SOPP484: James Flores about practicing and sharing in the right places to make miracles happen9/1/2019
Vidas: Welcome James, to episode 484 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast! I'm very excited to be able to talk with you and we talked for another episode in the past about your 12 recitals in 12 months. That was a big adventure you were sharing at that time. And I know many things have changed since that time over the couple of years. So can you tell us a little bit more about what you are doing and what is your current situation?
James: Yes, so after those 12 recitals I was pretty tired so then the following year I didn't sign myself up for that many recitals but I staged the recital series. They picked up with interest and other performers wanted to play as well so that took a lot of pressure of it. I've always been a subscriber to your email list and I like to read about podcasts, I follow you on Facebook, all those social things and for some reason about 6 months ago I stopped seeing your posts on Facebook. And I was concerned where have you gone, what happened? Anyway, during one week I saw an email about Secrets of Organ Playing Contest and thought, "That's interesting..." I followed you for the first several weeks to see what the standard was like and whether it was doable or appropriate for me to enter. I think it was Week 7 when I joined and since then I've been hooked and you led me into this social blockchain called Steem and I can't stop recording myself. And that's where I am today. V. Yeah, I should've introduced you more formally probably. James Flores is our guest today and he is a man of many things now, not only an organist in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. But he is also an IT magician as I can testify myself and also very interested in all kinds of technological developments, new technologies which can revolutionize the world potentially and make many changes for musicians, for example, for organists. So since that last time we've been chatting with James over social media platform called Steem and I have this opportunity to do these Secrets of Organ Playing Contests every week. And James has been a constant, diligent and faithful participant every week, week after week and has been recording even more than it is required. He publishes a lot of his other posts and creative ideas online and also shares his other videos not related to the contest itself. So I've seen his work over this year and a half so much on Steem that he's become like a team member to me, really. We've been chatting every day about all kinds of things, about organ-related things, about Steem-related things so it's wonderful. Thank you so much, James for being a part of this community, I'm really grateful to you! Listen to the entire conversation Here are some places where you can find more about James Flores and his work: https://steempeak.com/@contrabourdon https://www.jamesfloresorganist.com/ https://www.facebook.com/james.l.flores Watch the video:
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Vidas: Hi, guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 449, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Patricia, and she writes: Dear Vidas and Ausra, Thank you for contacting me regarding your program of Organ tuition and assistance. I studied organ at Trinity College in London and also at the same time I studied the French music from Jean Dattas at Notre Dame in Leicester Square. I was working in London at the time teaching English to students at Morden Girls Secondary in Surrey. When I returned to Kingston, Ontario in Canada, I worked as an organist in a Lutheran Church called St. Marks for 5 years. My mother got an illness which the doctor's said was incurable. They said it would be better to take my mother to Australia to help her but that was not a good idea as she died soon after arriving. I live in Melbourne and have a Johannes organ in my house. I am very bad at practicing and need some help to get started again. I need to master some on my favorites such as the Bach toccatas and other organ preludes and fugues which I played before. I am trying to teach myself the Widor Toccata. V: Can we help Patricia with those goals, Ausra? A: Well, I hope so, but as I talked in a previous podcast, inner motivation is the most important thing. So if Patricia has it, I think everything will be just fine. V: Mmm-mmm. A: Since she was quite advanced organist, because she now is not learning to play the organ from scratch, but she just has to refresh her skills, and to renew her ability to play the organ. What would you suggest for her to do? What would be the best choice and the first step? V: Well sometimes when you repeat previously mastered material from the past with the gap of many years in between, sometimes your old habits come back and those old habits might not be the best habits, you see. And that’s something to keep in mind. Sometimes it’s better to learn the same piece but in a new way. Like completely from scratch, with a new articulation, with a new fingering and pedaling, from a new score, let’s say. I think that would be more productive. What do you say? A: Yes. I couldn’t agree more. Because when I’m trying to refresh some of the old pieces that I played, let’s say many years ago, and I remember the spots that were hard for me in that time, they are still hard for me, today. It means that I wasn’t working in a right way... V: Mmm-hmm. A: At such time. V: But is it true from your early days, you got a decent foundation, and even if you refresh those pieces, those old habits are not the worst habits, I mean, for you. A: Yes, they are not the worst habits. V: At least some of them you can keep. A: But still nowadays when I’m starting to repeat an old piece, at least I won’t be playing it from the beginning to the end. I start to work on the harder spots right away. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Because I’m already sort of respecting myself and my time. I don’t know that I don’t have much of it, so I want to use it as productively as I can. V: And Patricia writes that she’s very bad at practicing. Can you interpret that in some way for us Ausra? What to you suppose she means? A: Well, it’s hard to tell what exactly she means but I could say what in general I consider is a bad practice. Probably the worst practice is not practicing at all, or not practicing enough. V: Mmm-hmm. A: Or practicing unproductively. Because sometimes you can sit on your organ bench and play for four hours straight, and it will be still bad practicing. V: I suppose that’s true Ausra. I always said that the hardest part of practicing the organ is sitting down on the organ bench. Which means, if you practice enough you will get better. But, sometimes, I can observe my Unda Maris students practicing and practicing and over and over again and not getting… A: Any better. V: Any better, sooner than they wanted. They are getting better, but really slowly. And I know why. I know how I would practice differently. And I tell them to slow down. And I tell them, let’s say to practice separate parts multiple times, and they don’t do that, you see. And that’s how they get the same result every time. Maybe a little bit better, because with time, even stone can be furnished with drops of water, enough drops of water. But it really, it takes ages and we don’t have that time. A: But I would think that Patricia has organ in her house. It means that she can easier find time to practice because she doesn’t need to go anywhere to the organ loft. V: Mmm-hmm. True. So those are general ideas to get started. I suggest she would take a look at my organ practice course. And we are talking about also in some courses about organ practice. Maybe she could just take a look at the category of courses in the Organ Practice category in our Secrets Of Organ Playing store. And she will find useful materials there. A: Do you think it’s wise to work on several old pieces at the same time, or not? How would you do it? V: Several pieces, yes, but not too many, maybe three, for starters. A: But do you think it’s important only to repeat the old repertoire or to learn something new as well? V: Definitely something new to keep her going forward. And definitely something from different stylistic periods. Let’s say she likes Bach’s Preludes and Fugues, and also she tries to learn Widor Toccata. That would be different choices. But maybe something slower than Widor Toccata would be nice too, like a chorale prelude, or a romantic piece in Adagio tempo, or slow movement from the same Widor symphony. A: Well actually, I always thought that all French people just love French composers. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But as we performed at Alpe d'Huez in French Alps last March, actually the man who actually is one of the main organizers of that organ festival, he told that ‘very good’ that we are not playing Widor and we are not doing the famous Toccata. Because actually what happens when organist playing Widor on the program, people start leaving. V: Uh-huh. A: And it was actually a big surprise. I was slightly shocked when I heard it—that French don’t like Widor, especially this toccata. V: Maybe the listeners have heard it enough times. A: Could be, that it’s already, it’s up to... V: Uh-huh. A: Up to your throat. So but it was a surprise because the audience is like 99% French in that church. V: Mmm-hmm. And older age, I would say. A: Well, yes, I would say. So maybe you could do not only like Widor Toccata but practice some pieces by Louis Vierne. V: Yes, and softer pieces, not necessarily loud. A: Yes, not only fast and, because I think this toccata is one of the most mechanical organ pieces… V: Mmm-mmm. A: that are written. But it’s good for wedding. Usually people quite like it, and order to play it during wedding time quite a lot. V: She says she likes toccatas and organ preludes and fugues by Bach. What is your favorite toccata, Ausra, by Bach, today? A: Probably C Major Toccata, Adagio and Fugue. V: Uh-huh. A: I think it always was my favorite, and it still is. What about you? V: I like very much E Major Toccata… A: I like it too. V: but transposed to C Major. A: It’s sort of Buxtehude style. V: Uh-huh. A: Reminds, it would be my second choice. V: Good! And what about organ prelude and fugue, by Bach? What would you take with you to the island without any people around? A: I think you know which one. It would be E Flat Major from the first part of Clavier-Übung. (????) V: E Flat Major? A: Yes. V: BWV 552. A: That’s right. But I also like C minor Prelude and Fugue. V: I like A Major. A: I like C Major. V: Which one? There are a few. A: The one you played in America. V: 547. A: Yes. I’m no good with numbers. I really need to learn to memorize Bach’s catalogue that I could tell these numbers as well as you. V: You know what’s the best way to memorize the catalogue? Is to sight-read each piece and then you will know the numbers by heart. A: Yes. But also what I would suggest for Patricia to do, to play some of Bach’s chorale works because I think they are great too. V: Yes. That was our first suggestion. A: And with age I even start preferring Bach chorale based works. V: So guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice… V: Miracles happen!
