​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.

Vidas: Let’s start episode 677 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Miguel, and he is in our Total Organist community plus he takes private lessons with me, and one time he wrote this message:

“My back was quite painful, but now I'm fully recovered and practicing again. Part of the problem was sitting for too long, apart from the 8 hours a day I sit for my computer work at the bank. I sit an hour or two on a bench with no back support. The physio also told me that the movements of the legs on the pedals have a toll on the spine.

​So, I've been reintroducing walking that I haven't done for quite a while and also using my height adjustable desk for standing as well as sitting, at least during working hours.

Did you have problems with your back due to organ playing, or do you know other people that had the same problem?”

Vidas: Ausra, do you know some people?

Ausra: Yes, it’s myself, actually.

Vidas: I see. Tell us about it?

Ausra: Well, in general, I think, the organ is a very unfortunate instrument for our backs, because sitting without support in our feet since we have to play pedals, it’s not healthy for your back. But in general, I think that sitting work, as for example Miguel works at the bank and sits at the computer all day long is bad for your back. So what we can do, actually, is to exercise and strengthen our back.

Vidas: Walking is, of course, one useful exercise.

Ausra: Yes, but also you need to do some other extra…

Vidas: Specific Exercises.

Ausra: Specific exercises, yes. Well, actually, the easiest is to lie down on your stomach and you need to stretch both your arms and both your legs, and then simultaneously you need to lift up the right arm and left foot at the same time, and then to do just the opposite, and just repeat it slowly a few times.

Vidas: Lift right arm, left foot, and then left arm, right foot.

Ausra: Yes, this is sort of one of the classical Pilates exercises that really strengthens the back.

Vidas: Is it difficult?

Ausra: Well, at the beginning it might be a little bit difficult but later on, no, it’s not.

Vidas: Can you hurt your back while doing so?

Ausra: I don’t think so.

Vidas: Unless you do it very quickly.

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: It has to be done slowly.

Ausra: Yes. The slower, the better, actually, because it’s not so easy to do it slowly. You have to work with the muscles more. Well, what else could help? Actually swimming is quite good, too, and other exercises with a big Pilates ball is also good.

Vidas: Nice. We have that ball.

Ausra: Yes, but we don’t exercise. Yes?

Vidas: We need to do it.

Ausra: Yes. Of course, if you have enough funds, the massages are very helpful for back to strengthen the back muscles. What else could help, too, for example, I have sort of like a rag, 

Vidas: A rug?

Ausra: Yes, like a rug with needles. I know it sounds painful, and it is painful, but actually now I spend half an hour every day lying down on those needles.

Vidas: And it helps blood circulation, probably?

Ausra: Yes, and it helps my spine in general. It’s very painful for the first five to ten minutes, but then it gets easier and actually quite comfortable. And it really improves the condition of my back and my arms.

Vidas: You get this warm feeling in your spine.

Ausra: Yes, because it releases all the muscle tension, so it’s really good.

Vidas: It’s like a natural massage.

Ausra: True.

Vidas: Without any extra help.

Ausra: Yes, but you know, you have to endure some pain at the beginning. Maybe not everybody could do that, but you know, if your back really hurts, then it’s a good thing for you.

Vidas: Yeah, I’m sure Miguel and others can find the product that you are using online, probably.

Ausra: Probably, yes.

Vidas: There are probably various versions of it.

Ausra: Yes. Mine came from Ukraine, so…

Vidas: Ukraine?

Ausra: Yes. But it was maybe ten years back, so now I think they have more modern things to sell.

Vidas: Excellent. So yeah, in today’s lifestyle when a lot of people sit at the desk, especially in front of the computer for eight hours a day, it’s getting very, very important to move extra and do some extra exercises to take care of our bodies. Right?

Ausra: Yes. Some people do Yoga, for example. Yoga doesn’t work for me, but it might work for Miguel. I don’t know.

Vidas: You say Pilates would work. Right?

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: It’s different.

Ausra: Yes, it’s different, because what Pilates does, it strengthens the inner muscles, and what Yoga does is actually more makes your body flexible.

Vidas: But in those two exercise systems, breathing is also important. Right?

Ausra: Sure! It’s important in any physical activities. And so the breathing is important in playing, as well.

Vidas: Oh, what do you mean? You need to remind yourself to breath?

Ausra: Sure!

Vidas: While playing the organ?

Ausra: Yes. Many people don’t breath enough while playing.

Vidas: Meaning that they breath less often than they should, or their breathing is too shallow?

Ausra: Both, actually.

Vidas: Interesting. I find sometimes that having regular places to breath in a pieces is nice if you find, like, at the beginning of every four bar phrase, if that pulse and meter allows, it could be quite regular then.

Ausra: Sure, but if the tempo is Grave, then you might get in trouble breathing only after each four measures.

Vidas: No, no! You calculate for yourself, of course, what’s comfortable for you, and it has to be piece-specific. Right?

Ausra: Yes.

Vidas: Alright guys, various things to think about. We hope this was useful to you. This was Vidas,

Ausra: And Ausra!

Vidas: Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice,

Ausra: 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 Buy Me a Coffee platform and get early access:

​A: Find out more at https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo

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!

Vidas: Hi guys!  This is Vidas.

Ausra:  And Ausra.

Vidas: Let’s start episode 646 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Manfred, and he writes: 

Hi Vidas,
I was playing the organ in the church for services only. The requirements are low. Therefore I could train the Pedal in ‘wild’ and fairly uncontrolled way.
Because of Corona the congregation must not sing. The organist is asked to prepare a few pieces as a solo. So I started to look for organ pieces that are a little more demanding.
Then I was facing severe difficulties with easy or low-medium pieces for organ. Thanks to Youtube I watched the pedaling of good organ players. My style is way off!
This led me to you. You have a method, you want to teach it in an internet-based style – so, I gave it a try.
Man! The first week told me I was not using certain muscles in the ankle area, I had muscle sore. Now, I see a much higher flexibility in my ankles.
I was playing with a sort of tennis shoes. No way! Yesterday I started with organ shoes (dancing shoes actually). Now I can feel the pedal keys and can slide on them. Wonderful!

After this first week I do not detect better accuracy. But my feet want to adopt the new pedaling style when playing my organ pieces. This is sometimes confusing, but I am sure in 2-3 weeks the new techniques will make my feet more ‘relaxed’ as they become friends of the pedal.
I am eagerly looking forward to the next few weeks!
Best regards,
Manfred

Vidas: So Manfred obviously is taking our “Organ Pedal Virtuoso Master Course.”

Ausra: Yes, that’s a very useful course, I think, for everybody.

Vidas: And the first weeks are not very easy for him, as for most people who try. But the good thing is that he didn’t give up. 

Ausra: Yes, and it’s a very good thing that he started to play to their more appropriate shoes, actually, because it’s really necessary if you want to play pedal with great accuracy and will not hurt your legs.

