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 636 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Steven, and he writes: 

“Hi Vidas. Organ playing is going okay, thank you for asking. These days I am making more time for practice, which is key. I still feel like I am a slow learner, but I know how to pull apart a new piece and start making it work. Pedal work continues to improve, with the biggest aspect I'm noticing is my accuracy. The right foot position (like keeping toes touching the "black" pedals) seems to be super helpful. I have a teacher, and we have lessons every other week for one hour. I typically work up a couple hymns out of the ELW, sometimes an introduction or related piece with those hymns. Then I have several other pieces in various states of progress.”

Vidas: So Steven is talking his practice during the pandemic, and I’m very glad that it’s improving.

Ausra: Yes, and in general, I thought one day that many musicians will become really virtuoso during this time.

Vidas: Why is that?

Ausra: Because they stay home and practice all day long!

Vidas: Like we do!

Ausra: Yes. But of course, I don’t practice every day and all day long.

Vidas: Well, right. 

Ausra: Because I have to teach online.

Vidas: When the pandemic hit, obviously a lot of people stayed at home. It doesn’t mean they have more time to practice. Right Ausra? It doesn’t necessarily mean…

Ausra: And it does not necessarily mean that they have access to an instrument at home.

Vidas: Right. People who relied on church organs now have to figure out a way to play at home. Or people who worked in a physical location before and now have to online during that time, usually that online work takes at least twice as much of time than if you compare it to the physical location work. Is this the case with you, Ausra?

Ausra: Well, I save time from the trip to my school and back, and this time I can practice, actually, at home.

Vidas: Oh yeah, depending on where you live from your work, commuting could be very time consuming, up to several hours per day. So during that time, if you stay at home and could squeeze in some practice time, that’s even better. 

Ausra: Yes, and for me, for example, it takes about an hour and a half to go both ways back and forth to school, so, I think it’s a nice practice session.

Vidas: But even though you have to work more at school, you kind of are practicing more than before at home. Don’t you think?

Ausra: Yes, true.

Vidas: How can you manage that when you have so much work to do for online teaching?

Ausra: Well, because I have two instruments at home, actually three instruments at home, and I don’t have to go anywhere. I still can find much more time.

Vidas: Mmhmm, except, of course, looking at the screen is very exhausting when you have to work online.

Ausra: Yes, and you know, the worst thing about this pandemic is that actually when it started, I stopped reading books. I just simply gave up, because looking at the screens takes too much time and too much energy from my eyes, so I stopped reading other books non-related to my work.

Vidas: Me too. But we watch Netflix instead.

Ausra: Well yes, that’s not a very good habit, perhaps, but you have to do something just not to go crazy.

Vidas: Right. So Steven is practicing from Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnals, and we used to have those in America. Right? The green ones—ELW. Remember those? We have one at home.

Ausra: Yes, we have one at home. The old one.

Vidas: They have, I think, upgraded, updated since we left The States. Remember, we were going back to Lithuania, and they were getting new hymnals.

Ausra: Yes, I remember that. That’s why we could bring the old one with us.

Vidas: Right. But I guess the core anthems and chorales and hymns are still the same. The core.

Ausra: At least most of them, I guess.

Vidas: Right. So, what I would suggest to Steven besides working on hymns, is probably focus more on pieces, also. He spends a lot of time practicing on hymns, but only the last sentence in his answer is about pieces, and we don’t even know what kind of music he plays besides hymns. So basically it’s probably not a big focus for him. 

Ausra: Well, if he is a church musician it’s natural that you focus more on the hymn playing, although being an active in the Lutheran church, you will surely have to play some solo music as well, for each service.

Vidas: At least two pieces per Sunday—a prelude and postlude.

Ausra: Yes, and probably maybe even more, especially if you don’t have a choir.

Vidas: Right. Now during the quarantine it could be even more, because the organist has to fill in a lot of music himself.

Ausra: True.

Vidas: So yeah, that’s a good way of looking at things—through organ repertoire. Choose something doable, not necessarily Toccatas and Fugues and standard organ concert repertoire, but maybe shorter pieces—two or three pages.

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

Vidas: Alright, so hopefully this will help Steven. 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 621 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by William, and he writes,

​Vidas,

Thank you for putting together this course. My sight reading of notes and rhythms both improved significantly from 9 months ago. It also improved my sight reading of dense passages of music. The areas that gave me a little trouble (that I need to continue working on) are the counting of 32nd notes and irregular rhythms (triplets against 2 eighth notes / 4 sixteenth notes / dotted eighth note and a sixteenth note).  Regards, Bill
​
V:  So William talks about my Organ Sight Reading Master Course, which is quite popular among Total Organist Community, and I’m very happy that people are enjoying the progress that they are making over the course of this training program.  It takes basically 40 weeks, 47 weeks with bonus materials, so that’s almost a full year, right, Ausra?

A:  Yes, it takes awhile.

V:  For a long time, for many weeks, people start sight reading one single melodic line.  And a lot of people quit after even noticing improvement, even before starting two part exercises.  Because it takes such a long time to go through entire Art of Fugue voice by voice.  Ausra, do you have such patience?

A:  Well, I would have patience if I would have enough time.

V:  And you mean that you couldn’t practice for many weeks one single voice?

A:  Yes.  Definitely not.  And I don’t need it, because I have quite a good skills of sight reading music.

V:  Hm, makes me think, maybe I should devise special course for you, just for you, where I would test your sight reading skills and give you more challenges.

A:  You know I have enough challenges in my life on a daily basis.

V:  And you could devise a course for me, as well.  Would you like that?

A:  Not really.

V:  Why not?  You could be my teacher.

A:  Well, I teach for 25 hours a week.  So I guess I have enough teaching already without teaching you.

V:  Could I sit in your classes instead?