By the way, today is the best time to join our Total Organist community because of Total Organist Midsummer discount which is valid until the end of June. The 1st month is free and you will get 50 % discount for as long as you choose to subscribe.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 442 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Erika, and she writes: “I’m working on the choir piece for Easter. Beautiful piece. Quite a bit trickier than I usually do. It’s become an Easter tradition. A couple of sections are like a fugue and there is one section that I didn’t practice as I should have when I first learned it several years ago. So now I have to drill it every year or my fingers seem to fall into the wrong place at the wrong time.” Ausra, does it sound familiar? A: True! It sounds so familiar. V: Why? A: Even painfully familiar. Because, that’s what I did in my youth when I would learn music incorrectly, or wouldn’t work on certain spots as well as I had to. And I have said this many times already, but I will repeat it once again, that it’s easier to learn a new piece than it is to correct an old one that you have learned incorrectly. Don’t you agree? V: Exactly. If you imagine teaching your dog some tricks, it’s easier to teach a new trick to your dog than to change some variation of the same trick to the same dog. A: Well, I’m not a dog trainer, so don’t know, exactly. V: But you’re training me! A: Well, it’s a hard job! V: How is it going? A: Not well! So far not well! Not too much progress! V: But you are a good coach, right? A: I don’t know. I’m not sure. V: You give me treats! A: I’m not sure. V: Treats in the form of sweets! A: Well, that’s not a good way to train anybody, you know, because you might get diabetes! V: Exactly. You have to punish for mistakes, instead of rewarding them. Right Ausra? A: I think you are nonsensical! V: Excellent! So, do you think Erika could reward herself a little bit for her achievements on some piece? Do you think that this would help her develop good habits? A: That might be a case, but I’m wondering, since it’s not a new piece and she’s repeating it not for the first time and she still struggles in the same spots, I would suggest strongly for her to rethink her fingering, and to restudy those spots, because something might be really wrong with them. Because it shouldn’t be like this, if you are repeating this piece over for many years. V: Yes, that’s what she writes; she “has to drill it every year, or my fingers seem to fall in the wrong place.” A: Or it could be that those particular spots are just really difficult, and simply you have to work more on them. V: Even for choir accompaniment, sometimes it’s important to write down fingering. A: True, and since it’s accompaniment, you could actually change it a little bit. You might omit or rearrange some things if it really gives trouble. V: I agree. A: Of course, to give more specific advice, I would have to check the score for myself, and then I could suggest what you could omit or do another way or differently. V: Yeah, it’s hard to be specific when we don’t even know the name of the piece. A: Because you know, if an accompaniment is originally, let’s say, composed for the organ, then it might not be a good idea to play it differently. But often, the case of accompaniment is that the piece wasn’t composed originally for choir and organ. It might be composed for a choir and piano, or choir and orchestra, or choir and instrumental ensemble. So, you really need to check the origin of the piece. V: It might have been a piece for choir and orchestra arranged for choir and piano. A: That’s right. So, in that case, if it’s not an original piece, you are free, actually, to do things that you need for the accompaniment to make it to fit the organ and to make it comfortable for yourself. V: Exactly. A: Because if you are accompanying choir or ensemble or any other instruments or soloists, and if you will not feel comfortable with your accompaniment, it won’t be good, because it’s you who are giving support, who are basically leading the entire choir. V: You’re right, Ausra. Can it be done on the spot, or do you have to write it down. A: Well, I would do it on the spot. Maybe I would add some markings in the score, or cross off some things. V: I think this would…. A: But I would not rewrite the entire score. V: I think we will put it to practice this summer, as well, because we are committed to performing a symphonic poem by a Lithuanian Romantic composer and painter, Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, and this symphonic poem is called “In the Forrest,” and we are playing from the arrangement for two pianos. And we are sitting on one organ bench, performing on separate manuals, but on one instrument, and not the piano, and on the organ. So, obviously, we will have to adapt it to fit the texture of the organ. But, we’re not going to write it down; we are doing it on the spot. A: That’s right, because we don’t have time to rewrite it all, so… V: “Necessity is the mother of invention,” as they say. So maybe Erika could also develop the skill of rearranging a little bit, some things. Thanks guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please send us more of your questions, we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen.