Vidas: Exactly. So at first, he would accompany the church congregation singing before the pandemic, probably. But of course now the requirements have changed and he has to play the organ solo more.

Ausra: True. I think that’s the case with many organists.

Vidas: It’s also a good opportunity for people to explore new skills and build up technique, build up repertoire, learn new pieces, basically.

Ausra: Yes, because most of the people have more time during pandemics.

Vidas: Except that sometimes the pandemic demands more online work, like for you. Right Ausra?

Ausra: Yes, but I don’t need to drive every day back and forth to school.

Vidas: I see. So Manfred really can take advantage of the situation. What else can we obviously recommend besides just sticking to the course and learning new pieces?

Ausra: To play more repertoire, probably.

Vidas: Yeah. This course, “Pedal Virtuoso Master Course” shouldn’t take more time than just a warm up. 15 or 20 minutes… well… maybe at the most, half and hour, probably. And then, when you are warmed up, you could play probably hymns and repertoire—mix them according to your needs.

Ausra: Yes, I think that way it will be more comfortable for you and your practice won’t be so tiresome.

Vidas: Maybe Manfred also needs to think about hymn playing in a more structured way and treat each hymn as a very short organ piece, and play pedals in a controlled way, like you would in a regular organ piece. Maybe write in some pedaling. Figure out where to put the right-toe, left-toe, right-heel, left-heel, things like that, and probably learn, depending on his sight-reading abilities, learn either separate voices or separate lines, and then combination of voices instead of jumping into four-part texture right away. What do you think, Ausra?

Ausra: Yes, I think that’s a very good advice.

Vidas: I see just too many people playing hymns in an accidental manner, just from the beginning until the end, hoping they can do it eventually. And eventually, they will be able to do it in a maybe average-organ-playing way, but if you want to excel in it and play with good rhythm and good pulse, your playing and practicing should be according to plan. What about, Ausra, pedal playing? Do you think it’s good to warm up with those pedal scales and arpeggios, or is it a little bit too stressful on your ankles?

Ausra: Well, I would say if it’s early morning, then it might be too stressful. But if it’s the middle of the day or evening, then I think it should be okay.

Vidas: When I started to play organ at home, I sometimes notice like muscle spasms when my muscles are cold, so that might happen when you would started your practice with pedal playing alone. Right?  Very rigorous scales and arpeggios according to this pedal virtuoso master course, but maybe if you warm up a little bit more with easier music, alternate toes first—not toe-heel-toe-heel, but just alternate toes, exercises like that, or access from hymns, maybe play from just the hymn bass line. Right?

Ausra: Yes, I think maybe that’s a good suggestion—really useful.

Vidas: Okay, so… but the most important thing is obviously to stick to this program and to finish it. And then you will notice real improvements. He says that he doesn’t notice improvements about the accuracy yet. It comes after a month or so, I think. 

Ausra: Yes, and another thought or idea that came to my mind while reading this remark about accuracy: Maybe he’s practicing just a little bit too fast. That might  affect accuracy greatly, so maybe he needs to slow down just a little bit.

Vidas: My usual recommendation about the tempo when you practice is, choose the speed in which you can avoid making mistakes. That simple. For some people it’s moderate tempo who are very good in sight-reading. But for most people, it is a very slow tempo, and when they say they practice slow, usually they’re not practicing slow enough!

Ausra: Yes, I agree.

Vidas: Probably not the metronome should be your guide here, but the accuracy itself. If you can play at this tempo without mistakes, then the tempo is right at this time of your development. If it’s not, then slow down.

Ausra: Good advice, Vidas!

Vidas: Thank you! Thank you guys, this was Vidas,

Ausra: And Ausra!

Vidas: Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice,

Ausra: 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 BMC and get early access to our videos.

A: Find out more at patreon.com/secretsoforganplaying and buymeacoffee.com/organduo

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 627 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Abe, and he writes,

I had a stroke which hit my left hand very hard.  It is slow and lazy.  Any suggestions?

V:  Well, I’m sorry to hear about Abe’s condition.  To have a stroke is always very painful, right Ausra?

A:  Yes, I guess so.  I haven’t had a stroke yet, but my mom had sort of a mild stroke when we were studying at the United States.  But because she’s connected with medicine, because she graduated from the medical school herself, and worked in the healthcare system for all her life, she understood right away what is happening, and my father took her very fast to hospital, and basically she didn’t have any...

V:  Complications?

A:  Complications, yes.

V:  Side effects?

A:  Side effects.  And now she lives just a normal life.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  But the bad thing about strokes is that they tend to repeat themselves.

V:  What causes strokes, do you know?  How to prevent them, I mean, in the future?

A:  If things would be so easy, I think nobody would have them.  But in general, you just have to apply the healthy lifestyle, to lead the healthy lifestyle.  To avoid stress, to eat healthy, to exercise, and of course to avoid stress, which is almost impossible, but…

V:  You said that twice.

A:  But I think this is the most important.

V:  (laughs)  I see.  So playing organ, is it stressful, or not?

A:  For some people might be.

V:  Why?

A:  Well, if you have important recital…

V:  Oh, if you are playing in public, you mean.

A:  Yes.

V:  And people depend on you playing well and they paid tickets perhaps - maybe not.  But nowadays, public recitals are kind of, with real audience is kind of on hold, right, because of the pandemic?

A:  Yes.  But you know to answer Abe’s question seriously, I think we should know more a little bit about his condition, really.  How it happened, was it connected to organ playing?  And in general, I think he needs to consult his physician, because maybe he’s not allowed to play the organ because of what might happen.

V:  You mean sitting in one position for extended period of time can cause some complications?

A:  Yes, I think it’s not good for your blood circulation.

V:  Uh huh.  Well, if you’re sitting in front of TV, what’s the difference?

A:  Well, I think it’s healthier to sit at the organ because you’re moving your legs and your arms while doing that.  Not like watching TV.

V:  And also thinking - your brain is working.

A:  True.  But in any way I would suggest not to take things too hard on yourself, and to take things easy actually, whatever you do.  Plus, we don’t know what kind of stroke it was.  If it was one time of where you have your blood…

V:  Uh huh.  I know what you mean.  So basically, yeah, Abe should tell us more about it.  Until then, he should consult the physician, and of course take physical therapy.  Wouldn’t it help?

A:  Yes, it might help, but of course it should be measured by…

V:  Your doctor.

A:  ...your doctor, yes.  Because as I said before, strokes tend to repeat themselves.

V:  Mm hm.

A:  So doing too much might do side effects for you.

V:  I would probably also have frequent breaks between organ practice sessions.  Not practice more than 25 minutes at a time.  Even less, probably.

A:  It might be too much, 25 minutes.  Maybe 10 or 15.

V:  Yeah.  Stop before you’re tired.  Before, not after.  When you’re still feeling good, you have to stop.  Which is kind of counter intuitive.  But that’s less risky.

