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 682 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Martin, and he writes Dear Vidas, I really enjoy receiving your emails and watching your Youtube channel. From early childhood, I always admired organ music and organists. In church, I would always go up to watch how the organ was played. I grew up in Bratislava, Slovakia, and listening to the organ in the big Lutheran church was quite an experience (4 manual, 62 stops). It was always my dream to play it. Alas, my life took a different path and I now live in Canada. Last year, being stuck at home due to the COVID pandemic, I discovered the Hauptwerk virtual pipe organ. I built myself a 3-manual console + 25 pedal and started to learn. Your Youtube channel and those of other expert organists are an enormous help and inspiration, and I try to follow your tutorial steps as much as possible. One thing I might like your advice on is the following: since organ playing is my hobby, I can only devote maybe an hour a day to practice (sometimes even less). What would be the best way to use this time? Practice a little bit of everything every day (scales + compositions)? Or do scales (mainly pedals) one day, and composition(s) another? Many thanks and best wishes Martin V: That’s a nice question, right, Ausra? A: Yes, and very nice letter from Martin. I listened as you read through his message and thought, Lucky, lucky, lucky man. He escaped from Europe to Canada. Because right now, Canada for me is like a dream country. V: Why is that? A: Well, because actually of that war in Ukraine. I’m afraid that soon there won’t be half of Europe left. V: Mm hm. Europe is very very small compared to… A: Yes, and now we heard that people, tourists - foreign tourists actually are canceling their summer reservations. They had to come for example to get vacation on our coast. V: Yes. A: So we, I’m really worried that we soon might end up as Ukraine. V: Yes. There is a peninsula called Curonian Spit. It’s a beautiful resort place with sand dunes and Baltic Sea on one shore and - what is this sea, not sea water called… A: Kuršių marios in Lithuanian, but I don’t know… V: Marios, marios, wait a second. Kuršių marios, let me look it up. Kuršių marios, marios English, English… Curonian Lagoon? A: Yes, that would be lagoon probably. V: Curonian Lagoon, yeah, lagoon. That’s a wonderful place for summer attractions and vacations. A: Yes, but now people are canceling their plans to come to Lithuania because they are afraid of, that the war will start in the Baltics, too. And since this wonderful resort has a border with Kaliningrad, which is basically crammed with the Russian army, nobody wants to come here anymore. V: Yeah, and Canada seems far, far away, right? A: Yes, although if Russians would warn, they could attack Canada too, from the north. Through Siberia. V: Mm hm. A: Well, anyway - so now let’s talk about Martin’s question, how it would be best for him to practice on a daily basis, since he has only one hour a day to spare for organ practice. V: But three manuals and pedals at home. A: That’s wonderful. V: That’s all that is needed. We also have three manuals and pedals. More than 25 pedals, 30 pedals, but 25 pedals is quite enough to start with. A: Yeah, sure. But you know, in terms of practicing one day only scales, I wouldn’t do that if I would be him. Unless he loves practicing scales and exercises, which is good. But if he does not, I would spend maybe 10 minutes per day practicing on the scales and other technicalities, and then I would practice the repertoire. V: If he likes scales and pedal exercises on the pedals, he could check out my Pedal Virtuoso Master Course. That’s a long course, several months, but will teach you everything about pedal technique, and he will develop pedal flexibility. If you like exercises. If you don’t, that would be too artificial for you. A: Yes, and then about practicing the repertoire, of course you don’t have to play and practice many pieces at one time. Because let’s say if you will pick up three pieces and you will practice them every day, if they are short pieces then it’s okay. But if you are working on longer pieces, then probably it’s best if you would work at two pieces at one time, not more. Because if you will just play them through, you will not progress very quickly. Because in order to see the progress and to learn the text easier, we need to repeat what you have just played a few times. V: Half an hour for one piece? A: Probably yes. V: At least 20 minutes probably. A: Yes. V: Or 25 minutes. You will see for yourself what is the average time that you can spend for one piece. But as Ausra says, repeating a few times the same fragment would be more beneficial than just sight reading it once, right? A: Yes, that would be my suggestion. V: In one hour a day, you can do many things over time, you know - not in one sitting, but in several months. A: Yes, the most important thing is that you would spend the same or approximately the same amount of time every day, that you wouldn’t skip your practice. Of course if you will just take one day, for example, Sunday out, it still works, but if you will just practice every other day it won’t be good. You won’t see progress as good as it could get if you woul practice every day for an hour. V: Talk about practice and progress, I find that practicing alone is quite lonely and sometimes boring. People end up quitting a lot of times, don’t you think? A: Well, not for me. I guess it depends