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 435 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Gena, and she answers my question for Total Organist students on Basecamp, where I ask, “What are they struggling with this week.” So she writes: “Slow practice for accuracy” “Isolating tricky sections to practice them repeatedly”, and, “Faster more accurate manual changes” So basically, those three things were the most challenging for her, Ausra. Slow practice—let’s start with slow practice. Do you find yourself, Ausra, that you tend to play faster than it would be safer when you practice, or not? Can you control yourself? A: Well, I could not control myself when I was young. Now, the older I get, the slower I practice. V: Why was that, when you were younger you tended to speed up a little bit? A: Because I wanted to have a fast result! V: Did it help? A: No, it did not. V: And what made you to slow down? A: Well, because the slower I’ve practiced, the better the results are. And actually, the faster you get with the results. V: Didn’t you understand this when you were younger? A: Well, no. Of course, my teachers would tell me that, but I couldn’t listen. I had to experience it with my own…. V: ….mistakes A: Yes. What about you? Do you like slow practice? Do you find it beneficial? V: Actually, I do. Every day, I sit down on the organ bench, I practice something very slowly—maybe sightread a piece or two in a really slow tempo, maybe half speed. This gives me accuracy, just like Gena writes—slow practice for accuracy. It really helps. But, it wasn’t always that way with me, either. Like you, at the Academy of Music in Lithuania, I wasn’t very conscious about how I would practice, probably, so I would just run through the pieces in a comfortable manner, and mostly that would have been too fast, I would assume. It’s hard to remember now, because a lot of time has passed. A: Too much cholesterol in your blood, yes? Memory doesn’t work as well as you wish. V: Too much Easter eggs! The second point for Gena that she’s struggling with is isolating tricky sections—to practice them repeatedly. Well, this is really common for people, right? You play over and over again this piece from the beginning until the end, and you hope for the best results. Is this a good method? A: No, it’s not a good method, because you’re just wasting your time, because I don’t know any piece of music that would be equally hard from the first page until the last one. I think all music that is written, that is composed, has easier spots and harder spots, and you always have to determine which spots are harder, and which are easier, and you don’t have to practice them all the time in the same manner and play the piece through. Because, if you will do that this way, there will always be harder spots for you, where you will not feel as secure and as comfortable as you could. V: The only instance that I would probably approve of playing pieces repeatedly without stopping in shorter fragments is if you are really slow. If you’re taking an extremely slow tempo sight-reading a piece, and want to just get a good feeling of the piece. A: Or, if you are fluent with it, and you are ready to perform it. V: So basically, if you are not making mistakes, you can practice without stopping. A: Of course! V: That means you have to either slow down, or you have to reduce the texture, so that it is easy for you. Maybe take just one voice at a time, and then you can practice without stopping. But most people don’t do that, I guess. Right, Ausra? A: I’m not sure about other people, but for example, if I practice trio texture, then I find it more beneficial to practice maybe in a faster tempo, but to do it in two voices. V: Or even one voice, sometimes. A: Well, yes. Maybe at the beginning even one voice. V: So the third challenge Gena is struggling with is faster, more accurate manual changes. Hmm. What does she mean in your opinion, Ausra? A: That probably, it is hard for her to change manuals. V: Accurately. A: And, you know, in a very fast tempo, because very often, you don’t have much time to change manuals. V: And then if she changes manuals, then she makes a mistake or two. Right? She touches the wrong note, probably. A: I think it’s just a matter of more experience, maybe. V: And even, I would recommend, practicing those changes the other way around. If you have to jump from the lower manual to the upper, maybe do the other way around, from the upper to the lower as well, so that your muscle memory wouldn’t be just one way. A: Yes, and I would suggest even when you start to learn a new piece, and maybe you’re practicing on a one manual instrument, or you are practicing on a two manual instrument, but you are not making manual changes, because you are just learning text, start to think about manual changes right away, that you would know exactly where you will be switching off and changing it—that you could be mentally prepared right away. That will help. V: And also, you don’t know what kind of instrument you will be playing in the future, in public for example. Maybe you have to jump from the lower manual to the upper manual, or from the upper to the lower. Therefore, it’s good to practice both ways. Or even, sometimes, from the first manual to the third manual, and vice versa, if you have three manuals available. Do all kinds of possibilities. A: Plus, I’m also thinking about the compositional structure of the piece, because you rarely change the manual in between the phrase—in the middle of the phrase. Usually, it happens at the end of a phrase, after, let’s say, some sort of cadence. And it also gives you a little bit more of extra time, because we might slow down just a little bit at the end of the phrase, and take a breath before the next phrase. V: This reminds me. Sometimes, maybe fast manual changes are over exaggerated, maybe. Maybe sometimes we need, as you say, to take a breath, especially if you change the manual from the loud registration to the soft registration, you need to give a space for the echo to sound. A: Yes, especially if you are playing in large acoustics. Because, in a larger acoustics is the most space you need to give. V: Don’t rush, then. Drag. Ok, guys, please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen. DON'T MISS A THING! 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Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 387 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And this question was sent by Lukasz. He writes: Hi, I suggest You a new subject, with a pinch of salt. Organ playing as a fitness. Yesterday evening I spent more than 1 hour the with Bach trio sonatas. When I've finished, I was completely wet. Maybe You could make a list of pieces that not only builds the skills, but also takes care of the physical form of the organist? ;-) At the beginning of the list of pieces that make me wet I'll put of course Bach trio sonatas. What You will add to this list? What Yours friends from all over the world will add to it? I am very curious to know what Yours experiences are in this matter? V: So, do you think, Ausra, that playing Trio Sonatas by Bach is a good fitness? A: Well, I misunderstood this question, actually. Because if, after playing Trio Sonatas for one hour, you are all wet, it means that you are doing something really, really wrong in your practice. It shouldn’t be like that, because Trio Sonatas are such elegant pieces. I agree that they are hard to play because of the coordination between the hands and the legs, but it’s very graceful music in itself, so you shouldn’t be wet after playing them. V: Maybe the level of Lukasz, for example, isn’t yet suitable for Trio Sonatas, and therefore, it’s very demanding. A: Well, I cannot judge or decide about that, because I haven’t heard him playing, but in general, I don’t think that any organ composition will make you sweat like that. It’s not a normal thing. I think you need to check up on your health state, because it means that something is really wrong with your body. V: What about, well, let’s say Duruflé Toccata? A: Well, I haven’t played Duruflé Toccatas, but I’ve played some difficult pieces by Max Reger, for example. V: Max Reger, yeah, a good example. A: Or other pieces by Maurice Duruflé, but I have never been wet after playing even an entire recital, unless it’s very hot and humid in the room. But, it’s not related with playing. V: What if the instrument itself makes it hard to play, like depressing the keys. A: Still! Have you ever been wet in St. Johns’s Church? V: No, but I’m used to it. Maybe other people could! A: Well, do you think it’s normal to be wet after playing Trio Sonatas? V: Maybe... I’m just trying to guess… maybe there is something in the music itself that makes people sweat. A: Well, but then it’s related not with physical, not with the body, physical things, but more with the mental issues. V: Yeah, for example, your body is very efficiently moving, at least should be moving… remember