A:  No, because now it’s pandemic.

V:  Maybe under the table then!

A:  Well, you could sneak in, or at least try to sneak in.

V:  I could sit under the table like your pet.  I would be quiet, promise.

A:  But then I would have to put you on a leash.

V:  Yeah.  On a leash, or a choke collar?

A:  Well, it would depend on your behavior.

V:  (laughs) If I would be polite, maybe leash would be enough.

A:  Yes, I guess so.

V:  So, William is enjoying the course, sight reading every week, seven days a week I think, those exercises run.  Would you, Ausra, imagine yourself sight reading every day of the week, if you had time?

A:  Well yes, because I think this is a crucial skill to have for any musician.

V:  Yeah, I think for people who don’t have enough time to sight read, they are simply sacrificing their goals and dreams, putting aside their future in favor of their present tasks, or maybe urgent assignments.  But I think it’s important to work towards your future, make the future possible, right?  Because at the end of the day, you have fulfilled maybe your tasks, but haven’t advanced towards your goals.

A:  True, and often people wonder why they cannot learn music very fast, or as fast as they would wish to, and why they still keep struggling.  And I think one of the reasons is that we don’t sight read enough.

V:  Or don’t listen to music enough as well.  That also is very important.  Basically, music is like language.  You have to immerse yourself in this language.  It’s a musical language, and we have to imagine we’re learning like a foreign language.  Obviously, learning foreign language is easiest from an early age, right, Ausra?

A:  That’s right.  I think any skill is easier to learn at the early age, but I think it’s possible to learn later too.  But it takes more time, and it requires more effort.

V:  Will you be fluent in that language if you start late in life?

A:  Well I guess it’s sort of very individual to a person, from person to person.

V:  Let’s say a person starts later in life and spends hours every day sight reading and practicing, and listening to musical pieces.  At first, it’s a very difficult struggle, right?  Because this new language is completely foreign to them.  And it takes weeks, even months, before they start to feel any kind of enjoyment, right?  And even when people are listening to such training exercises, they’re not interesting at all to listen to.  Like one voice, right?

A:  That’s right.

V:  Especially if played in a slow tempo.  I can imagine that if played in a right tempo, if you can play The Art of Fugue soprano voice for example, in a concert tempo, that's a wonderful piece of music by itself.  It’s like one single instrument, solo instrument, a flute or a violin playing.  But you have to be fluent.

A:  That’s right.

V:  Otherwise it’s just for you, not for other people to enjoy.  But definitely there will come a time in your course where you will feel that something is tipping.  You will feel this tipping point where yesterday you didn’t notice improvement, and this morning you started to notice something differently.  Something more frequent, more fluently.  There was for me also.  It’s in any activity.  When I was busy doing exercises of pull-ups in my, in our garden last year, for example, at first I couldn’t do a lot of them.  Just a few.  Or maybe just to hang myself, hang and - not hang myself!

A:  I hope not!

V:  Simply, I would just hold onto the rings and hang in there, you know, for 30 seconds let’s say.  But then after weeks passed, I could do one, then two, then four pull-ups.  And then after I reached five pull-ups, I suddenly noticed I could do all those five pull-ups fast.  Like not one by one, but in a combination of two or even three - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - in one breath, basically.  So obviously this faster pull-up routine makes it easier to do all five of them, right?  But I couldn’t do that before.  It took me, I don’t know, maybe four months to reach that goal.  So obviously, people who practice sight reading from my course need to realize that they have to really keep going for a longer time in order to start feeling the results, like William has.  He started about 9 months ago, right?  But he didn’t quit after a few weeks, even if it was hard when 32nd notes appeared, or triplets against two eighth notes, those complicated rhythms, you see.

A:  Wonderful!  I guess William has the kind of character that each of us needs to develop - to be patient and to be consistent about what you are doing.

V:  Wonderful.  So guys, those of you who are practicing from this course, or sight reading on your own, please don’t quit just after a few days or weeks.  Just keep going.  And those of you who haven’t seen my course, check it out!  I will leave the link in the description of this conversation.  Thank you 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 592 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Amir, and he writes:

“Hi Vidas
Thanks for your email!

What I have now in my schedule is a daily time to practice sight reading. It does not take more than 15 minutes daily. At the same time I am redoing the exercises I have done 10 weeks ago. I find that looking at the same things again after 10 weeks of doing them, gives me more confidence that things are getting better.

Most important benefit is for me to be regular in the sense of the beat pulse, and I think this is not beneficial for sight reading only but for music interpretation in general. It is better to do an intended "rallentando" than to slow down because the passage is just difficult.

In addition these exercises are allowing me to predict to a certain extent my capabilities to keep a steady tempo in a piece of music. Looking at difficult passages and to have a certain estimation about how things can go, can help me to be steady.

Changing to unexpected notes and rhythms is always tricky. Hoping that I am getting better.

Amir”

V: So, Amir is in our Organ Sight-Reading Master Course, Ausra.

A: Excellent!

V: And it seems that he’s spending 15 minutes a day, every day, and seeing regular practice, and seeing also regular progress, and he is actually checking the progress by playing exercises from 10 weeks ago.

A: I think that he touched some very important points that I think could be beneficial to many of us.

V: Such as?

A: Such as that spending 15 minutes every day on something is very important. It’s more important to spend 15 minutes a day on a regular basis than to spend let’s say 3 hours once a week. I think such a case, if you spend some time every day regularly, you’ll see progress much faster.

V: I have another point to make about his rallentando, conscious rallentando and conscious change of tempo. If you have to slow down, you have to know that you are slowing down, and  if that piece of music changes, direction changes rhythms and pulse, you have to be quite conscious about it. Right?

