’s say twice or three times a week. But it would be really slow. V: I don't think she can find time. No, it's impossible. I think she has to make time. And that's a big difference, right? If you look at your schedule, which is really busy in Maria's case perhaps, and she doesn't have any opening, doesn’t see any opening, and she says, Never mind - no, this day I cannot practice, right? A: Well, then my suggestion would be, sleep less! V: But she has to make time by prioritizing her activities. What’s the most important thing in her activities? And do that first. If organ is not as important, then it will be left for evening when she is too tired to do anything probably, right? A: It depends on what kind of personality she is. If she is the early bird or late bird, so. V: Mm hm. A: It depends. I do most of my important things in the morning. V: Me, too. Me, too. Creative stuff has to be done in the morning, in my opinion. And more managerial stuff can be left for the afternoon. Like replying to emails, doing some management work, which doesn’t require your creative so much. A: Well, and because Maria wants to be a church organist, to play for liturgy, and usually, organists, for playing the liturgy, we get paid. V: Yes. A: In most of the cases, yes? Then maybe this could be also a good stimulus to practice more and become a better organist. V: Like motivation. A: And maybe eventually to get more paid for it. V: Mm hm. That’s right. If you play with pedals, you get paid less, or more? A: More, I would say. V: If you play with one foot you would get paid less or more than with two feet? A: Well, I guess answer is obvious. V: (laughs) Good. So guys, apply this in your practice. And Maria, too. Our advice really works, people tell us, right Ausra? A: Yes. V: But you have to be strict with yourself. You have to be honest with yourself. And don't make excuses. Because art requires sacrifice. A: True. And just see what consumes most of the time, because I'm sure it's either computer or TV or smartphone, or something. V: Yeah. Maybe delete all apps. All social networking apps on your phone. Check Facebook only from your computer, not from your phone. Then you will have plenty of time, right? Because all those notifications, Facebook is very very intrusive into your life, and very very smart marketing company policy - they’ll allow you to only temporarily delete those notifications on your phone. After a day or so, they will come back. And you will be distracted again, right, Ausra? A: That’s right. V: But people like to be distracted, that’s the problem. A: True. V: It’s easier to get distracted than to actually get some work done. Okay, guys - Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Patreon and get free CD’s. A: Find out more at patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying
Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!
Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius... A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene. V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011. V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today. A: We hope you’ll enjoy it! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 597 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Bill. And he writes, I put in 15-30 minutes a day working on the sight reading course. I've been working on BWV 543 Bach Prelude & Fugue in A Minor mostly beyond that. Two things that frustrate me are it takes me about 3 months to learn these big fugues (practicing about 1.5 hours/day) and the playing the strings of 32nd notes evenly at high tempo. Any suggestions to speed up learning and play better at high tempos would be appreciated. I do like the sight reading course, it certainly has me reading better! Regards, Bill V: So, Ausra, do you wonder why Bill is struggling with BWV 543 so much? A: Well, you know, it’s one of the major pieces by J.S. Bach, and my suggestion would be, if it takes for you 3 months to learn such a piece and you still struggle playing 32nds in the fast tempo right, it means that actually this piece is actually too hard for you, for right now. If I would be you, I would go back to an easier repertoire. Make sure you have played all 2 part and 3 part inventions, you have done some of the Well Tempered Clavier, you have played all 8 Preludes, Small, Little Preludes and Fugues by J.S. Bach, and even then, after starting working on a major prelude and fugue by J.S. Bach, A Minor is probably not the easiest out of them. Definitely there are easier ones. V: I should also add that you have to define what kind of level you should be when you take the new piece. I have to say, what kind of, you have to master the piece, and what does it mean, right? You have to be able to perform it for others, and then go to the next piece. A: That’s right. V: If you don’t want to share your work online with strangers, that’s fine. But please play it at least for your friends and family. You learn a piece, and you show them what you’ve learned. A: Because, you know, for the piece like this A Minor, I guess if you are at the right level to play such kind of difficulty of piece, you need to be able to do text of it, roughly in a month. If it takes you longer, it means that this piece is still too hard for you. V: You say you learned entire Clavierübung III by Bach, in a month. A: Yes. That’s what I did. But it was when I was in good shape, at the full potential of my capacity, so… V: Capacity. A: Capacity, yes. V: Was your professor George Ritchie surprised? A: Yes. V: He wouldn’t learn so fast? A: Well, I don’t know. Maybe he would learn it, I don’t know, but really I think I was getting to him sometimes at my learning tempos. V: Mm hm. Yeah, that’s right. Did you