A:  Yes, yes.  But in general, I think it’s beneficial to practice still to keep practicing, and try to work with that left hand a little bit in order to improve it.  It might never be the same as it was before, but it might improve.

V:  Yeah.  You could take my left hand training course, right?

A:  If it wouldn’t be too hard and too much.

V:  With one hand only, you see?  One voice.  It’s an excerpt from Bach’s trio sonatas.  What can happen from trio sonatas, Ausra?

A:  I think a lot could happen, because of the trio sonatas, they are very hard.

V:  What’s the worst that could happen?  You can.. Yeah, but I transposed them in many keys. It’s not only in original keys, but throughout the circle of fifths, so sort of additional benefit is you will learn to play in those keys.  You can obviously play it with your right hand and with the pedals if you want one octave lower or two octaves lower in the bass clef.  But always keep listening to how your body feels.  Right, Ausra?

A:  Yes, I think it’s very important.

V:  Probably it’s important if you’re relatively healthy, too - to always listen to your body.

A:  You know, strokes come really unexpectedly and suddenly.  And you might not get any warning before that.  It happens to healthy people every day.

V:  Drinking fluids - does it help in avoiding, preventing strokes?

A:  Yes, I think this is one of the things that you have to do.

V:  Mm hm.  So you see, we are not certified doctors, but we have some suggestions.  But obviously if you need more, or more specialized advice, consult your physician.  All right, 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: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
 
Ausra: And Ausra!
 
V: Let’s start episode 532 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Maureen, and she writes:
 
“Dear Vidas,
I am a graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London which was for piano playing..
 
I have never sat any organ exams nor played music for the organ at that level. My foot work was not at such a high standard.
 
In recent years I had to give up playing in public because of my physical health. I have a condition called Fibromyalgia which is a painful and debilitating one.
 
Playing the organ was my first love and made my debut in my hometown when I was only 13 years old. I played at a Sunday evening service in the Protestant Church of Scotland and later asked to deputise for my music teacher who was the church organist.
 
Good organists were scarce as was money so choices had to be made as to the disciplines which would be most beneficial to me. I chose piano, singing and cello. Organ was almost an extension to the piano lessons.
 
I loved playing in Church for all the various Sunday services and for Mass. Hymns were particularly important to me and practised diligently each day before I started my teaching. Voluntaries were also played daily in preparation for services. Funeral music was always being worked on and it was my delight in investing in a variety of suitable music. Weddings over the years have dwindled as many people do not favour the sacrament of holy matrimony as once they did in my teenage years.
 
I can have access to a small organ in the nearby monastery of Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin Moray where there is a healthy community of Benedictine monks. They sing plainchant which I love doing when I attend Sunday Mass there each week. I have no transport to attend daily Mass when I could be staying on to play the organ.
 
The nearest I get to practising an organ is on my own personal Klavinova which I can attempt to mimic a near enough pleasant enough sound for the organ.
 
I would like to think that I was more than competent as a regular organist who accompanied Church services. To put a grade on it would be one for my hands and a different level for my feet I think...
Thank you for reading this account.”
 
V: And she continues writing later:
 
“The most important fact which I failed to tell you about was the loss of use in my right hand and arm. My hand wouldn’t open out without pain and tightness in the palm of my hand. Pain went through the whole of my arm constantly for five years! Over time and with acupuncture my hand and arm became pain free. Nothing showed in x-rays and nerve tests. What I still find is a reduced dexterity in my hand. The muscles are strong there was no damage to be found only excruciating pain.
 
I would appreciate your advice on which type of exercise I could do daily. Hanson for piano is my mainstay at present. 
Thank you,
Maureen”
 
V: First of all, I’m not familiar with Hanson, maybe she means Hanon. Could be.
 
A: Could be…
 
V: I don’t know. To summarize her situation, I think she had this Fibromyalgia, and the remaining result is that her muscles are not… the fingers are not fast enough on her right hand. Did you understand the same way?
 
A: Yes, that’s what I understood, too.
 
V: So, right exercises, probably, should be done with more care than left hand exercises.
 
A: That’s right. I would suggest for her to take supplements of vitamin B. It’s crucial for muscles, too, and I think that in order to strengthen those muscles, maybe she needs to strengthen other muscles as well, because everything in our body is connected in between, so I guess the physical exercise in general is a good idea.
 
V: If she has no pain in her knees and legs, maybe she can walk—start walking.
 
A: Yes, and you know, when we actually play on the organ or any other keyboard instrument, we need to think about that not our hand is doing it alone, but actually that we have a long arm, which is connected to our back, and actually that our back is even more important than our hands, because the back supports the entire arm!
 
V: In this case, you mean that the hands are an extension of the back.
 
A: True.
 
V: And we have to play with feeling even the back muscles.
 
A: True, and sometimes if you have a muscle problem in your hand, it might mean that something is wrong in your back. So my suggestion would be probably to do some Pilates.
 
V: Pilates.
​
A: Yes.
 
V: Yes, Pilates would be good. It’s moderate intensity exercise, not to be very dangerous, and see how she feels.
 
A: Because you know, if you will do only manual exercises, playing, let’s say, scales or arpeggios or something, and you will play extremely a lot of them, you might hurt yourself.
 
V: Yes. I think with organ playing at this time, she should be moderate. Take moderation into account and not to extend herself, and maybe take care of her general health issues more carefully, and just slowly build up her technique, not expecting results overnight, or over a week, or over a month. Just her goal has to be, I think, just keep practicing, and stopping, probably, before she gets tired, not to hurt herself—not to feel exhausted—and to rest for a while and then playing some more if she wants.
 
A: Yes, and you know, this Fibromyalgia is sort of a very mysterious disease. I read about it, but I still could not understand it, and I don’t think that doctors can, either.
 
V: Okay, guys, 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 524, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Mark. And he writes:
 
Hello I am 63 years old and have had a stroke on my left side. I fell and banged my head and had a further brain injury. I can still play but things feel different. I have reduced feeling in my fingers. I am trying to retrain myself. My muscle memory is just not there. My sight reading is much harder. I have a Rodgers organ at home so I have no trouble practicing. I sometimes feel like I am beating a dead horse. I have Hauptwerk and can play a nice Father Willis organ with it. Any suggestions for something I could do?
 
V: I wrote him a short answer:
 
Thanks Mark! Look forward to our answer on the podcast.
In short—don't overextend yourself and enjoy every moment of your practice, even if it seems slow.

V: What can you add, Ausra?
 
A: Well that’s a sort of a very difficult issue to discuss because I’m not a medical doctor but I think our brain is remarkable in that way that it’s very flexible and it tends to recover.
 
V: Mmm-mmm.
 
A: Even after such a serious illness as a stroke. So I guess you just have to take things easy and take a slow steps, not rush yourself. And I think eventually you will regain your abilities that you had before the stroke. Maybe not one-hundred percent but still I think it will become easier and better with each day. I think the worse thing in the situation like this what you could do is to do nothing.
 