A: Yes, definitely! Your technical difficulties cannot dictate the tempo of the piece. If you can play it fast but some difficult passages you have to slow down, it means this tempo is too fast for you, and you need to play the entire piece in a slower tempo.

V: To me, when I’m playing a rhythmically difficult piece, it helps me to play really really slowly at first. Do not speed up the passage before I can play it comfortably. Do you find it useful, too, Ausra?

A: Yes, although sometimes I lack either the time or the patience to do that, but I see what you are doing, and I think it’s very beneficial.

V: It takes time and patience, as you say, but you reap rewards! You see how the piece of music is getting better and better, maybe not daily, but probably weekly progress can be noticeable. Right?

A: True.

V: A lot of people don’t have the patience to do this, but one week is not that long, right? You can come back to a difficult passage after one week and play it through, and see that it’s not that difficult anymore.

A: That’s right. I think it’s always good to go back and to play, let’s say, the same thing that you played a week ago or two weeks ago, and you will see how much better you are.

V: And for your repertoire in general, I think it’s better to refresh it once in a while regularly. Keep it under your fingers and under your toes, because then you expand your repertoire, not just discarding it by learning new pieces every time, but you’re expanding your baggage of tricks.

A: Yes, as you said, to keep it under your toes, I didn’t know that you play with your toes! I thought that you played with your feet!

V: Oh, I have excellent toe technique! Five toe technique!

A: Could you play a trill with your one foot using different toes?

V: I can play two trills! Double trills!

A: That’s funny.

V: You know, I sometimes marvel at organists who play, or can play long recitals very frequently like maybe once a week or twice a week of difficult and different organ music every time, and I wonder what’s their secret. And the secret probably is refreshing their old material once in a while, frequently, while also learning something new!

A: Well, he keeps asking me, “How can we do this? How can we do this? Tell me how can we do this?” And I’m just saying that they are more talented and more hard working than you are, so that’s the secret.

V: Yeah, there is one Dutch organist whom I admire. Minne Veldman… I had to think about spelling of that name… but ok, Minne Veldman. And he plays like twice a week on YouTube, one hour long recitals, sometimes from his living room with Hauptwerk, sometimes from different churches. It's just superhuman to me. Don’t you think? And I asked him in a comment, “What is your secret? How are you able to play like three recitals per week?” because recently he posted three recitals. He actually answered, although he’s very well known and very popular, probably gets a lot of comments like this. But he answered, “Just keep playing and studying large repertoire.” This is true, right?

A: Yes, this is true!

V: Simple, yet effective.

A: You cannot expand your repertoire if you will sit on the couch all day long watching TV.

V: And talking about expanding repertoire.

A: And talking about playing.

V: Yeah. We all suffer from this, right? We see big names and try to emulate them and imitate them, but when it comes down to doing the work, there is no substitute.

A: True.

V: 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.

​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 590 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Hervey, and he writes:

“1.  My dream for organ playing:
     To be able to play with above average results for an audience.
 2.  The three most important things holding me back:
      a. Not good enough at reading notes.
      b. Have to memorize music before it can be played.
      c.  I consciously play every note instead of letting it flow freely from the mind.”

V: “Above average results…” What does that does it mean in your understand, Ausra?

A: Well, it depends on the person, because I, for example, think that I’m a little above average organist.

V: Not genius level?

A: No.

V: But for him, if let’s say he’s not good enough at reading notes, or can’t really play freely from his mind, his goals must be probably more basic, not too advanced. Right?

A: I guess so, and in this last section where he talks about that he consciously plays every note instead of letting it flow freely from the mind, I think it’s because he doesn’t feel comfortable at…

V: Reading notes…

A: ...reading notes.

V: So the challenge, number 1 for him, is to get better at reading music.

A: That’s right, and that’s, I think that the sight-reading course might be helpful for him if it’s not too difficult.

V: I think it’s too difficult for starters. Yeah, you have to be a little bit… like reach a basic level of reading notes, first, and then be comfortable with slowly playing through the first exercise—very slowly, like half speed, like 30 beats per minute. If you can do that, you can progress through the course, probably not week after week with every lesson like we deliver it to your email inbox, but at your own speed. If we have 7 exercises that week, it doesn’t have to take 7 days for you. For each person it’s different. Maybe two weeks you will take. Maybe a month you will take for this first week of material, and that’s okay! Right?

A: Yes, I think that’s okay. And what do you think would be a good collection for Hervey to sight-read. Do you have any suggestions?

V: I think we have a course a little bit more basic about sight-reading. Let me check—not the “Sight-Reading Master Course,” but something a little more foundational. Let’s see… “10 Day Hymn Playing Challenge,” for example. Hymns are little gems of four part organ music! They last between 1 and 2 minutes, and they all have four parts in this little workshop. And we have ten hymns in this course, and it’s very very basic. I’ll teach you the same, basically, techniques that you need to master any piece of music, working through single lines, then combinations of two parts, three parts, and finally four-part texture, but we don’t start with “The Art of Fugue” like in “Organ Sight-Reading Master Course.” Instead, we start with simple note-against-note texture with one voice. So soprano plays quarter notes. A lot of people can do that. Even beginners—almost beginners, I would say. What do you think, Ausra?

A: Yes, I think that’s a good suggestion. I think hymns are very handy for organists. Plus, because most of the hymns are familiar to us, so it makes things even easier.

V: And after that, of course, you can check, Hervey can check if he has advanced substantially in order to be able to practice through the first week of the “Sight-Reading Master Course.” Maybe the next step for him would be to play and master my other training--”Left-hand Training” and then later “Two-part Training.” These are pieces taken from Bach’s “Trio Sonatas.” Exercises first in single voice in “Left-hand Training” and then two-part texture in “Two-part Training,” but instead of playing in the original keys that Bach writes, I have transposed everything starting from, I believe, C Major, and then going through all the keys through the circle of fifths. That’s how you advance little-by-little. What about this idea, Ausra?