on the character. V: Why haven’t you quit organ playing, Ausra? A: Well why should I quit it? I love it. I love the organ. I love organ repertoire. Actually, I feel privileged that I can practice, because I know many people might want to practice but they can’t. So why should I give up this opportunity and this privilege of practicing? I can still move my legs and my hands, so why don’t do that? V: I was going for another answer, but sort of around - would you still be practicing, Ausra, if you hadn't let’s say, planned our future recitals, or let’s say if you didn’t have YouTube channel? A: Yes, of course I would still practice. Maybe not as much, but... V: Not as much. External motivation helps, don’t you think? A: Yes, it helps. It pushes you to move forward. But it’s not the main thing. The process gives me pleasure, being in the music, making music. V: I see. Maybe Martin is like you, too? Or like me? A: I don’t know. V: For me, external motivation is also important. When people write comments and I share my music and they play my music, then it is very rewarding experience. A: Yes, you like to show off much more than I do. But anyway. V: There are various situations for people, and you can choose whatever you like. Ausra is different from me in that she is more introverted than me, right? A: Yes. V: But she’s sharing her music as well, sort of out of necessity, right? A: (laughs) V: Out of necessity from living with an extrovert. A: Yes, you are pushing me to exhibit so I have no choice. V: Am I pushing you too much, or not? A: Sometimes. V: Tell me on, for the record. A: Well actually, now I am thinking about death much more often than I usually did before all this horrible situation in Ukraine, and actually now I’m glad that I recorded some things and I wrote some things, because death might be standing right next to me, next to us. Who knows how long we are going to live? And it’s nice to leave something after. V: I agree. Agree. And sometimes music changes people, changes people’s lives. Right there! Martin writes the first sentence, “I really enjoy receiving your emails and watching your YouTube channel.” Probably my music in some way touched him. So imagine I wasn’t sharing, right? A: Mm, yes. V: Just practicing or just playing recitals and never recording, right? That would be probably a pity. A: And what I liked about Martin’s letter, that he got his inspiration, his love, his curiosity for the organ music from his childhood when he lived back in Bratislava. I think it’s so important for children to get experience, early experience with an organ. V: Yes. I hope he can go to some church in Canada as well, and look up some nice instruments there, too. A: Sure. V: But now when he has Hauptwerk at his home, then he can play many many different sample sets which sound quite similar to real pipe organs. Not the same, but rather similar. And at home to have this kind of set up is a very very big privilege, I would say. A: Yes, I think it helped us through pandemics and through other hard times, you know. V: Okay guys. Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. V: This podcast is supported by Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online. A: It has hundreds of courses, coaching and practice materials for every area of organ playing, thousands of instructional videos and PDF's. You will NOT find more value anywhere else online... V: Total Organist helps you to master any piece, perfect your technique, develop your sight-reading skills, and improvise or compose your own music and much much more… A: Sign up and begin your training today at organduo.lt and click on Total Organist. And of course, you will get the 1st month free too. You can cancel anytime. V: If you like our organ music, you can also support us on 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! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist. Vidas: Let’s start episode 679 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Rolf, and he writes: “Hi Vidas Very good wishes for you both! I want to tell you that I am studying this wonderful Praeludium in C from JS Bach, using your tips. Especially the tip cutting the piece in 4 bars and not making any mistake by playing slower, it’s working! In fact it goes faster and it’s giving me a lot of pleasure, thank you very much!! I will support your beautiful work of course. Greetings from Groningen Rolf” Vidas: Do you remember our fan Rolf? Ausra: Yes! I think he is a subscriber of my YouTube channel, and he comments on my videos. Vidas: Yes. A regular commenter, and we appreciate his engagement very much, and he is supporting us through “Buy Me a Coffee,” too. Ausra: Very nice indeed. Vidas: Wonderful! So let’s congratulate him a little bit more! Ausra: Yes, I think it’s wonderful that he found your suggestion useful, how to work on the larger pieces, how to divide them in the smaller segments and that way to learn faster. Vidas: Do you like playing a piece in four-measure segments, or not? Ausra: Yes, I do! Because usually this is how most of the compositions divide. Vidas: In four-measure segments. Ausra: Yes. With some exceptions, of course, but generally that is the case. Vidas: True! If every piece would be possible to dissect into four-measure fragments, that would be very boring. But, inside of any piece, you could find four-measure fragments easily, I think. Ausra: Yes, true! Vidas: So in other words, composers use more ingenuity than just 4-4-4-4-4, but the four-measure fragment is a building block