V: Or to push yourself too hard.
 
A: Yes! That’s two extremes that you should avoid—doing nothing and to doing maximum out of yourself. I think you need to be somewhere in the middle. But anyway I think that in a rehabilitation process the physical activity is crucial. You will not recover without it. So I think also in addition to practicing organ, you need to do your physical therapy as well.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. All kinds of exercises.
 
A: Yes but of course you need to consult your doctor.
 
V: Yeah. We don’t know exactly what works for you.
 
A: But I guess you have to find the right balance for yourself in your life, how much can you do and what you need to avoid.
 
V: You know, people who have suffered a stroke or a heart attack, for example, those severe life threatening situations, and if they recovered like Mark, for example, they need to take life not so seriously any more. Don’t you think? Maybe let themselves enjoy a little.
 
A: I guess it’s easier to say than to do.
 
V: Why? After this experiment, experience, right?
 
A: I guess nobody of us knows what is waiting of us. So I guess we just have to receive every day as a gift...
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: and enjoy it, and live it.
 
V: Yes. It would be a mistake to try to fight the situation and say ‘okay, I will push myself even more, and my muscle memory will return faster, and my sight-reading will become much better really fast, next week’, for example. That would be a mistake, I think.
 
A: I think enjoying the moment…
 
V: The moment, yes.
 
A: is most important thing and the further we live, the more obstacles we get in our may, the better we understand this crucial thing, that we need to really enjoy the moment.
 
V: He sometimes feels like he is beating a dead horse. It’s an expression saying that he doesn’t feel any progress probably.
 
A: Well, but even if he only trying to do it is already a progress. Because think about all those people after stroke who either die…
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: or they just become…
 
V: Inactive.
 
A: inactive at all, and they stay on their bed for many, many years.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: I know people like that in my relations, my relatives.
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: We have a women who is now probably seven years lying in bed. So I guess if you can move after [a] stroke and do something, it’s still very, very good. So you don’t need to rush progress and I think you will get stronger and better with each day.
 
V: You’re not a physician. You’re not a doctor, but do you think that walking would not hurt him? Talking walks, you know.
 
A: I think in general, walking is the most beneficial exercise for people who have trouble with their physical health.
 
V: Unless they have knee problems, hip problems…
 
A; Of course, but in general…
 
V: Those mechanical.
 
A: I think for people who have heart conditions and other problems, I think walking is very beneficial because you can, you regulate the tempo of your walking. You don’t need to rush. You may walk slowly and maybe with time to increase the speed of your steps.
 
V: And the distance too.
 
A: And distance too. And now we have all these Fitbit sort of…
 
V: Smartwatches.
 
A: smartwatches, and you can see what your pulse is and how it reacts to the tempo you are taking. So you can regulate it much, much easier, than in any other physical activities. So I guess the walking is the most harmless exercise, as least I understand it.
 
V: Will we go for a walk today?
 
A: Yes, I guess.
 
V: After this recording.
 
A: True. But of course if you have trouble walking, maybe swimming might be useful too, or some exercises in the swimming pool. For some people especially if they have leg joint problems...
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: the water smooths the damage to the joints. But you can still exercise.
 
V: Does reading help?
 
A: What do you think about that?
 
V: Well, you are the smart one here!
 
A: (Laughs). Well I think that walking or swimming helps more in such a case.
 
V: Than brain activity?
 
A: Of course you have to combine both things but…
 
V: So organ playing is also a combination of mental and physical activity too.
 
A: But of course you need to take things slowly and easy and not to overwhelm yourself with either physical or mental exercise, especially after such a difficult events...
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: and serious ones.
 
V: Always remember that practice is privilege, like our professor Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra used to say.
 
A: But I guess playing organ is a good idea for people like this because it really works on your coordination and on your brain and on your muscles. On your motor motions.
 
V: Yes. So please guys, 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 522 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by me, Vidas, answering what I have been struggling the most this week.  And my answer was,
 
This week, I’ve been struggling the most with having an 8 hour sleep at night.  Used to wake up quite early.. 
 
A:  Well, I guess this problem applies to many people, not only you.  When I was starting to teach at the 1st of September, I don’t get 8 hours of sleep almost every night.  I don’t get it just because if I have to get up early to school, I simply, there is no way I could sleep 8 hours before that.
 
V:  You know, there is a trick.  To get to bed earlier.
 
A:  But if you will get to bed earlier, it doesn’t mean that you will fall asleep right away.
 
V:   No?
 
A:  Yes!
 
V:  Maybe that means that you’re not enough,  not tired enough.
 
A:  Well, or you are too tired.
 
V:  Oh, you’re…
 
A:  I think it’s for me, it’s probably most often that I am too tired to get, to fall asleep.
 
V:  I can feel what you mean.  Your head is full of thoughts right?
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  And they don’t let you fall asleep.
 
A:  But also, if I will do more physical activities in the second half of the day, you know, in the evening, then I also won’t be able to sleep. 
 
V:  Do you notice that you sleep better when you take a walk?
 
A:  Well, yes, it helps a little.  But not always.  Actually, what helps me most is not to have to go to work.  If I don’t have to get up early and go to work, then I sleep much better.
 
V:  Aha.  We’re recording this conversation on Wednesday morning, so we are not going to work today, right?
 
A:  Well, we will work, of course, but not teaching.
 
V:  Yes.  You don’t have classes.
 
A:  No, I don’t have classes.
 
V:  So, did you sleep well tonight?
 
A:  Yes, I think I slept 8 hours straight.  Almost 8 hours straight - maybe 7 ½ .  And that very rarely happens, actually.
 
V:  I see.  But me not so much.  I, yesterday I, before, you probably fell asleep around 10:00.
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  And I spent at least 45 minutes of writing a post, a blog post.
 
A:  Well, I think your problem is that you spend too much time with technology.  With your phone, with your computer.  Then, I’m sort of wondering how you can sleep at all.
 
V:  (Laughs)  Sleep at all! 
 
A:  Because if I would be so technologically engaged as you are on a regular basis, I would not sleep at all.
 
V:  Mm hm.  Yeah, it’s very tricky to disconnect actually.  To disconnect long enough to relax.  Some kind of breathing exercise might help, but I have to find to incorporate it in my day, maybe in the morning and in the evening.
 
A:  I think to find the right balance in your life is a challenge for everybody.  That you would have enough mental activity but also enough of physical activity.
 
V:  You know, I no longer consider myself employed by other organizations, right?  I always consider myself employed by myself.  For a long time, even when I was working at school, I still was considered running my own business as a priority.  You know, basically, Secrets of Organ Playing.  And when you do that, when you have your own business, small or large, it doesn’t matter probably, you feel responsible.  And it’s like running your own school, imagine.  Do you think your principal sleeps well?
 
A:  Well, actually, I don’t care!
 
V:  But…
 
A:  I don’t care about it.  It’s my last concern.
 
V:  Really?
 