how contemporaries of Bach describe his movements, that the instrument would play itself and he just barely moves his hands and feet. A: That’s how it should be, because all the movements at the organ needs to be as little as possible, and another thing, you know, I got the impression that Lukasz thinks that after practicing organ, you don’t need to exercise, because the organ does it for you—practicing organ will replace the gym, and that’s a very wrong assumption. That’s… V: Otherwise, you know, we would all be athletes! A: Sure! Yes! Sure, but it doesn’t matter how many hours you practice on the organ, it will not replace the real exercise. V: Movement of the body. A: Yes! So, besides that, you really need to find some physical activities to do, because yes, it would be wonderful if you would just practice organ and that’s it, and you wouldn’t need to do any other exercises or what ever you do… V: Pull-ups, push-ups, or whatever you do, yes, whatever works. A: But you know, I don’t think it’s a good feeling that you feel on the organ as being at the gym. V: But some energy is required when you play. A: Of course, it requires a lot of energy. But I would say that it requires more mental energy than physical energy. V: And this is evident from the fact that when you, for example, or I return to the organ bench after illness, after being sick for a couple of weeks, then it kind of requires a few days to get used to this activity. It’s difficult. It’s probably also physically difficult. A: Sure, but when you are sick and not feeling well, then any kind of activities will give you a lot of pain and struggle. Like now, I had this sinus infection really bad, and had to treat myself with antibiotics, so even eating lunch was a challenge for me, because sometimes I would be so wet that I would have to change my clothes twice during my lunch. V: You know, I would love to do a list of top 10 organ pieces to improve your biceps. A: I don’t think you can find it! V: Or top 10 organ pieces to improve your abs, to have six-pack abs, but it wouldn’t be fair. A: But what I could tell you, and I think it’s true, if you have good muscles in your body, especially the abdominal area, it will really ease your playing pieces like Trio Sonatas. V: Top 10 pieces that will make your yoga practice seem like a kindergarten! That would be fun. A: But you know, I think that for different people, different pieces present different challenges. For example, for me, it was really never hard to play Trio Sonatas, and I’m saying this, not because I want to show off, but because it’s really easy for me to control three single voices. It can be hard but still be only three of them, and it’s pretty easy for me to control them. But, in the thick textures where I need to stretch my arm a lot, I struggle very hard. And, for example, for me, it’s much easier to play, let’s say Duruflé, than to play Max Reger, because some of his textures are just almost impossible for my hands to play and to reach. V: What about Petr Eben’s Laudes? A: Well, still it was much easier than I expected when I played it. V: What about…. A: Of course that written gives trouble, you really need to learn how to count, but as soon as you really force yourself to count, then everything is just fine, because still, Eben played organ himself, and he knew what to write and what fits the organ, so he didn’t write something impossible to play. V: It fits the hand. A: Yes! It fits the hand pretty nicely, actually. V: I see. You know what we could do, is to give the top 10 organ music for listeners fitness! Organ plays, and listeners jump around and run around the church in the meter of 3/4 or 4/4. A: Well, and you know, for example, if I would like to torture myself, I would probably have to pick up and play a big cycle of Olivier Messiaen, especially of his late cycles, and then I would think I would not even be wet, but I would probably even cry, because, well…. V: You would sleep like a baby. A: Yes, and you know, people often say that if you don’t like somebody, some compositions or some composer, you probably don’t know anything in depth about his style or his ideas, and with Messiaen, it’s that I really know his style very well, because I analyzed it so many times in great detail about all his compositional techniques and his philosophy. And sometimes, I like to listen to his music, but it’s such a challenge to play, because of his very very slow tempi, you need to be very patient, and of those rhythmic values added…. V: Added rhythmic values, yes…. A: It’s just so horrible. Try to count yourself…. V: It’s called additive rhythms, yes? A: Yes. V: Thanks, guys! We hope this was useful to you. Please remember to exercise not only your mind, but your body, besides playing the organ, because in general, it’s a sitting activity, and sitting activity is not very healthy for your body. A: Sure. V: And please send us more of your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 395, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Leon. And, he writes: Dear Vidas: Until today I thought I had made a lot of progress in this. But found out there is still a significant way to go. My organ is in the garage. This winter is not as bad as last, but tonight the low will be -7/8 C. The garage usually gets 5-8 C above that. I have a space heater aimed at the pedal area so it heats fairly well. I have used fingerless wool gloves until now. Today I got some stretch nylon gloves, actually made for women. Perfect: warm, and in order to not slip off the black keys, and even the white keys from moving larger intervals, I have to play even more lightly. As Speedy Gonzales says, Andale, Andale Hariba! V: So, this was Leon’s probably, recommendation for people to experiment with stretch nylon gloves. Have you ever had those women’s gloves, Ausra? A: Yes, I have them. V: I think that you had a least once. I remember this occasion, during your wedding, or our wedding. A: During our wedding. Or you think I got married to myself only, without you? V: Yes. No. I don’t know. A: I had beautiful gloves. V: Those were nylon right? A: Yes, and they were very long. V: Did you play organ during your wedding. A: No! I did not. V: Who played organ during your wedding? A: Oh, classmate. Your classmate—Giernas. V: Giernas. A: And he screwed up right at the beginning. V: Girenas name is spelled G-i-r-e-n-a-s. A: And we have recording of it, because he had to perform a hymn to Holy Ghost… V: Uh-huh. A: And he screwed up right in the first measure. V: Veni, Creator Spiritus. A: That’s right. V: Mmm-hmm. So it was a time to wear nylon gloves. Do you think that such kind of gloves would work for organ playing in the winter? A: Well, they might, but I guess you would still have to remove the tips of the finger. V: Mmm-hmm. You know what I’m using now when it’s cold? In our church is warm because it’s heated but whenever I’m travel someplace to play in the winter, I take with me also women’s gloves. But they’re not nylon, I guess. But they stretch and they fit very well on my fingers or my hands, and I cut off the fingertips, and now I can play just about at any speed, even in the winter. They work very well too. A: Yes, but what a courage to practice in the garage during winter time. Don’t you think it requires some admiration from our side, on our side? V: Uh, you mean, admiration that the organ is placed in such a cold place, or that Leon is practicing in cold place? A: That Leon is practicing in such a place. V: Mmm. A: During wintertime. V: Poor instrument then. A: Well, if it’s electronic then I don’t think it matters so much. V: Mmm-mmm. A: If it’s pipe organ, then yes. It’s not so good. V: Maybe Leon will write about his instrument next time too. A: Although I don’t think it’s much warmer, let’s say in the village churches in Lithuania where the pipe organ stands, so… V: Certainly not! Mmm-hmm. A lot of churches in Lithuania is extremely cold during the winter and actually below freezing temperatures. A: I guess that the heat and humidity damages organ more than the cold weather. V: True. And nowadays of course, most people have electrical heaters positioned next to the organ bench, but depending on the power of the heater and the position of the instrument itself, if it’s a large room or not, then it might be enough of heat. A: Well, it’s funny because I just now thought about that Leon keeps his organ in the garage, and actually our organ is built in a room, where used to be a garage. V: Uh-huh. A: Interesting. V: Yes. Should I go find your nylon gloves? A: Yes! Why not. V: And, do you still keep them? A: No, actually. I borrowed them. They were not mine… V: Mmm-hmm. A: Gloves. V: So you don’t have any nylon gloves now… A: No. V: With you. I would be really interested to try out, without the need to cut the fingertips, because I presume it works for Leon. He didn’t cut the fingertips. A: Well, it might work for some types of compositions, for example, for hymn playing. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But if you would want to play something more sophisticated then I think it wouldn’t work. V: But if it fits really nicely on the hands, maybe it’s not a problem then. A: But it might be too slippery. V: Too slippery, you say. A: Yes. V: Yes. He writes that, ‘in order to not slip off the black keys, and even white keys’ he has to play ‘even more lightly’. A: So, but if you have, for example thick texture, then the light touch might not help. V: Right. It’s amazing how people come up with various solutions for combating cold weather. A: Yes, and it shows a real courage. I admire Leon so much for that. V: Approximately, a few days ago. before we recorded this conversation, in America, in the Midwest, they had very cold weather. A: I’m glad we are not in America any more. I wouldn’t survive such a low temperature. V: I wonder if any organists suffered from that cold. Guys, if you live in the Midwest, please write to us how did you survive the extremely cold Arctic weather. It’s really interesting. Did you, how did you keep yourself warm? Did you burn books, hymnals, or tax books? A: How funny! Ha, ha! V: (Laughs). A: It’s like from that movie, ‘The Day After Tomorrow’. V: Yeah. A: And some photos that we saw from America actually looked a little bit similar to that movie. V: Yes. Only Statue of Liberty was not frozen. A: I don’t think it was, wasn’t probably so cold in New York City. V: Mmm-hmm. A: It just had more like Michigan, and I think Ohio, then Minnesota, Illinois. V: Are you ready for Spring, Ausra? A: Oh yes, but we still have to wait for it. V: Mmm-hmm. Okay guys. Please keep warm during those final weeks of winter wherever you are. Of course if you’re in the summer hemisphere, you have, summer. A: That's right. in Australia, for example. V: Right. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 383, of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. And this question was sent by Gena, who is our Total Organist student. And, she wrote in the Basecamp communication channel as a reply to the question, ‘What are you struggling with the most this week?’ And she wrote: Forcing myself to practice slowly to be very accurate V: And then, she received a few comments, obviously because our students are writing there too. For example Dianne wrote: This is my biggest struggle too, week in and week out. It is so hard for me not to want to rush ahead. Still working on my patience! V: And Jay wrote: I agree too. I think I could learn some things quicker if I could be more consistent in slow practice. I’m glad I’m not the only one struggling with this. V: And Jeremy wrote: The struggle is real. Keep being persistent. V: And I wrote Even after 25+ years of playing the organ, I have to be careful with this too. Don't worry! Slow down 50 percent and you will be fine. It's easier than it sounds. V: And Ausra said later? (Laughs). Okay! Ausra, could you add your comment now? A: Well, it’s a very common struggle for many musicians. Think about your childhood. I can guarantee that if you took piano lessons when you were a child, your teacher told you to practice slowly. V: Mmm-hmm. A: But did you do that? I’m almost guaranteed that you did not follow his or her advice. Because that’s a human nature—we want to get things as fast as we could. V: Because if you did, you would never need our advice, by that time. A: That’s right. So it’s a common human nature, to rush things through. V: Mmm-hmm. We need instant gratification. Not need, but maybe want. A: For example, most of the teachers tell you that you need to play the hard spots first, and don’t play everything from the beginning to the end, and you don’t need to rush in the tempo, and be mindful, but who listens to your teacher. Maybe some but I guess that not too many. V: And it takes me to the idea that everybody needs to make their own mistakes and learn from their own mistakes, not from mistakes of others, right? Of course it would be wise to learn from others mistakes but that’s human nature. A: I think this psychology of human nature—we think that if we will play things fast, we will learn faster, but that’s actually quite an opposite effect. Because you need to internalize that the slower you practice, the better results will be at the end. V: And talking about Gena—she needs to ask herself, ‘what is forcing her to practice faster than needed’, right? What keeps her from practicing slowly? There is some kind of maybe stress or something—anxiety. A: Well, this might be one of the issue, but there might be that maybe she doesn’t have enough time and, if you don’t have enough time to practice everything slowly, just work on one piece or on one episode, at that practice session. You don’t have to play everything at once. V: I can imagine if, for example Gena has planned a recital, or a few recitals in a row, and they’re approaching faster than she wanted to, and she feels those deadlines, and that is very stressful, and when she gets on the organ bench, this stress level arises and she feels the need of speeding up, maybe practicing everything. If that’s the case, I think there is an issue with planning. A: True. And also I thought that all the people might be divided into four groups of different characters. V: Oh, okay. Interesting. A: I think everybody knows that. V: Okay. What group would I belong to? A: Well, I think you know. V: I don’t know exactly what you mean, so there are many groups in my mind. A: Well, but two groups are, lets say faster and two groups are slower. V: Uh-huh. So I’m faster, right? A: No, I think you are slower. V: Uhhhh. Okay. A: So if you belong to those faster group people… V: Mmm-hmm. A: It might be harder for you to play… V; Oh, I see. A: in slow tempo too. And you don’t have patience to... V: Uh-huh. A: do slow practice. But in such a case, you need to overcome yourself. V: Can you change your own nature? A: Well, you cannot I think change it completely but you can, well, a little bit influence, you nature... V: Or I would… A: As a mature adult. V: I would say you could learn to live with the strengths of your nature and ignore the weaknesses, right? Develop the strengths of your own character that for example, if I’m a slow person, I have the strengths of that character and weaknesses of the same character too, so I could develop the strengths more, like maybe calmness, maybe stability, right, that would be my strength. And weaknesses would get in the way less then, I would say. And for quicker people, this might be the opposite. For example, what your strong points will be, Ausra. A: That I do things quick. V: Quick. Exactly. And you can develop that even further by doing them quicker, even quicker. No probably… A: No. I need to do them slower. V: Slower… A: And to be calmer. V: Ah. But what gives you pleasure, when you for example, practice the organ—faster or slower, tempi? A: Well, that’s a good question. When I was young, I think faster tempo gave me more pleasure. But now just the age—I think I’m slowing down. V: When you were young and beautiful. A: That’s right. V: And now you’re only beautiful. A: If you say so. V: (Laughs). Okay A: Look guys, what I have to… V: Put up with. A: Put up with, yes. V: Am I beautiful too? A: Yes. V: Am I young? A: Definitely. V: Forever young. Excellent. So I’m really am glad that the people are supporting each other in our Total Organist Community, and have the way to interact with each other through Basecamp. And just when I think about it, I had an idea that maybe people from not Total Organist Community in general, but from our Secrets Of Organ Playing Community, right? People who don’t belong to Total Organist sometimes write letters to us and in response to the questions that other people send to us, and they want us to sent their answers to these people, so we are like mediators of this conversation, being in the middle. And sometimes it’s really inefficient. Ausra, do you think that having a way to communicate as a community of Secrets of Organ Playing would be better, like a group chat? I’m thinking about Telegram for example? A: Well, sometimes yes, I think it would be beneficial to have that direct contact… V: Mmm-hmm. A: with people. V: Because emails are quite limiting in direction, right? You can easily communicate with one person, or two, right? But as a group, it slows things down. So let us know if this initiative would be appealing to you. Would you be willing to join our, for example, communication channel on Telegram? Telegram is a desktop and phone app that works very fast and it has encrypted messaging services, and your messages are secure, and stay on your device, right? They’re not stored anywhere else. And it’s very quick. People from around the world can join in conversation. Okay, thank you guys. We hope this was useful to you. Please keep sending us your wonderful questions. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice... A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas!