A: Sure, I think it’s a good idea to add extra accidentals with each try.

V: And maybe “Left-hand Training” would be enough before jumping to the “Organ Sight-Reading Master Course.” I think, yes, because “Sight-Reading Master Course” starts with a single voice. So with “Left-hand Training,” you master this a-little-bit-intricate rhythms in “Trio Sonatas,” not only with the left-hand, of course, you practice with your right hand, as well, and maybe with your pedals, as well, those pedal parts, slowly, of course. And then you can be kind of ready to start a 40 week journey with “Organ Sight-Reading Master Course.”

A: Sure, and another thing that I would like to add to what you just said is that in order to become a fluent reader of music, you need to do it on a regular basis. 

V: The minimum time, I think, is three times per week. Minimum.

A: That’s a bare minimum.

V: Bare minimum. Every other day, basically.

A: I think if you really want to see progress and won’t get frustrated, I think you would need to do it every day.

V: Every day, just a little bit.

A: At least a little bit of it.

V: 15 or 20 minutes, preferably more. If you can’t handle sitting on the organ bench for a longer time, take frequent breaks. Before you get tired, you stop playing, you take your walk, drink your glass of water, stretch, breathe, whatever is more comfortable for you. Then, after 5, 10, 15 minutes, you come back, and you feel refreshed. Right?

A: Yes, that’s right. But I think this regularity is very important.

V: Right. And don’t be frustrated if you don’t see results overnight. Right? It’s a life long journey. And be content with the privilege of sitting down on the organ bench. That’s all that matters. You are making progress, it’s just not apparent to the naked eye. You have to have a microscope, basically. But, if you check the piece that had been difficult to you at the beginning after one month of your studies, or three months, or half of a year, I can guarantee, if you follow our suggestions and tips and practice procedures, you will find that the first piece that was difficult to you, then after that period of studies will become much, much easier. So you will have advanced in organ playing, I think, quite far through that time.

A: Excellent observation.

V: Thank you! Thank you, Ausra, for helping me guide Hervey, and hopefully it was helpful to other people, too. 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 561 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Andrei.  And he writes,
 
Thank you very much!  My organ playing is improving and has improved drastically. I'm especially thankful for your sight reading course. It's great!
 
V:  I guess this is Andrei’s answer to my question of how is his organ playing going on these days.
 
A:  Yes, I think so too.
 
V:  Very glad that sight reading course is working for him.  Do you think people can learn, Ausra, from sight reading various voices and voice combinations of a collection of music, like The Art of Fugue of Johann Sebastian Bach, from which my organ sight reading master course is based on?
 
A:  Yeah, I think that’s a great course.  And I think that in general, sight reading is a very useful skill that any musician must have.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  Because it’s very beneficial, especially if you are working a church, you have to produce a new music for every Sunday, then I think it’s necessary that you would be a good sight reader.
 
V:  Let me ask you this, Ausra:  If you could choose, would you choose superb sight reading skills, or superb improvisational skills? 
 
A:  Hm.  That’s a tricky question.
 
V:  I know. 
 
A:  But let me say this.  I think that these two qualities that you named, they don’t contradict each other.
 
V:  They support each other
 
A:  I think they support each other.  Although, I guess that people who in general improvise more probably don’t like to play from the musical score so much.  I know that because of you, too, because at one point you almost gave up playing from the musical score.
 
V:  That was a few years ago.
 
A:  And I had to put quite an effort to lead you back to playing repertoire as well.
 
V:  Mm, there is some side effects in not playing from the score and only improvising, is that you will not gain knowledge of the music created before you, right?  And you will not apply that knowledge in your improvisation.  Basically, you will start, I don’t know,  producing music which is increasingly influenced by your own imagination - or limited by your own imagination.
 
A:  I would say that it’s limited - it’s more accurate term to name it.
 
V:  But there is another side to this.  Some people prefer to improvise without copying anyone, without being influenced by anyone.  And that’s what I mean.
 
A:  Well, you know, simply, what is my opinion, that’s, well, how original can you be?  Yes, you can be original to some degree.  Because still, you know, you are using ideas that you have heard somewhere.  But maybe you heard them in another organ.
 
V:  Maybe you heard them in your own key.
 
A:  That’s a possibility, but anyway, all music is made out of, what, 12 tones.
 
V:  Twelve pitches, you mean.
 
A:  Twelve pitches, yes. 
 
V:  Yeah, sometimes when I improvise, I catch myself playing the same intonations, the same melodic ideas, in a different order maybe, different texture, different form, or registration, the mode.  But they’re all mine, you know, part of my language.  And I guess that’s normal and natural.  But…
 
A:  But for example, if you are improvising, let’s say in the Dorian mode, yes?  It’s still not a mode created by you.  You still borrow some ideas from all around of the musical world, don’t you think so?  It’s just  how well you arrange them, you know.
 
V:  Yeah, yes.  There is a saying that it’s best to borrow from the dead.  From the people who lived long before you.  Then it’s not stealing, and actually being influenced by those masters.  That’s why we play early music as well.  Not only to just enjoy it, but to see how it could be recreated in a new context, right?
 
A:  Yeah.  And if you would look at your musical history, you could see that each new style is sort of wants to deny the previous style, but wants to take over the ideas from another style.  Let’s say, let’s make this clearer.  For example, if we are talking about baroque, you know, after that the classical period came who denied baroque, sort of.  But we took ideas more from the Renaissance.  But when the romantic period came, we sort of denied the classic.  But we took ideas from the baroque time. 
 
V:  What do you mean, from the baroque time?  What kind of ideas?
 
A:  Well, I don’t mean that we copied the baroque ideas. 
 
V:  Uh huh.
 