A:  Sure.  Do you think my principal thinks about how I’m sleeping?
 
V: (Laughs)
 
A:  And if he does not, then why should I bother about it, and even think about it?
 
V:  Maybe not principal, maybe your supervisor, let’s say, or someone else.
 
A:  Well, who cares a shit, actually.
 
V:  Mm hm.  But, you see what I mean, right?
 
A:  Yes, yes.
 
V:  When I have to deliver content constantly and  do technological calls on the computer to maintain the business side of things.
 
A:  I think this is the reason why so many people, so many talented people, don’t want to start their own businesses.  Because we’d better be part of something, and we don’t have to do all this stuff that you’re talking now.
 
V:  So is it a good thing or a bad thing?
 
A:  Well, I guess we need both kinds of people.
 
V:  Are they missing out on something, or are they protecting themselves?
 
A:  I think both of these sides have their own advantages and disadvantages.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  There is no white and black in life.  Everything is somewhere in the middle.  I guess if you are sort of your own boss, you have advantage of being able to organize the work the way you want.  Maybe you don’t have to get up at 6 a.m. every morning.  But also you have the responsibility to do things…
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  That nobody else will do for you. 
 
V:  That’s what I’m talking about, yes.  I have to think about what I’m going to do next.  Because there is no schedule set up for me.
 
A:  But I guess because you are not that kind of person that would like to do, somebody that is told to do, then I think it’s better for you to run your own business.
 
V:  That’s what I needed to hear.  Thank you.
 
A:  So I guess everybody has to find the right path for them. 
 
V:  Yeah.  Finding your own path is crucial.  Being stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time is making things, making you miserable, right?
 
A:  True.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  But I think sometimes it’s the quality of your character that you know that this might not be good for you, but you have no inner power to change anything.
 
V:  You know, there is some solution to this problem of not, not being able to disconnect myself for long enough to relax.  I need to find out what 20% of my efforts give 80% of results.
 
A:  Yeah.
 
V:  This 80/20 rule.  And this is called Pareto Principle.  And then focus exclusively on those.  And maybe neglect everything else which just sucks my time.
 
A:  Well, yes, but you know, when we did those psychological tests a few years back in school, and the speaker of that, he told that there are no way that people could jump from one character to another one. That it’s sort of like predestination - if you have this psychological portrait, you cannot become another person.  And remember, you were like, Enthusiast.
 
V:  Uh huh.
 
A:  And I and my colleague, we were these so-called Loyal Realistic.
 
V:  Uh huh.
 
A:  Realists.  And so another colleague of ours made a joke that me and my colleague, we will never quit the school because of that.
 
V:  Uh huh.
 
A:  Unless we die.  So, that’s not so funny actually.  That’s pretty sad, but that’s who I am and I cannot change that.
 
V:  This is called Myers-Briggs test.
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  With 16 personalities.
 
A:  Yes. 
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  So you can do it for fun if you want to find out more about yourself.
 
V:  Yeah, it’s interesting to find out your own personality type, because then you might discover something too, about yourself, what you really value, right?  About other people, maybe, who are close to you.
 
A:  Well, it’s good to know your strengths and weaknesses.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  Because I think all of these personality types have their own strengths and their own weaknesses.
 
V:  Do you think that this test is accurate enough?
 
A:  Yes, I guess it is, because from what I see about your character, you are real Enthusiast.
 
V:  Mm hm.  Extrovert?
 
A:  More extrovert than I am.
 
V:  There are more gradations than just introvert/extrovert in that test.
 
A:  Sure, sure.
 
V:  Because there are 16 kinds of personalities. 
 
A:  But you know, sometimes, I remember myself taking the test and answering some questions, and I had doubts sometimes, which one answer to select.  It means that, you know, I might have other personal qualities as well.  Not that the only one.
 
V:  Mm hm.  So, lots of things to think about.  If you want to find out your own personality test, check out Myers-Briggs test.  It’s available for free online obviously.
 
A:  Yes, because I think our personality types also determines the way we practice the organ.
 
V:  Definitely.
 
A:  And knowing that, also can help us to improve the quality of practice on the organ.
 
V:  Yeah.  For some people, doing this very strict practice of counting the repetitions, and eliminating mistakes, and practicing scales and arpeggios is too rigid, right?
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  They want to be more free and more independent, and to feel artistic inspiration.  But for others, it’s the opposite, right?
 
A:  Yes. 
 
V:  They want to be strict.
 
A:  It’s a pain.
 
V:  Yeah.  When somebody tells you, “You can do anything,” they don’t know what to do.
 
A:  Sure.
 
V:  And when to other people, you say, “No, no no, you cannot do this.  Only do this: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.”  It’s too restrictive, and they feel very limited.
 
A:  And I guess also because of the personality types, for one person it’s easy to sit down on the organ bench and to practice for a few hours straight, but somebody might get tired after playing for like 15 minutes.
 
V:  Right.  Thank you, guys, for listening.  For applying our tips to your practice.  We know they really work.  It’s difficult to apply them, but when you do, it’s really worth it.  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 498 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And, this question was sent by Linda, and she writes:
 
“If I could I would practice organ 10 hours a day, but I can't because it would ruin my hands.  I had hand surgery in 2015 from over-practicing. I passed Part I of the AGO colleague exam in May.  I am set to take Part II in November. I'm sixty years old, and in the remaining years God gives me on this earth, I hope to also achieve the higher AGO exams, plus learn as much organ literature as I can.  I heard a youtube recording of Klaas Jan Mulder's "Fantasie-Toccata on 'Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan", which blew me away. Dutch organ literature is definitely an area I want to explore, as well as the standard organ literature I haven't learned yet.  Love your website. There's a lot of material there. Blessings on you, and thank you again.”
 
V: So, Ausra, would you practice for 10 hours a day if you could?
 
A: Well, I don’t think it’s necessary to practice for 10 hours a day. But I would be happy if I could practice 4 hours every day.
 
V: What would you play?
 
A: Everything.
 
V: Starting from what?
 
A: From everything. All the Trio Sonatas by J. S. Bach—because so far, I have played four of them, so I still have two sonatas to learn—and other excellent stuff. Maybe Franck’s “Chorale in E Major,” which I haven’t played, yet.
 
V: The first one?
 
A: Yes, the first one. So, and other stuff, too.
 
V: We will be playing our organ duet recital in a couple of days, or in a few days, maybe on Saturday, and after that, probably it will be time to start playing solo, too.
 
A: Yes, if school doesn’t kill me.
 
V: Yeah, that’s a big consideration. I think I’m going to be a little bit busy even after this recital with various organ demonstrations and educational events, I think. But, I will continue sight reading. This is really good for my own skills.
 
A: But what do you think? Is it always necessary to practice for 10 hours?
 
V: I have never practiced for 10 hours. Well, maybe once. Maybe once, when I was really short on time, and the concert was maybe in two days.
 
