Welcome to the Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #4! 

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Today's guest is the Dutch composer Jan Karman and he shares with us his insights about his project in writing organ fugues based on the melodies of the Genevan Psalter. Also in this show Jan reveals his compositional process of writing fugues and gives inspiration and advice to students who would also like to compose fugues. 

Enjoy this inspiring conversation and share your comments below.

If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.

You can also subscribe to this podcast on Stitcher and Tunein to listen to your favorite shows whenever and wherever you are, on any device.

Relevant links:
www.ganuenta.com - Jan Karman's website
Fugues on Genevant Psalter
Jan Karman's other compositions

Welcome to the Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #3! 

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Today's guest is Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra, organist, teacher, composer, and a world-renown expert on improvising in the Bach style. I had a privilege to study with her at Eastern Michigan University for my Master's degree but her enthusiasm for historically inspired improvisation caught my attention even earlier, back in 2000 when we met for the first time in Gothenburg, Sweden at the Goteborg International Organ Academy. Improvisation in the Bach style has been a life-long pursuit for her and in this episode she shares her insights about improvising chorale-based works of Bach on any keyboard instrument, which is the focus of Vol. 1 of her book "Bach and the Art of Improvisation".

Enjoy this inspiring conversation and share your comments below.

If you like these conversations with the experts from the organ world, please help spread the word about the SOP Podcast by sharing it with your organist friends.

Relevant links:
www.pamelaruiterfeenstra.com
"Bach and the Art of Improvisation", Vol. 1 (book review)
"Bach and the Art of Improvisation", Vol. 1 - the book

Welcome to the Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast
#2!

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Today's guest is George Ritchie, an organist whose lifelong contribution to the organ world cannot be overestimated. He's mostly known for his famous CD recordings of all Bach organ compositions on historically informed organs in the US. More recently he collaborated with FugueStateFilms to create a stunning documentary DVD and CD recording of Bach's the Art of Fugue.

Also his organ method book which he wrote with George Stauffer "Organ Technique: Modern and Early" really became a classic for organists who want to learn both styles of playing - legato and articulate. Beside numerous graded exercises and repertoire pieces, it has lots of scholarly information about the performance practice issues of various schools of organ composition and historical periods as well as on some other aspects of organist profession, such as organ practice, organ design, hymn playing, and even avantgarde organ playing techniques.

George Ritchie is a totally inspiring man, completely generous, full of insights - this is a conversation you will want to listen to many times.

Enjoy the interview and share your comments below.

Relevant links:
George Ritchie's website
Method book Organ Technique: Modern and Early
All Bach Organ Works CD Recordings
The Art of Fugue DVD and CD project

Welcome to the Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast #1! 

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​Today's guest is a very dear friend of mine and mentor, an organ builder Gene Bedient who’s going to share with us his insights about the art of organ building.

Gene Bedient started the Bedient Pipe Organ company over 40 years ago. He based the company on a combined love of all things technical and music. Over the course of this journey, Bedient made many pipe organs throughout the US that are a legacy of craftsmanship, artwork, technical engineering, and audible beauty.

In 1969, Bedient started rebuilding and repairing organs in a garage in Lincoln, Nebraska. His vision grew over the next 40 years. Together with a small, dedicated crew, Bedient Pipe Organ Company built more than 80 organs, large and small, each unique, each an artistic and technical work of art.

Because Gene has recently retired, The Bedient Pipe Organ company is now under the leadership of Paul Lytle and Mark Miller. Both men together with the group of passionate builders are dedicated to carrying on the legacy of the founding builder and continue to craft intricate works of art. Art that endures and inspires.

Enjoy the conversation and share your comments below.

Relevant links:

Gene Bedient on Facebook
Bedient Pipe Organ Company of Lincoln, NE
Bendient Pipe Organ Company on Facebook
The Wind at One's Fingertips
Dom Bedos de Celles
English translation of Dom Bedos treatise "L'art du facteur d'orgues" by Charles Ferduson