A:  But let’s say J.S. Bach was almost forgotten during the classical period.  Nobody cares about his music so much, except maybe for Well Tempered Clavier.  But then when Mendelssohn found all his great choral music, all his cantatas and passions by J.S. Bach, and it gave him new license - I believe that Mendelssohn in his choral compositions also used some of Bach’s ideas. 
 
V:  Absolutely.
 
A:  So that’s what I mean.  But of course, nowadays, composers take ideas from all those previous periods. 
 
V:  Mm hm.  Even from Middle Ages.
 
A:  And it’s all very very eclectic.
 
V:  From Middle Ages, from exotic places, from cultures that are not western-oriented.  From various historical periods, of those places, you know,  study of music, let’s say, of Japan, but not of 20th century, but let’s say 17th century Japan, whatever they can find out about that, of course.  But if they can, they could, they would study the music of ancient Hindu rhythms and modes and apply it today.  Mix them with different other influences, like bird songs, or Gregorian chant, and you get, what?
 
A:  Messiaen.
 
V:  Olivier Messiaen.  It’s all very personal now.  Whatever you meet in your life, it could be your influence, correct?
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  For better or worse.
 
A:  Yes, you know my students, one of my students just last week, he asked me about academic music - composing academic music, and I asked him what kind of music that is.  Do you mean professional music?  He said, “Well, maybe…” Then he explained that he wants to become a composer, but he doesn’t want to compose ugly music.  And I asked him what he means, ugly music.  And he just said “be be be be - that’s it” -- that’s how he described ugly music.  And I realized that it’s probably something very atonal and not pretty for him.  So I asked, “What do you want to compose music for?”  And he said, “Well, I like some music composed for the movies.”  And I told him that he needs to find, to get online and to find out about places that sort of prepares you for writing such kind of music.
 
V:  Oh, you can get a master class now online, from Hans Zimmer, probably the most famous living composer of cinematic music.  Besides John Williams, of course.  And he teachers his own techniques online.
 
A:  Is it free?
 
V:  No, it’s not free.  It’s on a platform called MasterClass.com.
 
A:  Well, I don’t think he would be able to pay now.  He’s just a minor yet, so.
 
V:  Yeah.
 
A:  But I told him that there are places, let’s say in the United States where you could go and study composition that specializes in making music for the movies.  And they help you to understand how different effects are created. 
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:  Fear, love, drama.  All that kind of stuff.
 
V:  Horror. 
 
A:  Yes.
 
V:  Yes.  So, we started this conversation in a completely different mindset, talking about a sight reading course, and finished about movie music.  I guess the recurring heme is to get better and better every day, start practicing.  Like your student, if he wants to do something with cinematic music, he doesn’t want to wait.  Doesn’t need to wait to graduate and go to college.  Maybe he can start creating himself - not necessarily for movies, but for videos that he creates, composes, right.  For videos that he produces.  Or something else that is available to him, not necessarily getting permission from others, but taking initiative, and doing, taking the first step.  And Andrei, the same thing for you.  For sight reading and playing, and improving your organ playing, I believe this: whatever you do today, you will thank for this a month later.  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 537 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Harris, and he writes,
 
As a little boy growing up, I started having great love, passion and zeal for church classical music. But there was nobody who could guide me, teach me and mentor me on what music was all about.
 
I also had no access to any musical instruments at home.
I had to join the church choir at age 14, and pleaded with the choir leaders to teach me music, but nobody had that time and patience to teach me music.
 
All I was doing back then as a choir boy, was to internalize the kind of notes and sounds I hear from the organ/keyboard.
 
I was learning how to sing tonic solfa as I hear the keyboard/organ sounds, each time we are having choir practice and during church services.
 
I did this for several years and got myself into hearing music and playing what I hear.
As time goes, I got a small phone and started reading small books about the rudiments of music, how to understand lines and spaces on a sheet music.
 
I was able to understand a little about the STAFF and tried to sight read as I play, but I discovered I am too slow and it’s sort of confusing to me.
 
As a result of playing by hearing, I became the organist of my local church and other churches I have served as an organist,
 
I have performed with several chorale groups back home in Nigeria, played for several concerts, church services, bands and also indoors.
 
I do play Hymns and classical songs to accompany the choir.
 
I discovered I am not growing to the level I aspired to get to, so I have been seeking for means to travel out to abroad where they do music so well, so I can be able to learn as well, but it has not been easy.
 
I have tried to register in some Organist forums, seeking for employment as an organist even its a small local church choir where I could start up from and learn.
 
But I hardly get a positive response.
 
Please sir, I really would appreciate if I can get great help from you in any way, to help me build my Christian music life, for I don't want the music fire in me to die off.
 
V:  Well, first of all, seeking employment in some organist forums like he did, I don’t know if this is fruitful or not, in general.
 
A:  Well, I think it’s a very hard way to get some position, don’t you think so?
 
V:  Well, if I wrote something to an organist forum, and nobody knew about me, what is the chance that they would even reply to me?
 
A:  I think very, very, low possibility.
 
V:  Unless they are desperate, and nobody wants that position.
 
A:  Sure, but if nobody wants it, that means that probably you also wouldn’t want it.
 
V:  Yes.  There is a reason nobody wants it usually.  So, that’s not how to go about seeking employment.  Maybe learning to play the organ well is the first step.
 
A:  Yes, I think so.  Because in order to get a job, you need to show your employer what you can do.  And as I understood from Harris’ letter, that he is self-taught and that he still reads music very poorly.
 
V:  Mm hm.
 
A:   That it’s hard for him to read from the score.And I think that this is a crucial skill for any musician, especially church musician, because we have to provide new music each week for Sunday services.  So I think knowing the musical notation and being able to sight read things easily, I think it’s step number one.  Because if you only play most of what you are doing from your pitch, that’s not the best way to do it.  I know musicians who do that, but we always feel amateurs and not become professionals.
 