A: You know, the most I have practiced was actually four hours, but it was four hours of excellent practice. But even though four hours is not like 10 hours, I could not practice the same amount of hours the next day, because, simply, your head needs to lead your practice, not your hands.
 
V: It’s the same with physical exercise. If you do over-train one day, you will not be able to do the same type type of exercise the next day. You will have to rest one day.
 
A: True. So, I guess, even if you practice a lot on one day, you need to take it easy on the second one; on the next one. Because, I think when you are learning the organ repertoire, you also need to do some mental work with the music that you are playing.
 
V: Mental?
 
A: Yes, and it’s not only… you don’t do it only by sitting on the instrument and practicing. You need to think about the music, too.
 
V: What do you do when you think about it?
 
A: Well, I often think of different excerpts from the piece and think about the form, about the meaning of the piece, and it helps, too.
 
V: I used to do that more when I had time. Now, I just don’t have this privilege anymore—sitting without the instrument—because there is so much on my plate already. But, when the occasion arises, for example, I’m traveling, sitting in the hotel, the concert is tomorrow, and I still need to work on something, obviously that would be a great way to practice mentally.
 
A: Plus, I’ve realized that sometimes you keep practicing and practicing  and practicing, and instead of improving things, you sort of start messing things up. And sometimes, giving a break of one or two days actually makes your program sound better.
 
V: Or come back to the same program after practicing something else for a week, or two weeks, or a month. Right? You switch things up a little bit. It’s like physical exercise. One day you want to work on your upper body muscles, maybe, the next day, maybe on your lower body, maybe the third day on your core abdominal muscles, and then maybe the next day, you might rest. After 3 days, you take a rest., and then, start over again. There are all kinds of methods of mixing up physical exercise, so I think with organ practice, this could be applied in some way, too, this type of a variety.
 
A: True! And, as Linda mentioned that she already had surgery, and that she loves to practice a lot, I guess this trouble with her hands shows that you need to practice less, actually, and to practice fewer hours, actually, but maybe to do it more efficiently.
 
V: And maybe warm up.
 
A: Yes, that’s a good idea, too.
 
V: And maybe practice easier pieces?
 
A: That’s a possibility, too.
 
V: We don’t know exactly what her level is, but certainly overextending yourself doesn’t help.
 
A: But it’s very nice that she has the goal of what she wants to achieve. That’s very important. I guess when you have a goal, then it’s easier for you to practice.
 
V: Yes, you feel motivated externally, and then you just have to follow through. Thanks guys, this was Vidas!
 
A: And Ausra!
 
V: Please send 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 417, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Colin. And he writes:
 
Dear Vidas,
Firstly, I’m sorry if you have already received the following message. My computer is playing up and I’m having difficulty in sending and receiving some emails. Thank you for your Pedal Virtuoso Master Course. For some strange reason, I have been unable to download the material of the final lesson.
 
A bit of background about me: I’m retired and I have played the organ for very many years. However, the demands of my job and family have meant that I have not been able to practice regularly, with the inevitable result that my skills have deteriorated. I’m arthritic and find it difficult to move joints easily, especially the ankles and hips. I try to practice your course regularly though I have not been able to progress from week to week as rapidly as I should like. I see no virtue in going on to the next lesson until I feel like I have mastered the current one. I’ve found the sessions on arpeggios etc. particularly helpful, and I feel that I’m beginning to recover some of my earlier flexibility. I still find shifting position difficult though, I continue to work on it.
 
As you suggested, I have played a couple of pieces which I have not played for a long time, in order to see how my pedal technique has improved. I was really amazed at the confident way I was able to play the final part of the Mendelssohn organ Sonata n°1. Likewise, I managed the g minor fugue, BWV 542 confidently, even the long pedal passage in the middle, where you have to shift position felt very comfortable. So my practice is clearly paying off.
 
Thank you very much indeed, every good wish,
Colin

V: Wow, this is like a nice testimonial from Colin I would say. Don’t you think?
 
A: Yes, it’s very nice, thank you Colin, we appreciate it very much.
 
V: I think he did a good job taking a piece that he was practicing earlier with difficulty, maybe like g minor fugue, or Mendelssohn’s Sonata, and then, after a while of working with the Pedal Virtuoso Master Course, then playing through these pieces, like a test you know. To just see if it’s easier or not. And apparently, I was right, people do improve.
 
A: Sure, because when you practice only exercises, you might not notice that, but when you will pick up real repertoire, you will notice that you’ve really improved. Because all your hard work always pays off, maybe not as fast as you wish you know, but still, you will improve, in time.
 
V: I would compare it to looking at yourself in the mirror every morning. What happens is, you look almost the same right? Maybe not exactly the same: your haircut will be different, your mood is different, maybe your skin looks different a little bit from the night before, maybe sometimes you’re less refreshed than you wanted to be, but generally the changes with age are very difficult to spot if you look at the mirror every day. But what happens if you meet your friend who haven’t seen you for six months or maybe a couple of years, then surely they will notice the difference and you will notice the difference on them.
 
A: True, that is true.
 
V: Is this a good analogy Ausra?
 
A: Yes, it’s a good analogy.Maybe in organ playing you don't have to wait for 2 years to see the progress. But definitely you won’t be seeing progress each single day.
 
V: What does it mean to “see progress”, for you personally Ausra? What is progress? When you sit down on the organ bench and play those pieces that you’re getting ready to play at Notre-Dame for example in Paris. 
 
A: Well, I’m not thinking so much about it right now, because it’s still so far ahead, but definitely you know, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. That’s always the case.
 
V: Are you so concerned about seeing progress actually, when you practice?
 
A: Well, not so much.
 
V: Not so much, yeah. You’re focusing on the process not on the result. Results probably will come by themselves.
 
A: That’s true. I don’t like to force things ahead of time.
 
V: You don’t want to force it?
 
A: No.
 
V: Hmm. To me also I hold a similar position, that my goal is to sit down at the organ bench no matter what, no matter if I have a busy day or easy day, I try to sit down, if only for fifteen minutes, to play, you know, an improvisation. If I do that, I know that my fingers don’t atrophy, the muscles don’t atrophy. My imagination also improves a little bit. And maybe tomorrow I will have a better day to practice more, right? And usually I practice much more than fifteen minutes but that’s just the minimum I try to do. And somehow the progress comes by itself. You know, I have some goals for the future, pieces that I need to learn, but judging from my own experience, I plan well ahead those pieces and I know that with every practice, my playing gets a little bit stronger, even if the progress seems to be slow, but I know that I have plenty of time. Would you agree?
 
A: Sure, and I like to prepare things in advance in order to have some flexibility with everything you know, and not be rushed into things.
 
V: If you need to rush it means you’re planning poorly, right? If a recital is coming up next week and I’m still sight-reading this piece, something is wrong with my planning.
 
A: Yes but some people are like that and I don’t like it. I used to be like that myself too, in terms of memorization for example. I used to memorize at the last moment, I remember still things that I would have to play exam next morning and in the evening I was still working to memorize some of the parts, and I wouldn’t be any good at it. And then you experience extra stress and it’s not good.
 
