2014: My Year Review

At the end of the year, it's good to look back and see what we have accomplished. Here are the highlights of what I was able to do this year in the organ world:

Blog Posts: 365

Recitals (at Vilnius University Saint John's church unless indicated otherwise):
Life-Painting (improvisations on the paintings of my dad) (January, 18)
Seven Centuries of Organ Music, Part 16 - Music by Francois Couperin (February 22)
J.S. Bach - 329 (March 22)
Joyful Day For Us Has Dawned - improvisations on Easter hymns (April 26)
Franz Tunder - 400 (June 21)
Improvised Organ Chorale Fantasia "An Wasserflussen Babylon" (July 19)
Improvised Organ Meditations at Chapel of the Oncology Center in Klaipeda (August 17)
Lithuanian Organ Music (August 23)
Pinkevicius Organ Duo recital in Rumbonys, Alytus district (September 7)
Lithuanian Organ Music in Liepaja, Latvia (September 18)
C.P.E. Bach - 300 (October 18)
Cantantibus Organis Caecilia Domino - improvisations on the text of the Song for Saint Cecilia Day by John Dryden, 1687 (November 22)
The Nativity Story - improvisations on the Story of the Nativity (December 20)

Coaching Programs and Trainings:
Couperin Mass Training (February 6)
Menuet, Polonaise, and March Training (February 27)
Organ Verset Improvisation Master Course (March 12)
Hymn Harmonization Workshop (April 7)
Basic Chord Workshop (April 14)
Hymn Playing Workshop (April 16)
Bach Choral Analysis Workshop (May 7)
Suite Improvisation Workshop (June 18)
Two Part Training (June 28)
Estampie Retrove Training (July 1)
Seventh Chord Training (December 17)

Compositions: (for organ, unless indicated otherwise)
Mini Waltz, Op. 25 (January 23)
2 Part Choral Fantasia on Herr Jesu Christ, Dich zu uns wendt, Op 26, handwritten copy, (May 8)
Veni Creator Spiritus, Op. 1a - Version for Mixed Choir and Organ (August 28)
3 Arpeggio Variations, Op. 27 (September 24)
Processional March in C Major, Op. 28 (October 15)
2 Settings of Lithuanian Ave Maris Stella, Op. 29 for mixed choir (October 16)
Lithuanian Ave Maris Stella, Op. 29a for mixed choir, organ and instruments (November 5)
Processional March in C, Op. 30 (November 16)
Now Thank We All Our God, Op. 31 (November 27)
The Annunciation, Op. 32 (December 6)
Joseph and Mary Travel to Bethlehem, Op. 33, handwritten copy (December 12)
4 Variations on Santa Lucia, Op. 34, handwritten copy (December 14)
Fantasia, Op. 35 (in progress)

Looking back, the single most important thing which helped to write these blog posts, prepare and play recitals, create training programs and compositions is accountability.

Accountability to myself and to others. I planned most of my recitals in advance, set the date and tried not to change it. I knew that my listeners depended on me. This idea kept me going, kept me to produce. It isn't very difficult when you create a new habit of shipping regularly.

The same is with my training programs - I felt that they would be helpful to my readers, subscribers, and clients. With compositions, it happened naturally, out of habit, because I understand the importance of doing the work as opposed to just talking about it.

I'd like my next year to be creative, productive, and brave. It will start with the improvisation recital on the motives from the poem by Kristijonas Donelaitis "The Seasons" on January 17 at my church. Donelaitis was a Lithuanian poet and a Lutheran priest of 18th century. In 2014, Lithuania celebrated his 300th anniversary. In "The Seasons" with the help of double hexameter he depicts the cycle of life and nature as well as peasant activities of Lithuania Minor (which was a part of former Prussia at the time - now Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia).

One more thing: every New Year's resolution is a choice. It can happen but you have to choose. Choose to do things that matter (hint: they are the ones you are the most afraid of).

So what would you choose your next year to be?