V:  You know, if we lived in Nigeria, for example, in a country where internet access is very expensive, and he wrote that he has a small phone from which he could get more information.  Small phone meaning it’s not, maybe not a smart phone.  It’s a regular, normal touch phone with a touch pad.  And with that kind of device, it’s a nightmare, right, for people to get more information. I’m even surprised he’s writing to me.  That he has enough motivation to go through those obstacles, you know?  Other people just probably give up and wait for better times to come to their country, and better internet access, cheaper internet access, where information is more accessible, right?  Think about how lucky we are living in a country where we can do all kinds of things online, and it’s not terribly expensive in terms of data, roaming.
 
A:  Yes, but you know, I’m thinking about being able to sightread music, I think you don’t need much of technology to do that.  You know, after you learn what the concrete notes are, you just need to acquire some sheets of music and just do it.
 
V:  I would probably go to the local library.  They usually have better internet access, even in Nigeria, probably.  In a public library, I mean.  And probably download some scores from IMSLP archives.  Digital music library.
 
A:  They are all free of charge.
 
V:  Public domain.
 
A:  Out of copyright, so you can use them freely.
 
V:  Yeah, download some kind of collection that he likes, and then practice diligently, right?  I’m not suggesting to Harris to sign up for any of our courses, because it’s obviously out of reach for him and not affordable, but he can really be self-taught organist, taking advantage of free material online, and without videos.  Videos are expensive to download and watch, stream.  And probably he would need just sheet music.  How about those Dupre Chorales - no, Dupre is not online - maybe Orgelbüchlein by Bach.
 
A:  That’s probably too difficult, don’t you think?
 
V:  Too difficult, four parts is too difficult.  But, if I had great motivation, I would practice just one single line for a month.  And then after a month, I would add the second part, and after two months, I would add the third part, and so on.
 
A:  But since he is a church musician, maybe practicing hymns would be a great idea.
 
V:  Yes, maybe get hold of the hymnal from church, or maybe borrow a hymnal.
 
A:  If he has hymnals.  I’m not sure.
 
V:  I’m not sure.  Probably could be maybe just words, could be, or even if it’s a melody, maybe just soprano melody in many hymnals.  I’m not sure what they are using in Nigeria.  But there are many many sources of hymns online.  He could simply download them and print it out from the library.
 
A:  I think it would be easier for starters than Orgelbüchlein.
 
V:  Like download 100 hymns, and start doing the same thing, like it was a small, but normal, musical composition.  And learn each of those 100 hymns in separate parts.  100 hymns soprano part, then 100 hymns alto part, tenor part separately, bass part.  And then do 2-part combinations after some months.  3-part combinations.  All of them.  And inevitably, he will start to sight read 4-part texture sooner or later.
 
A:  That’s right.
 
V:  That’s called, you bootstrap yourself, even if a poor country, even where everything is inaccessible but the publicly available materials.  And then he could go into church and say, “Hey guys, I know how to play hymns.  I can lead the service.”  And he could play some examples, and people might be impressed and offer him a position.  Maybe a smaller paying position at first, but that could be a start, right,  which would lead to further opportunities.
 
A:  That’s right.
 
V:  In country where everything else is not accessible right now.  Thanks guys, for listening.  We hope you will take our tips and apply in your practice.  And let us know how it works.  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 506 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.  This question was sent by Brendan.  And he donated us £10 and we were so surprised when we received his Paypal donation.  And I wrote a thank you message to him, and then asked him about his organ playing, too.  So he writes,
 
Hi Vidas,
Just thought I'd be able to buy you a coffee! You guys put in so much work! My playing is improving - which is good news - but slowly. While I was working regularly, it was hard to practice as I worked away from home. Now that I'm approaching retirement I've space to practice daily.  I'm going back through your sight reading material - which is very useful.  I've even been able to cover in church services while our regular organist took a couple of short breaks. Might not seem much - but a huge milestone for me!  Enjoy the coffee.
Best wishes to you both.  ~Brendan
 
A: Very nice.  We are very grateful.  So now, we can go and get some coffee.
 
V:  And then work in the garden.
 
A: True. 
 
V:  Wonderful.  You know what fascinated me the most, that he was able to substitute regular church organist for a couple of times.
 
A:  It means he is doing progress!
 
V:  Yes.  It means that he is not panicking when mistakes occur, he can keep going.  Not to freeze, doesn’t freeze.
 
A:  And it’s nice, because if you can substitute for somebody it means that in time you can take a regular position as a church organist.
 
V:  Yeah, for example part time position.  Even when you are retired.  I know many people do that, and it’s a good supplement. 
 
A:  True.  It goes both ways.  You can learn some, you can earn some additional income which is always nice, and you can also have some things to do, which slows down you getting old.
 
V:  Yeah, you postpone your aging process by having more interest in the world, and more specifically, in organ music.  And this external motivation when you have to show up on the organ bench at church every week or even less often gives you boost in productivity and practice efficiency, because you know many people depend on you.
 
A:  Plus, being able to play organ shows that you are also keeping some sort of physical health, because you cannot be completely cripple and still play organ.  You still need to sit down on the organ bench, and play pedal, and use both your hands and feet together.
 
V:  Yeah, it’s a total body and mind coordination.  Good.  Do you think, Ausra, it’s a challenge at this age, when he’s approaching retirement, to do this?  Because, when he had to work, and he didn’t have time to practice, it was one thing, but now when he has more time to practice, maybe he has even other interests, maybe his other hobbies might take more time than organ playing.
 
A:  That’s true.  But usually it’s the case that the more you do, the more you can do, and when you do just very few things then you might stop doing anything at all.  Because usually busy people do enormous amounts of various things.  Don’t you think so?
 