Ausra: And Ausra! V: Let’s start episode 380 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by John, and he writes: Hi Vidas, Thanks so much for the podcast and chat today, you are incredibly inspiring! I feel so motivated after that chat. As we discussed, I really want to go to the next level with my organ playing, but you are right this needs to be part of a balanced lifestyle, I have a full time job, I play hockey plus training, and Eliza and two young boys to care for and a new baby on the way, my family is top priority. Could you please discuss this with Ausra, and give me your advice? It could be a podcast discussion if you want, I don’t mind the general questions being discussed publicly. I would like to write up a practice plan for say 60 minutes a day Monday to Friday, and maybe 90 minutes on Saturday & Sunday. To summarise how I feel: I think I’ve hit a wall of being able to self diagnose what I’m doing wrong. I have done well so far to be aware of what I’m doing, and ask you the right questions to get your help, and then correct it. But right now I don’t know what I don’t know if that makes sense. I don’t know of a ‘better’ way of doing things. For example, sometimes my choice of fingering isn’t good, but I don’t really know what the rules are, or what other options I have. The older retired organist has been helpful, but his communication style isn’t great, he is quite dry and uninspiring, and we have a lot of arguments over historical fingering and pedalling. And although he is retired he only seems to be available about once per month for 1 hour. Do I need a local teacher? Or should I go to a teacher in Melbourne once a month? (Cost is around $50-80 per lesson, plus 4 hours of my travel time). Do you think my progress studying with you online is satisfactory and just keep going this way? Personally I trust you guys so much because you have helped me with every problem. Other organ teachers might be dry and boring too. I don’t know what I should do next, but I think it’s something like: Rebuild foundation of finger technique (start with Hanon exercises, but what else??) Work on improving focus / staying in the moment / get in the zone and stay in the zone from the start to the finish of the piece. Breathing and phrasing of music. I have the book “The Organists’ Manual” by Roger Davis, should I be working through this at my own pace or follow a teacher? Understand why I am so slow at learning new pieces, and improve. My sight reading is poor, I might start on another 30 day challenge of sight reading a hymn each day. Broaden repertoire, I need some help with deciding what to play next. I would like play pieces I enjoy if possible, and pieces I can play in public that will engage and inspire audiences). I’m thinking Suite Gothique by Boellman, Fanfare for the Common Man by Lemmens, O Mensch BWV 622 by Bach, maybe Bach’s Little Fugue in G minor BWV 578 or the Prelude and Fugue in C Major BWV 531? I have started on Hanon, at the moment I have been doing exercises 1-10, repeating each one four times, but this is taking me 40 minutes, which doesn’t leave much time for anything else, and sometimes I struggle to focus the whole way without going into autopilot and messing it up or not doing it properly/precisely. And I haven’t done any scales or arpeggios yet. Maybe I could do: 5 mins sight reading for warm up 25 mins Hanon 15 mins learning hymns for church services 15 mins learning organ solo repertoire Extras: music theory and harmony? Improvisation? Scales/arpeggios? Pedal scales? I like the idea of submitting videos to you as part of the organ competition, as I feel I really need some more specific help and critiquing, and I want you to feel free to tell me how I can do better and what to work on. I really need some specific instructions not just a general idea. Thanks again so much for your time, and for being such wonderful friends and mentors! Take care, God bless John... V: This is something that I really enjoy that people do. You see, Ausra, how John not only asks us for advice, but he is also thinking about his own plan, and lists some choices of possibilities, and we can say whether this works or not this way. Otherwise, if we prescribe some medicine for him and he just follows it blindly, then he will never learn to plan for himself. And if he does like he is doing today, he’s writing a plan for us, and maybe we’ll adjust this plan here and there, if we think we need to do so, then he’s already on the way to becoming independent, and I think that should be his goal. A: Sure! And I think this plan that he made: 5 minutes for sight reading warm-up, 25 minutes for Hanon, and so on and so forth, actually sounds for me like a good plan. Because, what I noticed from his performances from his DVD is that right now, what he needs the most is to strengthen his finger muscles, you know, to strengthen his finger independence. And, I think that the Hanon exercises and the general playing exercises will help him a lot. V: And do you think that 5 minutes of sight reading, 25 mintues of Hanon, 15 minutes of hymns, and 15 minutes of repertoire is a good plan for weekdays? A: Yes, I think it’s a good plan for weekdays, and I think then, on weekends, when he can practice more, he could, you know, that last section of playing and learning solo repertoire, could expand that. V: Or learning extras, like learning music theory, harmony, improvisation… A: Yes. But I think that building up the technique is crucial right now, because even when you are 80 years old, you can still be able to work on music theory and harmony, but building up the finger technique is crucial, because the sooner you do it, the easier it gets. So, I would not suggest for him to go to Melbourne right now, to take lessons with somebody, because if it would take him an hour to go back and forth, then I would say, “Of course, do that.” It would be very beneficial. But now, it would take just too much time! V: An entire day! A: I think it’s much better to spend that time at home, practicing. V: Yes! Imagine what he could achieve once a month if he practiced for the time that he has to commute to Melbourne—several hours. Obviously, it doesn’t make sense. Four hours of his travel time is not worth it, I think. A: I know, it’s much preferable to spend that time practicing. V: And, plus, it’s a $50-$80 investment per lesson. I’m not saying the investment isn’t wise, you get what you put, right? If you put some money up front, you get much more, because you value your hard earned money, and then you try to take the teachers advice much more seriously. That’s why people who subscribe to our Total Organist course tend to progress much faster, because they have invested their own money! A: That’s right. V: Whereas others rely on free advice, and that doesn’t necessarily give them the strength of will to persevere every day, because they always can feel, “Oh, I can make it up tomorrow,” because it’s free. But when you are paying, you strive to do the best you can every day, because it’s your money! You need the results! You’re paying for results, basically. Not for our time or anything. But you need results. So the same is with John. I think he could improve so much while learning those pieces that he lists. All of those are wonderful! He needs to play a diverse repertoire, basically. He needs to learn legato playing, which is Romantic music and Modern music, and also Baroque articulation, which is Bach and other composers of that day, and maybe earlier, too. So, what he lists, “Suite Gothique” by Boëllmann is wonderful! “Fanfare” by Lemmens, and then Chorales and Fugues and Preludes by Bach, wonderful! They are not too easy, but not too difficult at his level. A: That’s right! I think they are quite well fitted for him at this stage of his learning. V: Do you think, Ausra, that he might supplement his menu with some modern music, as well? Not only Romantic, but Modern? Or not necessarily, at this time. A: Well, each of us has his own… V: Preference? A: …connection with the Modern music, so… Somebody loves it, somebody hates it, so I don’t know what John feels about contemporary music, so, I cannot really tell. V: And probably, he’s not into it as much, because he never really played it, right? Never displayed interest, I think. More of a Romantic and especially English Romantic. A: True. V: It doesn’t hurt to have variety, but with the limited time that he has, maybe he can do it later. A: Sure! V: It doesn’t