V: And you don’t feel any joy in doing that, during exam?
 
A: Of course, you know if you’re a musician, sometimes you need to be put on the spot, but all the time, it’s not good.
 
V: Hmm. That’s true. I think Colin is on the right track with this course, Pedal Virtuoso Master Course, and of course since he’s retired and a senior person and he has arthritis, then to move in a flexible manner in those arpeggios and scales is quite strenuous movement.
 
A: True. Although I think that to keep moving is beneficial for people with arthritis.
 
V: Even though you can’t play perfectly those scales and arpeggios, do something with them. Play the best you can, and then, your joints and ankles will improve anyway.
 
A: But of course, do everything with care. Don’t hurt yourself too much.
 
V: Hmm, avoid pain basically.
 
A: True.
 
V: Stop playing before you get tired, that’s a golden rule of mine. If I stop before I get tired, I never get tired!
 
A: Good for you!
 
V: Wonderful, thank you guys for listening, I hope this was helpful to you, and please keep sending your wonderful 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 368 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Nancy, and she writes:
 
Thank you for the information, Vidas.  I have followed the suggestions on the link, and I think all is well with my Total Organist subscription.

You asked about my playing now.  There are two issues that I am dealing with:

(1) The first, and most important, issue is my physical limitations.  I have been muddling along as best I can, playing almost exclusively on manuals--not how I like it to be, at all, and certainly not how I learned to play the organ fifty years ago.  Unfortunately, there is at least one level of my lumbar spine (at L-4) where the nerve into my right leg is compressed by severe arthritis. Until I have major surgery to release the compressed nerve, I simply can't cope with the pain in my right leg and lower back long enough to return to pedal-playing.  The medical testing to locate exactly where the anomalies are, has been ongoing since early this past spring; the neurosurgeon to whom I have entrusted my care is in no hurry to operate. This is a long-standing problem that affects not only my organ-playing, but also my ability to carry on the ordinary activities of daily life.

(2) The second issue is that this coming Sunday is the last day the congregation of my church will worship in the sanctuary for several months.  To save money on heating, for the past ten years we have vacated the sanctuary after the last Sunday in December and moved into a much smaller space in our Vestry, where we have worshiped through Epiphany and most of Lent.  Return to the sanctuary is on Palm Sunday. For that period of time, music is provided on the piano (and sometimes via the pastor's MP3 player). Although I have a small portable heater that sits on the organ bench, the sanctuary is simply too cold to allow for realistic practice time.  Having the heat in the sanctuary turned on up for practice time is an extravagance the church cannot afford. I effectively cease being an organist during this hiatus.

My hope is that both issues might be resolved in the ensuing months, but that may be asking too much.  I intend to keep up with my keyboard practice and to do as much with Total Organist as I can, short of actually having a pipe organ to play.  As I am expected to provide the music for our winter worship services, the keyboard part can continue to improve. Just not with any registration.  Or pedals.
I hope this gives you at least a partial picture of the environment in which I work.  It has been over thirty years since I have had any instruction, and it is time for me to get serious again--my love for the organ in our sanctuary is a powerful motivator.

Thank you for all that you do to encourage those of us who try to be faithful organists while living and working in less-than-ideal circumstances.

All the best for the New Year,

Nancy
 
V: That’s a long story, but quite a colorful description of Nancy’s situation, right, Ausra?
 
A: Yes, it’s fascinating, and I can only guess how many organists would share the same experience, or similar experience, because if we are talking about a back problem, about a spine problem, I think it’s very common nowadays, not only for organists, but in general for people who are working with their computer every day. I think they have a lot of trouble with their spines. But that’s a serious thing! And all those surgeries, they are quite a risky thing for the back, because it might help, but it might also hurt.
 
V: Do you think that swimming is an activity that might be beneficial in this situation?
 
A: Well, in general, it is thought that swimming is easier and less dangerous for people who have joint problems and back problems.
 
V: So you would say yes, probably?
 
A: I would say yes, but I’m not a physician, so…
 
V: So anything we say here has to be taken just as our understanding, not necessarily an advice, because we are not clinicians. We are not physicians. We are not medical doctors. And therefore, if we advise, for example, to go to the swimming pool from time to time, first of all, Nancy should discuss this with her doctor.
 
A: Anyway, I think some kind of physical exercise is necessary for everybody, and you need to find something that works for you, of course, in consulting your physician. But anyway, if you have to do that back surgery, I would say do it now, and not later, because my mom was struggling with her spine all the time. She had various problems with it. And now, when she almost can’t walk because the damaged nerves will not allow her to use her right leg at all normally. It’s already too late to have a surgery, because her back is so problematic that no surgeon wants to operate on her and to take a risk.
 
V: And this back, spine situation is because of her overworked joints. Not joints, but…
 
A: Not joints…
 
V: But joints too, probably.
 
A: Well, that’s not her main problem.
 
V: Are there any risks while doing operations like that?
 
A: Of course! She might not be able to walk after surgery at all!
 
V: I mean Nancy.
 
A: Well, I’m talking about my mom! But yes, definitely, there is a risk, depending on which part of the spine is operated on. Because, if it’s near your neck, you might get paralyzed completely, full body. And the lower you go, the lower the paralysis might go. Like, let’s say lower than your neck, your spine parts will affect your arms, and then the lower you go, it will affect your legs.
 
V: Yes, it’s a complicated issue, and all we can do is to say how, for example, Ausra’s mom is feeling. But it doesn’t mean that this applies to anybody, or everybody, it’s just her situation. And everybody should consult their own physician and neurosurgeon.
 
A: But still, my mom does exercises every morning, so…
 
V: What kind of exercises?
 
A: Specific exercises that she was taught at the hospital.
 
V: So it’s not like a regular yoga.
 
A: Oh, no, she could not do yoga!
 
V: But, some exercises might be similar to Pilates, right?
 
A: Yes, definitely.
 
V: But with variations, adjusted to her condition.
 
A: Sure.
 
V: So, Pilates might be another set of exercises…
 
A: But anyway, we are talking about what we are talking about, but you need to consult your physician.
 
V: Yes, of course. But we could direct….
 
A: Don’t pretend that you are a doctor, Vidas, you are a musical doctor, not a physician.
 
V: I know! I know. But we are giving ideas about what to talk about with the doctor.
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Swimming pool, and, for example, Pilates!
 
A: Now, let’s go back to the organ, shall we?
 
V: The organ! Which is a problem, because it’s cold in the winter, and the vestry is not heated for Nancy, so what would you do in this situation? Would you wear gloves and thick winter coats?
 
A: Well, I don’t think it’s worth doing this, because I think the health is the most important issue for everybody.
 
V: I see.
 