V:  Yeah, but they lack sleep.
 
A:  I know.  But sometimes, when you are thinking, “Oh, I have a free day - I will do this and this and this and that” and finally the day comes, and you do nothing.  Have you experienced it?
 
V:  Not recently, because I’m always running around like a squirrel with all those activities that I have to do.  For some people, my activities might seem very unworthy of attention, right?
 
A:  That’s what I thought when you said it.
 
V: (laughs) And that’s why I replied before you commented.  I know how you think.
 
A:  I know, yes!
 
V:  We know each other too well.
 
A:  That’s right.
 
V:  So anyway, thank you so much, Brendan, for sending us some coffee money, and we really appreciate your support.  You’re very generous.  And to other people who are supporting us, we really are very grateful  Please send us more of your questions.  We love helping you grow.  And remember, when you practice,
 
A:  Miracles happen.

Before we go to the podcast episode for today, I'd like to remind our listeners that less than 24 hours are left to participate in our Secrets of Organ Playing Contest Week 7. The details are here. Don't have a Steem account? No problem, just let me know your desired username and I will create one for you very quickly.

Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.

Ausra: And Ausra.
 
V: Let’s start episode 401, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Jack. And he writes:
 
Dear Vidas,
Today I received "Week 3 of Menuet, Polonaise and March Training".
And last week I received "Week 2"
But I never received "week 1", so would you send me that? (Frankly, I can't remember ordering this particular course but I welcome it: I am so much enjoying organ playing again thanks to your instructions that I play for hours a day now, really making some progress!)

Thank you very much,
Jack

V: Of course, I send the missing week one, to Jack from Menuet, Polonaise and March Training. I guess this week one is not sent separately. But it’s a part of the registration process. As soon as a person confirms his or her email, a new welcome email is being sent to them, and week one material is presented right away, so maybe it got lost somewhere. And because Jack writes that he can’t remember ordering particular course, I checked and he is our Total Organist student so maybe this is part of his Total Organist training too.
 
A: I guess so, yes, because he’s a Total Organist student.
 
V: I want to focus now our discussion on his final words: “I am enjoying so much organ playing again thanks to your instructions that I play for hours a day now, really making some progress!” Do you think that our instruction and advice is helpful and motivating for some people that much that they can sit down on the organ bench and play for hours a day?
 
A: It seems like it is. It’s sort of when organ really catches you, there is no way to get out.
 
V: It’s like a bug.
 
A: Yes, like that. The deeper you go in, the more you enjoy it and you miss it.
 
V: It becomes part of your life.
 
A: That’s true.
 
V: The way of life you tend to think about the organ during the day, not only when you play it. So then you try to arrange your daily activities around your organ practice too, so that sometimes it might become more integral part of the day, and you try not to miss the days that you practice too.
 
A: True. Because it’s real privilege to be able to play such a marvelous instrument as organ, and to such [a] great compositions, of let say, J.S. Bach, and others.
 
V: And I guess our conversations here as a podcast, also serves this purpose, right? Because we answer questions from people from around the world, and people who listen or read the transcriptions of our conversations can feel connected to the people who ask those questions, sometimes, right? It’s also part of the community. Not only Total Organist community which is smaller, but in larger sense, we have thousands of people who are in our Secrets of Organ playing community. It’s just too bad that they don’t have a reliable way to communicate with each other, as Total Organist people have. Because they sometimes want to discuss or get a score that somebody from the community played, but they then send an email to me, and ask me to ask another person—I’m like a middle man, and I don’t want to be that middle man, right? Because it’s not efficient sometimes because it takes time for me to ask this question and then a person to respond to me and I respond to the original question. It might get even a few days after, before the answer is being sent, right? So, what I created is this Telegram Group for Secrets of Organ playing community. And people who are interested in, can join into the discussions, and chat and connecting to each other. That’s part of the community service too.
 
A: Yes, technology can really make life easier...
 
V: Mmm-hmm.
 
A: To some degree.
 
V: Right. It will not replace email I think and still people will get our podcast conversations through email but it’s just as, it’s another channel to contact each other, people from the community. Right?
 
A: True.
 
V: Right. So, we wish Jack and others who are thinking about sitting on the organ bench for several hours a day, success, but also some patience, because sometimes you get immersed in organ music so much that you forget to breathe, forget to walk, forget to take, to have a drink, or take a pause, right?, to forget to eat. Did I say that before, already?
 
A: Somehow I cannot imagine that you would forget to eat.
 
V: Right. You cannot play with an empty stomach.
 
A: True.
 
V: Not you, I mean, I.
 
A: I know. I know that.
 
V: Can you play with empty stomach?
 
A: Yes, I can.
 
V: You’re different. I’m not saying you are better, you [are] just different.
 
A: I’m not saying I’m better, either.
 
V: Good. Let’s be different then, because our listeners are different too. I appeal to one group of people who like to eat and play, and you appeal to other group of people who like to play without eating.
 
A: Well, I eat but I rather do my work first and then eat.
 
V: But sometimes I also forget to eat, especially when I’m immersed in online activities. When I for example, write a blog post, I sometimes skip lunch too. So maybe I’m changing too. Okay guys, we hope this was useful to you. We really enjoy your wonderful questions and developing this community further. And I guess our newer initiative that started in January, Secrets of Organ Playing Contest, is also part of that, right? Because, Ausra, let’s face it—when you play the organ without any external pat on your back, is one thing, but when you get mentioned and honored in front of everybody for winning the contest, that’s another thing, I guess. We already have two entries for our next weeks contest, and I will see those girls in our Unda Maris Studio on Monday, and I’ll ask them, what was their experience. I’m really curious to know because they seem to be progressing in organ playing much faster now.
 