matter actually. Whatever he decides is fine. And in general, whatever plan you have, don’t look for us for salvation. We’re not gods, and we don’t know everything, but if you think that you need 5 minutes of sight reading, or 10 minutes of sight reading, or 1 hour of sight reading, if it’s your passion, go for it and stick with it for a month, or 2, or 3, or a year, and you will see results this way, too! A: True, because it’s the same when people realize that, “Oh, I need to exercise. From this day on, I will continue doing my physical activities.” And then, they will make this unrealistic plan, and let’s say that they will be running every day for let’s say and hour, and then they will do whatever. And they cannot keep to that plan because it’s unrealistic. So whatever you choose to do, it needs to fit your general lifestyle and your life plan—your schedule. Because the most important thing is that whatever you do, you do it on a daily basis. V: Exactly. Exactly, Ausra! This is very well put. And, just look how many things I have dropped—many physical routines didn’t stick with me. But, I’m doing those pullups now, since last summer, every day. And at first, I couldn’t do even 1, but now I can do 11! It only takes me...what...1 minute to do? A: More than that. V: More, a little bit, yes? But I do it every day, maybe in the morning before breakfast so that my stomach isn’t full. Maybe I could do more, other exercises, stretching, of course I could do more. But if I feel like I’m overextending myself with too much training, I might just quit! And now, with this short pull-up routine, I know I can do it, even on a rainy day. A: Well, of course, practicing organ will take more time than doing 10 pull-ups, but still… V: Yes, at least 15 minutes a day. That’s our rule. And even the busiest person in the world, I think, can sacrifice something that they would find 15 minutes a day. Because, if you don’t have enough time in your day, what’s the rule? You should have enough money, because you are working, working, working. But if you don’t have enough money, and you don’t have enough time, that means that somebody is abusing your time and energy. You have to think about your priorities. Ok, thank you guys, this was Vidas! A: And Ausra! V: Please keep sending your questions; we love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas
Ausra: And Ausra Vidas: Let’s start episode 374 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Ariane, and she writes: I am only in my first week, but what I like already is the fact that I have some sort of schedule which I can work along. Practicing seems more focused and also, I feel part of something. I certainly haven't regretted joining! Thank you. V: Ausra, why do you think Ariane feels that way about having Total Organist subscription? A: I think it’s very important to feel a part of something—of a group, or people having the same goal. V: Not to be alone. A: True. I think it gives greater motivation to anybody. V: Do you think our Basecamp communication channel has something to do with it? A: Of course, yes! V: And people get asked those questions at the end of the day. “What have you been working on today?” And they can respond, and moreover, they can read others’ answers—answers by other students from the same group—which is very motivating and empowering. To me, it’s really like a forming of a small community within the Secrets of Organ Playing larger community that we get questions from, several thousands of people. But here, this unique group of individuals who are rather tightly connected because they are taking the same courses, practicing the same pieces in many instances, and largely having the same goals, too. A: Do you think it is possible for a person to achieve his or her goal without being in a group, without any support? V: Certainly, I believe it’s possible, but it will probably take ten times as much energy to do this, and motivation, which has to come from within a person. When nobody is helping you grow, nobody is taking you by the hand, then you have to find this inner strength. Right, Ausra? A: True. V: Would you, Ausra, play the organ if nobody else were applauding you after the concert? You might actually play the organ, but at the beginning, when you just started 25 years ago or so, would you do it? A: Well, I don’t know, but nobody was applauding my playing at first. V: Well, of course, it’s Lithuania, and people are not so supportive. What was your beginnings? A feeling? A: Well, it was hard. It was a hard job. Hard, heavy work. V: Without recognition and support. A: True. V: How did your teacher support you? A: Well, not very well, actually. V: The situation with professors and teachers in general in Europe is different from, let’s say, America, right? A: True. V: They tend to motivate you with a stick, rather than with a carrot. A: Would a Carrot motivate you to practice more? Or do you mean candy! V: Carrot! Carrots are… well, if I am a bunny. A: Well, are you our bunny? V: That’s the question! A: But yes, I think this European system is very demotivating for myself, because I’m not that kind of person that if somebody will beat me that I will do things better. Rather, the opposite. I won’t do anything then. But if somebody will give me a candy or say a nice word, then I do ten times more. V: So, the fact that you are still practicing after 25 or more years means that somebody is giving you candy. A: Yes. V: Literal or not literal candy. What kind of rewards are you getting today from playing the organ? A: Well, it’s a very complex question. Certainly I’m not doing it because of getting a candy from somebody. I’m doing it for myself, basically. Organ in itself is good enough motivation for me, now. V: And obviously, that’s the kind of question that professionals would answer like you. They don’t need external motivation for the most part, but obviously, applause and a feeling of exhilaration after a recital gives you another boost of willingness to practice even more. To plan ahead for your next recital and next recital—to choose the music and sit down on the organ bench. Right? A: Yes, I think that’s how a reward works. V: What about me? A: What about you? V: Yes! Ask me! A: So, how do you feel about it? V: Well, when I first started playing the organ, it was kind of interesting. My former...the first teacher that I had in Klaipėda, called me on the phone and asked me if I wanted to start playing the organ, taking lessons with her at school, with hopes of applying to the Lithuanian Academy of Music in a few years. And, even with the prospect of studying with the famous professor, Leopoldas Digrys! And of course, Digrys’ name was very well known to me—I mean… even to me! Because I was little, but still my mom used to go to his recitals in Vilnius when she was studying art, when she was a student at the institute of fine arts. So, of course, she was very happy that I chose organ lessons. And then, of course, the reality was a little bit different when I started studying with Digrys. He was very strict and his students were afraid of him, actually. Today, I’m continuing to practice like you, probably, because organ in itself is a wonderful instrument, and gives me pleasure and joy. It’s like self expression; if I’m not playing something everyday, I don’t feel well. I have to play at least something, create something on the organ, at least improvise. Then I know that my day isn’t wasted. A: Nice. V: Right. So, for Ariane, who is just joining our Total Organist community, it’s obviously important to get this feedback and motivation from the group, and from us, and feel like she belongs to a higher cause. Not like she’s practicing for herself, but she sort of has this passion, and actually a purpose. Without a purpose, it’s a very temporary hobby. A: Yes, I think you always need to see a purpose and to have your goal. V: Because when you don’t have a purpose, and it’s just a passion of yours, then the passion will probably fade as soon as you get the first roadblock. A: Yes, that’s how many people will not finish up what they have started. V: Right. Thank you guys, we hope this was useful to you. Please think about your purpose when you are playing the organ—the “why.” Why are you playing the organ? And this “why” will help you continue through the hard times. Keep sending your wonderful questions to us. We love helping you grow. And remember, when you practice, A: Miracles happen!
Vidas: Hi guys, this is Vidas.
