Why so few people are interested in organ playing?

My recent post sparked some interesting and thought-provoking questions from Ron:

"Is it possible that over the centuries such an aura of mystery and rarefied air has come to surround the organ that few people are brave enough to even consider approaching that instrument.

Have we, in effect, been promoting the idea that organists are such a very exclusive group that only a very select few persons can ever gain admission to it? 

Do we really want to share with other people our passion for playing the organ, or do we secretly just want to keep that pleasure all to ourselves?

When was the last time we said to one of our piano students, ''You play that piece beautifully! Would you like to sit down at the organ and see how it sounds on the organ?'' What a thrill that would be to them, I think!"

The issue of promotion of the art of organ playing to other musicians is a quite complex one. Of course, it's a great idea and we should be more active as organ ambassadors and we definitely should take some responsibility of being too passive and too elitists at times.

But I don't think we should be shouting from the rooftops. All of this could very subtle. All we have to do is to let people notice what we do. With the technology of today, it's actually very simple.

Look at my activities, for example. This blog, my videos, and frequent organ demonstrations are being followed and noticed through social media by my students at National M.K. Ciurlionis School of Art here in Vilnius where I teach music theory, ear training, piano, and organ. These students are not organists but they know what I do.

I don't actively seek out organ students but somehow they find me. Some of them come to my recitals and they are some of the very best listeners of my work.

By the way, I had some of my subscribers write to me and say that they earlier used to be piano players but now they want to learn to play the organ. Thanks to this blog and other circumstances they found their passion and training resources.

I think every organist should write a blog (even if you don't tell anyone its URL). It's just such a fantastic way to get the ideas out of your head and let them spread far and wide.

Of course, organ playing will never be as popular as piano or guitar but that's not the point. It's not why we do our work. We do our work for a few people who care deeply about this instrument.

At the bottom of all this is trust. Do they trust you to hear what you have to say? If you earned their trust, then you can be sure the conversation will continue and it might lead to things you never imagined were possible. [Thanks to Ron for inspiration]