A: True. Because they have new goals every week.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. So guys, if you want to join Secrets of Organ Playing Contest too, but don’t have account on the Steem Blockchain, just send my your desired username. It could be a combination of letters and numbers. And I will create it for you very easily and send the generated password to you, which you have to keep safe because it is the only way to recover your account. So, and then, we, Ausra and I, will be very curious to know what you come up with in your organ playing entries. We really want to see you succeed in organ playing. And contest like this is part of the plan. Thanks guys. 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 313, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. We had a discussion in our communication channel on Basecamp recently. And Jay wrote that ‘he’s feeling a bit frustrated with seemingly little progress’. And then he wrote some details:

“For one thing, I have a similar problem that Dianne posted about slow practice. I'm trying slow down things that are more difficult and go through many repetitions.  Maybe I'm not going through enough repetitions.

And, I know we shouldn't compare ourselves with others–it's easy to do though. I see others posting about getting perfect on things that I can't even play.  

I am enjoying practice though. I just would really like to improve faster.  And like someone else who is 71 recently said, that at this age, it just takes longer to get things.  Perhaps that's where part of the frustration is”.

V: Diane answered:
 
“I agree with everything you said. I tend to compare myself now to when I was younger, and I get frustrated that I can't play things perfectly the first time through the way I used to! It's bad enough to compare myself with others without also comparing myself with a younger version of me”.

V: Mmmh. That’s a lot to take in, Ausra, right?
 
A: Yes. It is.
 
V: Well, first of all, let me say this: I’m so delighted that people are doing those discussions, having those discussions in our Basecamp channel for Total Organist students. You see, if people just study on their own, practicing from our practice course with fingering and pedaling, or studying from our courses, video or audio, that’s one thing, and that’s wonderful, right? This gives results. But not nearly as much results, or as better results, as if, when they share their feedback with others in the same circle. Maybe they’re studying the same things. Maybe they’re going through the same problems. Like for example, Diane and Jay are talking about slow practice and repeating many times the same episode. This is really helpful, Ausra, don’t you think?
 
A: Yes, I think it’s very helpful to be able to communicate with each other. Because, let’s say, when I teach at school, let’s say I teach harmony, and for example we are having new theme that day, new subject to discuss. And I explain, I give examples, I play some examples, and then I give some time and I can still see that somebody can’t understand what I explained. And then somebody from the classroom tried to explain for her or his friend, what I just told them. And sometimes it works better.
 
V: Because they can do this in their own words.
 
A: True. True. Because they are going through the same problems. And sometimes when you are advanced in something, you might not see the problem from the bottom actually.
 
V: You don’t have beginners mind.
 
A: True. True. And sometimes you try to imagine that you have beginners mind but it’s not always possible.
 
V: Plus you can imagine beginners mind, but you don’t remember how it was for you when you were little.
 
A: True. True. And I think the same is with practicing organ.
 
V: You might remember because you have better brain, but I don’t remember.
 
A: You mean, better memory.
 
V: Memory, brain, yeah, sure.
 
A: Not better brain. Actually my brain is much damaged, so...
 
V: But I mean, yes, memory, yeah, memory. Because I don’t remember many things what I did at school.
 
A: Well, but that’s not a brain thing; that’s a memory thing.
 
V: I see. So, yes. Being in the same circle of friends who are studying right now, currently, similar things and going through the same problems is extremely helpful. So guys, if you are in our Total Organist community but are not active in Basecamp, consider at least following discussions. Maybe you don’t want to engage. I can totally feel that. I can totally relate to that because some people are introverts and better keep their problems to themselves. And others are more easy going and share everything with others. So at least be observer, and that will be helpful too.
 
A: Yes. I think everybody could benefit in something by reading these things.
 
V: If you, Ausra, were a student of some study group, would you prefer posting your feedback, or not?
 
A: Maybe I wouldn’t post my feedback, but I would be glad to read others feedback.
 
V: Because then you would be more motivated to go and practice that thing, obviously.
 
A: Sure.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. That’s absolutely true. This is instant feedback. Sometimes people get notifications on the phone and if you write your struggles in the chatroom, then somebody will answer you right away, in a few minutes, perhaps, if the time zones are aligned. Because of course our community is global. When one is writing, another might be sleeping and vice-versa.
 
A: True.
 
V: But you could do this on your computer. Not necessarily on the phone. And if you are frustrated with too many notifications, you can actually go ahead and update your settings, adjust your settings so that you won’t get notified unless you want to. Unless you go in and check yourself. That’s good too, because our community now is more than eighty students so there is always some kind of notification going on and some kind of feedback. And sometimes it’s tiring too.
 
A: Yes, it is.
 
V: Okay, guys. What else we could suggest you with trying to be okay with slow progress. I think people get frustrated with their slow practice because they want to see a shortcut. Don’t you agree, Ausra?
 
A: That’s right.
 
V: Do you like shortcuts?
 
A: Yes, of course I like them but usually we don’t mean anything good. We don’t give anything good. We don’t do good. Because usually after taking a shortcut you still have to back and then that way becomes even longer.
 
V: There is no magic pill. If you eat that pill and suddenly you can play anything in the world, on the organ. There is no such invention yet. Do you think scientist will discover that later?
 
A: I think in the future.
 
V: Mmm-hmm. You know what will happen? I think if they can manipulate the brain a little bit, or let’s say, take a virtuoso, right, a scan of their bran, and their brain activities, and put it into a server someplace in the cloud. And then, if they could connect that server to another brain of beginner organist, like a microchip or something, like, plug in and upload that information or data to beginner’s mind. Then suddenly, like in science fiction movie, the person would have fantastic skills and superhero ability.
 
A: That sounds scary. I hope this will never come true.
 
V: Superman playing pedals. Nice! 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 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.