Ausra: And Ausra. V: Let’s start episode 332 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by Steven and he writes: “Good morning Vidas, Hope all is well with you. Thank you very much for your helpful podcasts. Today and tonight I accompanied several choral numbers and performed a few hymns and Campra's Rigaudon at a very large venue out of town on a very large pipe organ. I'm nearly 70 years old, my memory isn't all that bad any more but it's not quite as quick to store information as it used to be. When I perform at the organ I'm finding it necessary to sight read a good deal more than I used to. I was familiar with the music and the instrument but hadn't performed it there in about 15 years and was given only about a month's notice to get things prepared. The instrument is fully playable with electropneumatic action but has a few quirks -- most noticeably a very deep key fall with stiff action on the pedal keys and very weak manual key springs to where the slightest touch makes an electrical contact to pull pallets. This can cause a lot of strange notes to enter when they shouldn't and leads to a lot of mistakes when playing the pedals. It's like your hands are playing on a soap bubble and your feet are playing in mud. I practiced the music beforehand every day for two weeks, 3 hours a day, to the point where my bottom was even sore to sit on the bench. Last night, due to the excitement, I was unable to get a restful night's sleep and kept waking up every hour, knowing I had to get up very early this morning and leave in the dark to get there on time. I believe I practiced too hard for too long, as I know my playing is much better than what my listeners heard today and tonight, and, to be perfectly honest, I was disappointed with myself. Worst I've ever done. By the time I finished tonight it felt like my mind was brain dead, rebelling against details, and I felt exhausted. Practice is necessary and good, but too much of a good thing can also not be so good. Or so it seemed to me, today. On the way home it occurred to me that this could be something you and Ausra might address in a possible podcast, as many times we don't practice enough. But we can also overdo it the other way, too. By the time I played the closing hymn tonight I was too spent and worn out to even sight read the notes any more and made many, many mistakes. I played this same hymn hundreds, maybe thousands, of times before and knew it forwards and backwards. But my mind just wasn't working. This is not at all like me. I'm thinking a good night's sleep the night before and more moderate practice habits are in store for me, and perhaps some advice about how to arrive at a balance at this would be helpful to others too. We know we can try too little and practice too little. We can also try too hard, which can hold us back. Maybe also, we can practice too much. We can get too little rest. A sleep aid might help some of us, but, then again, something like that could make some of us sleep through the alarm clock and wake up too late to get there on time. If you could shed some light on how to get in the middle of the road with this, I believe it would be very helpful to others as well as myself. It's hard not to get discouraged when things like this happen to us. Many thanks, Steve” V: Wow, this is a long story Ausra. A: It is. V: Have you fallen asleep while I was reading? A: No, it was very interesting. V: Good. It was interesting to me too because we all have those experiences when we practice too little and when we practice too much. A: So I would say the middle way would be the best like moderation in everything that we do but unfortunately that not always is the case. V: Do you think people usually or most of the time practice too little or too much? A: Usually too little but for example it is better for me when my pieces are not quite ready when I perform them and that way I stay more focused because if I am over-prepared then I’m sort of calmer and can’t focus so much. V: Less alert. A: Yes. V: You are playing like for yourself and not like in public then. A: True. V: Which might sound a good thing but it isn’t. A: That’s right. V: Or it might be a good thing but it necessarily is in your case. A: Yes, so now it’s sort of strange that Steve was afraid of over-sleeping because usually if you play concerts they are in the evenings, most of them, or late at night and that’s a problem for me because I’m not a night person. I’m more a morning person and for me it would be much easier to get up early in the morning and to play a recital earlier or during the first half of the day. But when I have to play recital at 7:00 or 7:30 or even later at night it’s hard for me because I cannot be in good shape so late at night because I never take a nap for example. I can’t take a nap so it’s really difficult. What about you? V: As I understand Steve was waking up due to the excitement last night and unable to get good sleep and waking up every hour, right, because of the excitement. Maybe he was nervous, it felt like things might not go well and he was stressed out. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t fall asleep and stay asleep. With me, usually when I play the night before is OK, the week before is OK, and at this point even the day of the recital is OK. I no longer feel that my fears are helpful so I kind of don’t pay attention to my fears. I do feel approaching due date. Even when we are recording this, this is Wednesday and my own recital is coming up on Saturday. I’ll be playing organ works by Teisutis Makačinas, a living Lithuanian composer who is celebrating 80 years anniversary this year. He was Ausras’ and my harmony and polyphony teacher. A: Professor. V: Professor, right. He will be there too and I will be playing three of his large scale organ works but I do everything I can do during this week to prepare myself, to practice better and to be ready but I know that being afraid of this upcoming recital and thinking about it during the night doesn’t lead me anywhere, right? So then I kind of disconnect a little bit from that feeling. Maybe that’s because I have been playing recitals for more than 25 years. A: Well the more you play, the more often you perform in public the easier it gets for you to do it because if you are performing each week then you could not allow yourself to not sleep a night before recital. You would get too many restless nights and you would ruin your health. So if you have trouble sleeping before recital I would suggest either herbal teas and if that doesn’t help there are probably pills. Consult your physician. V: Umm-hmm. So Steve also needs to perform more I guess in order not to have a big deal out of this. A: Yes, because it seems like it was very big deal for him and that’s where all that excitement came from. V: Yes. He wrote that he accompanied several choral numbers and performed a few hymns, and Campra’s Rigaudon. So one solo piece, right, was kind of this Rigaudon, and then he performed a few hymns which is also not solo music, it’s just congregational accompaniment, and then choral accompaniment of several numbers. So it wasn’t even a solo recital that he did. Obviously he needs to perform much more and much more intricate music and more often and on different organs that he wouldn’t get too stressed out about each and every recital or performance. That would be my best advice for him and others. A: And for me I got the impression that Steve a little bit blamed the instrument that he was playing on. V: Umm-hmm. A: I like his comparisons about feeling that he plays pedals in the mud. I think that’s so human-like that anything got wrong or not as well as we expected that we are trying to find something to put blame on and for organists it’s usually the instrument. Do you think it’s fair? V: To blame others? A: To blame the instrument. V: Or the instrument. Sometimes we blame other people. A: Yes. V: Or the audience, or choir members, or people who make noise, or construction workers on the street, or anybody else but myself. So yes, imagine a situation if Steve could have played well on this instrument without major mistakes and he was happy then his letter might have sounded much different to us than from what he wrote. Maybe the action of the instrument wouldn’t be a problem then. A: Yes, and for me I got the impression that it was not a problem because he worked too much on these pieces before this recital. I think it was the main problem that he actually could not rest the night before. V: Umm-hmm. A: And that’s why it was hard for him to go through that recital without many mistakes and as he wrote that in the last hymn he couldn’t sight-read through, he made too many mistakes. I guess he just didn’t have enough energy left and that’s because of that restless night. V: Sometimes we make mistakes, sometimes we don’t make mistakes, sometimes we get good sleep, sometimes we don’t, right? Things happen that we can’t control and even it’s not up to us sometimes, right? And we still have to get up and go to the organ bench and play to the best of our ability, right? That’s what we do as professionals and have you ever played Ausra, recital while being sick or feeling sick. A: Oh yes, not once. V: Not once, me too. A: And without sleeping much the night before. V: How did it go? A: Well surprisingly enough those recitals went even better for me than like regular recitals. Because again when I didn’t feel well, when I would be very tired I would have to concentrate more. V: Umm-hmm. A: Otherwise I would just know that I would collapse on the organ. V: But again, this is your experience of playing more than 25 years in public. Maybe somebody like Steve while being sick and without rest couldn’t perform at all. Maybe he would be tempted to cancel his performance at the last minute. A: Well sometimes I think it’s better to cancel your recital than to do a sloppy job. Don’t you think so? V: But you don’t know if will do a sloppy job beforehand or not. A: You never know but if you are really sick. V: It depends, right? If you have a fever and can barely walk out of bed then maybe it’s better to cancel, right? But I also played recitals while having high temperature and as you say it went surprisingly well. A: But you took a big risk, not because I actually didn’t care about that recital at all, I just cared about your health. V: Umm-hmm. A: Because playing with high fever you might really damage your heart and might not be able to perform at all after that. V: You know I knew that before and for that particular recital, this was improvisation recital… A: No, it wasn’t improvisation recital, it was a Christmas recital. You played Christmas repertoire. V: Oh, I played more than one while being sick then. A: This was with a high fever that you had. V: So then I think I played without too much tension from myself, conscious effort. I thought I would play just like for myself or for you, not for others and that helped me relax and somehow overcome this, right? OK so sleep well, get some rest, get good rest before recital and perform more in public, more often, with different programs, and gradually more difficult programs too, more solo pieces. Thank you guys, this was very interesting to discuss. Please keep sending us your questions, we love helping you grow. And remember when you practice… A: Miracles happen. |
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Drs. Vidas Pinkevicius and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene Organists of Vilnius University , creators of Secrets of Organ Playing. Our Hauptwerk Setup:
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