of any piece from any period, basically. That’s what I wanted to say. Ausra: Yes, that’s right! Vidas: Agree? Ausra: Yes, I agree. Vidas: Right now, I am actually working also on some pieces for Easter, based on Easter Hymn, and I am creating a recurring motif between chorale phrases. We call it “ritornello” and yes, it is divided into four phrases of four measures each, this general ritornello, but of course, I have to use a little bit more creativity to make it more interesting and not to repeat everything note by note throughout the piece. Ausra: That’s right! Of course you cannot repeat exactly the same things. Vidas: Yes, but those measures that aren’t divided into four-measure phrases, you could really dissect and learn them that way. Ausra: Yes! Actually, the only one thing that I’m thinking might be hard after learning a piece by four bars is how to put everything together afterwards, and how to connect those four-bar-long segments into one big structure. Vidas: Yeah. In observing other people’s playing sometimes, I can see that they’re working in smaller fragments like this, but then when it comes to make the piece flow, they’re struggling. Why do you think they are doing this? Ausra: Well, I think the main thing to keep in mind if you are practicing in four-measure segments, you need not to stop at the end of the last note of the fourth bar, but on the strong beat of the fifth bar. Vidas: In other words, not to end the fragment on the last note of the fragment, but to end the fragment on the first note of the next fragment. Yes? Ausra: Yes, that’s what I mean. That might help you to put the piece easier together and it will be played smoother. Vidas: And then gradually you would expand those fragments, practicing not four measures at a time but eight, or even sixteen, or… I mean, not necessarily mathematically like this, but maybe one line, two lines, one page, two pages… like this. Ausra: Yes, true. Vidas: Make it longer. Most people don’t practice small fragments, so they’re not making that kind of progress like Rolf is doing. Ausra: Well, yes, because most people just play every time from the beginning, every piece, and I think that’s a big mistake, because that way the beginning will always be easier for you than the end of the piece or the middle of the piece, because I notice that it’s very often the case with the Lutheran Chorales with that Gesang structure when you have A section, then A section repeated, then you have the B section which is a little bit longer than the A section and usually more difficult. And I notice because that A section is always repeated, you know it so well, but you struggle with the B section. So what I do, if I’m not learning in the segments of four measures, I play that A section once, and then I play the B section also once. And if I repeat the A section, I repeat the B section although it’s not written in the score. Vidas: So that you would be able to repeat both halves an equal amount of times. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: That’s good! That’s good! Ausra: Again, if you have the piece which is written in ABA form, then of course I do the same with the middle section. It needs more work then. Vidas: And this ternary structure is very common, too! Ausra: Sure! Of course. It’s probably more common in general music, I think, we as organists deal more with the binary structure, but I think in general the classical musician deals more with the ternary form. Vidas: True. Alright, 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! V: Hi guys! This is Vidas. A: And Ausra. Vidas: Let’s start episode 673 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Louise, and she answers my questions of what is her dream in organ playing, and what is holding her back from achieving that dream. So she writes: “1) My dream is to be able to play well enough that people would enjoy and be blessed by my playing. 2) What is holding me back? A) my age. I am almost 72 yrs old and have not played for nearly 30 yrs; B) I do not have weekly lessons; only when my teacher has time. He is a college professor. I cannot afford tuition. C) brain fog due to a serious illness 6 yrs ago and COVID last year. On the positive side: the Lord provided an organ for me to have at home. 2 manuals; full pedalboard; FREE!! I was a piano major in college and taught piano for 28 years; I love to practice. Thank you so much for your online lessons. I have printed them out so I can better focus on correct practice habits.” Vidas: Wonderful Ausra, right, this feedback! Ausra: Yes! Really wonderful to read it. Vidas: 72 years old, Louise strives to become better at organ playing so that people would enjoy it, and even has an organ at home! Ausra: That’s wonderful! For me, it looks like she has all the… Vidas: ...Tools Ausra: ...Tools, yes, to achieve it. Vidas: Even a college professor. Ausra: Well, and since she cannot take the organ lessons regularly while having an instrument at home and being a piano teacher for herself for 28 years, it means she has a good strong background in music in general! I think she can learn many things by herself. Vidas: Correct! She didn’t write what kind of music she would like to learn, though. What is your guess? Ausra: Well, I guess that music that would fit the church, probably. That’s my guess. Vidas: Yeah, it depends what she has in mind writing that her dream is to be able to play well enough that people would enjoy it. Ausra: Well, and you know… Vidas: And who might these people be? Ausra: Yes, I