have good sight reading abilities at the time? A: Yes I did have. But you know...it’s...usually people take it for granted - if you are a good sight reader, you can learn music fast. It’s not true. I was always a really good sight reader. But usually when I play the same piece the second time or the third time, I would make more mistakes than just sight reading it. V: I can see why, because you lose concentration, yes? A: Yes. V: The first time might be the best. A: Yes, that’s how it works for me. V: Mm hm. Maybe you should try sight reading short recital! A: (laughs) Maybe not. V: Like easier pieces, and see how it goes. I did that once with 8 Little Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553-560 and it went okay. It went without major mistakes. But the feeling for me wasn’t very nice. I wasn’t relaxed. A: Well, it wasn’t true sight reading. Because you had played those pieces many, many years ago. V: Mm hm. A: And then you sort of re-sight read them again. V: Exactly, yes. A: So it’s not the same. I’m talking about… V: Completely… A: Completely new. V: I see. When you learned to sight read on the organ, did you use my sight reading master course? A: No. V: Of course not. A: It wasn’t ready at that time. V: It’s a dumb question, right? A: Yes, it is. V: And I mean that, you learned, you taught yourself just by playing repertoire. A: Yes, that’s right. V: Much repertoire. The more, the better. So I think Bill will also get better at sight reading with our sight reading course, this will be more systematic than just simply sight reading whatever you want. But Ausra says very wise suggestion: to take and learn easier repertoire first. There is on American Guild of Organist website a list of graded repertoire. For Bach music, for Langlais music, for Messiaen, for music composed after Bach in Germany. And you can see which level A Minor Prelude and Fugue belongs to. It certainly is not at the beginning and probably not even in the middle. This graded repertoire list has 10 levels. So it might be maybe level 10 or 9 or 8, something like that. So pick something from earlier levels first, right? A: Yes. Because I think that playing music, any kind of music, has to give you some kind, some sort of pleasure. And if you are playing too hard pieces that are too hard for you at that moment, you might get frustrated and disappointed. V: That’s right. And take the time to learn each piece really well. I recommend recording yourself, even if you don't show it to anybody else. Because this, knowing that you only have one chance to play through a piece without any stops. Because you know that the recording is going makes you focus much better. A: True. And you know why I'm not arguing for you to, not encouraging you to play too hard pieces. Because I know for myself, when I was at the second grade at the academy for music, at the beginning of my second year of playing organ at all, my teacher gave me to play the B Minor Prelude and Fugue, BWV 544 by J.S. Bach. And as you well know, it is one of the most complex Preludes and fugues by J.S. Bach. V: Which level, which year was that? A: Beginning of the second year. V: Wow. A: Of playing the organ. And… V: And you wonder why my teacher gave me the A Minor at the 12th grade? A: I struggled so much just to learn that music, you know? And I did it like in 2 months, but it took me such a pain, and so many hours. I put so much effort into it. I finally played it for an exam, but it never gave me any pleasure, and I never went back to this piece. Never in my life. And probably will never will. And even now, when I now listen to other organists playing this piece, I’m having this very sort of uneasy, unpleasant feeling. So basically, that teacher just ruined me this B minor piece forever. V: Young teachers are like this. They imagine things much more differently than experienced teacher would, right? But I guarantee that if you took up this piece right now, it wouldn't be a problem for you at all right now, probably. You would just slowly sight read it very comfortably. A: Yes, but I’m not willing to do it. V: Yeah. So 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. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on Patreon and get free CD’s. A: Find out more at patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying  Thank you everyone for participating! You all made us very happy with your entries. We have all selected the following winners. You can congratulate them here.
 I played this organ recital of Italian Renaissance organ music at Vilnius University St John's church in Vilnius, Lithuania on 26 November, 2011.
PROGRAM: 0:00 Toccato del 5. Tono (Andrea Gabrieli) 7:25 Kyrie from Missa Apostolorum (Girolamo Cavazzoni) 18:00 Ricercare del sesto tuono (Adriano Banchieri) 25:00 Intonazione Quarto tono (Andrea Gabrieli) 26:23 Anchor che co'l partire (Cipriano de Rore) 29:07 Anchor che co'l partire (Andrea Gabrieli) 36:20 Intonazione Sesto tono (Andrea Gabrieli) 37:58 Canzone detta L'Albergone (Antonio Mortaro) 39:40 Canzone detta L'Albergone (Girolamo Diruta) 44:35 Intonazione Secondo tono (Andrea Gabrieli) 45:40 Susanne un jour (Orlando di Lasso) 48:45 Canzon deta Susanne un iour (Andrea Gabrieli) 55:10 Pass'emezo antico 3 versions (Antonio Gardane) 1:00:15 Frais et Gaillard by Jacob Clemens non Papa 1:02:47 Canzon francese deta Frais et Gaillard (Andrea Gabrieli) 1:06:30 Intonazione Quinto tono by (Andrea Gabrieli) Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/VPinkevicius My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt |
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 Photo by Edgaras Kurauskas
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. 
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