A: And, you don’t need to sacrifice your body just to be able to practice the organ. I wouldn’t do it. Maybe 20 years ago, yes, but not now. And I would not suggest anybody to sacrifice themselves and just be able to play the pipe organ. What I would do is that I would check in the neighborhood to see if there is the possibility to get access to an organ which is in a heated room.
 
V: In another church, maybe?
 
A: Yes.
 
V: With pedals! What about practicing on the keyboard that she’s already doing, but taking advantage of what a keyboard can offer? For example, she’s already our Total Organist student, and we have courses on music theory and harmony! Would that be a good activity during winter months?
 
A: Of course, it will never hurt, knowing more music theory and harmony.
 
V: And especially now, because she is kind of not limited to learning music for church. It’s like a short break from church for several months, and imagine in the warmer times, she would have to prepare hymns and church music for services every week, probably. And then, she wouldn’t have much time to do theory and harmony. But now, there is an isolated period of time where she has access to a keyboard, but not necessarily a deadline to work on hymns or music for church. I mean, that could be a great time to develop her theory and harmony skills.
 
A: Yes, I think so, plus if you have access to the piano, it means you can keep in good shape with your manual technique, and this is also very important.
 
V: Exactly. So, everybody who is with physical limitations or a situation where pedals are not available could find some creative ways to practice, and I think the most important thing is the will to improve. “Where there is a will, there is a way,” they say.
 
A: That’s right. Sometimes even people with great disabilities do great things and create art.
 
V: And maybe there is hope is that those problems and challenges might be temporary. Maybe she will transfer to the warmer environment later on. Maybe that operation will be successful on her back, and she won’t have those physical limitations. This is hope for the future, but in the meantime, she and others could do what they can, and consult their physicians, of course. 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!

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
 
Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 291 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by John and he writes:
 
“Lately I've been having trouble with osteoarthritis in my right hand (and to a lesser extent in my left) so my practice has been restricted to work on the pedals. Simple finger-work is basically fine for me, but holding a note(s) while the other fingers move can be quite painful. Being a pianist my pedal playing has always needed attention but it's distressing to have the hands so sore after playing.”

V: How long can you play without the pain?

“It varies, Vidas, but if the pain gets bad I just give up for the day and let my hands recover. If I start a session with no particular pain I can play for maybe fifteen minutes or so without too much trouble. If the texture is complicated and I'm trying (for example) to hold an inner part while another melody weaves around it that can be troublesome. I think I need to choose repertoire with more care and try to avoid anything that gives me grief. My home practice instrument has a modern keyboard action, so I don't have to deal with tracker action.”

V: I think Ausra that John partly answered this question himself.

A: Yes and I thought that the best solution for him would be to play trio sonatas.

V: Where one hand takes one voice, another hand takes another voice…

A: and the pedal has another voice.  So that you wouldn’t have to deal with those center voices and to hold them up and to be in pain.  If I would be John and I would have problems like this I would first consult a physician because it’s dangerous to practice like this without consulting serious specialist because you might hurt yourself even more.

V: Right, sometimes even permanently.

A: I know and it’s a serious matter.  So if you haven’t done it yet you need to consult your physician.

V: Umm-hmm.  He might have written about that if he had visited a physician before so maybe it’s pretty important for him to go to the doctor.

A: Because I think that some kind of these problems it might be good to exercise but in some cases it might be harmful so you never know what type his problem is unless you consult a serious specialist. 

V: Umm-hmm.

A: But anyway if the piece hurts yourself don’t play it or if it makes your condition worse play another one. 

V: And play for a shorter amount of time.

A: Sure and organ repertoire is so vast that you can choose from so many things that you really don’t have to give yourself such trouble and get that pain.

V: Umm-hmm.  Maybe work more on the pedal playing because he needs that because since he is a pianist.

A: Yes and I myself always struggled with the thick texture because my hands are like cat’s paws and I don’t have strength in them and it’s very hard for me to play big chords.  I still cannot avoid playing big chords but I avoid things with big texture where I need to stretch a lot and things like Max Reger.  I played it when I had to do it when I was a student but now I’m certainly not making myself to go through that again.

V: How is Cesar Franck working for you?

A: Well it’s working quite well actually except maybe a couple of pieces.  Maybe not so much the beginning of E Major chorale and maybe not Prierre.  But with other things I can do pretty fine.

V: Because anybody who has seen Franck’s picture and his hands might have noticed that he had enormous span with the palm and his texture very thick and chromatic.  Sometimes you make tricks with playing the bass line with the pedals even though it’s written for the hand but in general it’s quite complicated texture.

A: Yes it is.  And for me for example it’s much easier for me to play playful music, something like Durufle, like Durufle Scherzo or Prelude from Veni Creator Spiritus, the Prelude, Adagio and Variations than let’s say Reger.

V: Right.  Reger has its own problems most of the time although he wrote trios too.

A: Yes, and I played them and I did fine and they didn’t cause trouble for my hands so trio texture is wonderful for me.

V: Umm-hmm.  And if we go back to John then obviously trio texture would teach him a lot about coordination, right?  Remember Johann Sebastian Bach created those trio sonatas for his own son, Wilhem Friedemann.

A: Yes, his older son.

V: And he was quite a virtuoso.

A: True.  And let’s see if one hand hurts more then you can practice another hand with the pedal.

V: Exactly.  And if you wanted to get started easier you can use our score with fingering and pedaling for E Flat Major Trio Sonata which is number one.  So guys this is basically our advice for John or for anybody who might suffer wrist pain, hand pain, finger pain sometimes, right?

A: Yes and also another suggestion would be keep your hands warm.

V: You mean not only warm up before practice but keep gloves.

A: Yes I know things like what you put on your wrists.

V: It is dense.

A: It is dense, yes.  Like made from natural wool.  It might help to reduce pain.

V: That works of course.  Heated environment.  Keep yourself warm for people who can tolerate.

A: Of course, consult your physician before doing any of these things that we have suggested.

V: The first thing you have to do is set an appointment with the doctor.

A: Sure.

V: And then if he or she lets you play then play wisely.  Stop before you are feeling the pain, not after it’s too late.  But rest while you still feel comfortable even though you might have practiced for as little as 5 minutes.

A: And maybe your doctor will suggest you to take some medication too to reduce the pain.

V: Yes, well avoiding pain is sometimes tricky especially in later part of life.  You don’t always know what to do.  For some people exercising more is a good solution but for others not so good.  Or exercising certain muscle groups might be problematic.  Maybe John can find some kind of exercise routine which is helpful for his own condition but that could only real doctors tell.

A: Sure.

V: Thanks guys for sending these questions.  You see we’re not always qualified to answer them but we could give you some pointers what to do next, where to find some real medical help.  And please continue sending your challenges and dreams, what you want to accomplish in organ playing in the next 3 months or 6 months and what is stopping you, right?  The challenges, right?  And we will try to sort it out and get you unstuck.  This was Vidas.

A: And Ausra.

V: And remember when you practice…

​A: Miracles happen.

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