Recently I went to an organ recital where the organist had a special dress which was quite provoking - it took away the eyes and the minds of the listeners from her playing and made them focus on her appearance. Her playing wasn't good either, so maybe the dress served as a trick to shift people's attention from her performance somewhere else? Who knows. I'm not sure that she did it on purpose, though. Sure, we all know of lady organists who change dress twice during a recital but usually they are exceptionally remarkable performers as well (and to be fair, men organists might also have the most bizarre outfits sometimes. It includes haircuts too). So it seems to me that the extravagant appearance has to be earned. It has to be earned by hard work and relentless dedication to the craft. Until then, try to stand out with your work, not with your looks. Of course, feel free to program your recital to be remarkable. This is an entirely different story. When the work you do cannot be mistaken with somebody else you become your own category and you will not fear any competition. But your look is not a shortcut to trust (unless your outfit serves the purpose). Ausra's Harmony Exercise: Modulation from Eb Major to F Minor: I-V43-I=IV/IV-iv6-ii43+-i64-V-V7-i-iv64-i |
Would you like to say "Thank You" to us? Buy Us Coffee.
Authors
Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. ![]() Do you have a unique skill or knowledge related to the organ art? Pitch us your story to become a guest on Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast.
Don't have an organ at home? Download paper manuals and pedals, print them out, cut the white spaces, tape the sheets together and you'll be ready to practice anywhere where is a desk and floor. Make sure you have a higher chair. Archives
February 2019
|