thought about people in church in her congregation, but maybe I’m wrong. But in general, I think that the main goal for any musician is to please him- or herself first. I think that’s the most important thing, that whatever you are playing that you would enjoy what you are doing and what you are playing, that you would enjoy the process of learning and the result of it, and if you will be happy with your playing, I’m sure the audience will be happy, too. Vidas: What is brain fog? She has a brain fog. Do you know? Ausra: I’m not a doctor. Don’t ask me. But I’ve heard this term. Vidas: ….brain fog meaning… Ausra: It’s often people get it after a stroke… Vidas: “Brain fog isn’t a medical condition, but it’s a term used for certain symptoms that can affect your ability to think. You may feel confused, right… oh… that makes sense… confused, hard to focus Ausra: Dizzy probably. Vidas: Mhmm. Okay, that can be improved, actually, with practice. Right? I’m sure with time it slowly gets better. Right? If you sit at the organ bench, every time you start to focus, and that focus at first is not as strong, but as time passes, naturally, your brain muscles will adapt. Ausra: That’s right. The most important thing is that you will do it on a regular basis, like every day. Even spend a short period of time, but every day. Vidas: Yeah, even 15 minutes a day over the course of a year or more will make a huge difference, actually. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: And even if you can take a break after those 15 minutes for a few minutes or 5 or even 15 minutes, then come back to the organ bench and practice for 15 more minutes, that’s twice as beneficial. Ausra: That’s right. Vidas: With very little effort. Excellent. So I hope this is useful to Louise. What else can we add? Of course, she doesn’t have regular weekly lessons, so what we could recommend is, of course, joining our Total Organist community. We have a good group of people who are striving to quadruple their organ playing results, and we have those daily questions about what did people work on today, and some of them answering that can probably testify that this fact alone forces them to think about their progress and to actually not escape the practice on a regular basis. What do you think, Ausra? Ausra: Yes, true! Plus many people struggle with the same things you are struggling with, so it’s good to know that you are not alone. Vidas: I think people enjoy reading, most of the people would rather read than write, so when you, me, and some other people write, they kind of participate in this discussion just by observing. And that’s a good thing, too. Ausra: True. Vidas: They’re not feeling left alone in the corner. Ausra: That’s right. Plus as I said, because Louise had professional training in piano and taught, herself, for 28 years, I guess she really can do a lot by herself, just by having a guidance for programs as the Total Organist. Vidas: Yes! Today, with the technology, we can connect with people from around the globe much easier, and even though people cannot have physical access to teachers, let’s say, then they can take advantage of online learning, and that goes also true for physical instruments at church. If a person doesn’t have pipe organ access at home, just getting a second-hand midi keyboard and connecting it to the computer is an excellent start while having a decent virtual organ sound at home. Ausra: Yes, that’s a solution, too. Vidas: Wonderful. So thank you so much for your question, Louise, and we hope this was useful to you and others who are in a similar position. Please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. This was Vidas, Ausra: And Ausra! Vidas: 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 In this video, I'm slowly practicing Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Op. 122 No. 10 by Johannes Brahms at Vilnius University St John's church.
In this video I'm practicing Adagio by Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni using Velesovo sample set by Sonus Paradisi and Hauptwerk VPO software. Hope you will enjoy it!
Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/adagios-for-organ-sheet-music/16572019?aff_id=454957 I'm playing this piece using Caen sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organis... Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt  I'm playing this piece using Caen sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me sample set: https://www.paypal.me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organis... Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt  I'm playing this piece using Caen sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organis... Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt  I'm playing these pieces using Rotterdam's Sint Laurenskerk (the main organ) sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organis... Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt  I have played this piece using Rotterdam Sint Laurenskerk (the main organ) sample set by Sonus Paradisi of Hauptwerk VPO. Score: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/... If you like my music making, you can support me on Patreon and get free organ CD's at https://patreon.com/secretsoforganpla... Buy me coffee: https://www.paypal.me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organis... Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt  |
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. 
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