Organ teachers

[regeron]

... ... ... Interestingly, they are teaching the way many have describe playing solo soprano, alto-tenor accomp, and bass on pedals. ... ... ...

When I think about it, the Left Hand is probably playing full 3 or 4 note chords, rather than the 2 middle voices of an SATB arrangement.

[andyg]

60 years of age is too late to accomplish anything of significance.

Er, tell that to one of my students, who started playing on his retirement and is taking Grade 7 in a few months, with a view to skipping Grade 8 and going straight to Diploma. He's now 80 years young! 'Significant'? It is to him and for the audiences he already plays for.

You can indeed start to learn the basics on a spinet, whatever type of organ music you want to play.

[nullogik]

You can indeed start to learn the basics on a spinet, whatever type of organ music you want to play.

That is exactly my point. You can teach some of the basics on a non-AGO instrument. Sounds like Wade hasn't been played for some time, so perhaps his keyboard technique is a bit rusty. You can learn organ keyboard technique on any size or specification of organ, spinet or whatever. Same with practicing scales, arpeggios, sight reading skills, hymn playing, articulation, hand independance etc. Also plenty of good keyboard only organ music out there as well.

What about non-playing skills such as suitable registration, the history of the organ and the mechanicals of a pipe organ. Doesn't even require access to any organ to be able to learn about these things.

If I were teaching Wade, I'd be concentrating on reviving the hand technique first long before attempting to teach the use of the pedalboard. That is at least a good few weeks or months. Ample time to seek out an AGO specced instrument to start learning the pedals on.

Oh, and I still stand by my "snobbish" comment 100%. On top of that I will also add "short sighted" to describe your local AGO chapter.


Shame there aren't more teachers like AndyG in your local AGO chapter, Wade. All the best with your search.

[Wade]

To update again, I took my first lesson last Thursday, and yes this is the Lowery effort. Lowery teaches 1 finger "chords and bass pedal" using their theatre type organs. It seems to be an amazingly successful marketing plan, and it does get people playing. The instructor is a professional musician and I am welcome to play the parts as if I was reading real music and not just the fake book stuff. (By the way, I played from a fake book with my trumpet many times. It works.) So, I am getting finger and pedal practice, though sight reading is not being built. For that I need to keep working in my old method books. The music director at church has said I can use the Galanti at church to practice on, as soon as he shows me some of its features, and there is a woman, who substitutes for him that may (I need to contact her) also teach me more formal organ technique. So, after a rough start, I have found several sources of instruction and information. Sorry the AGO didn't work out, but too bad. Once people figure out that I am sincere, many doors start opening. Who knows, maybe I'll invite the members of this forum to my first recital where I'll be playing J.S. Bach!

Wade

[regeron]

... ... ... You can teach some of the basics on a non-AGO instrument. ... ... ...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Bach play on a non-AGO instrument? And I hear he wasn't too bad.

[nullogik]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Bach play on a non-AGO instrument? And I hear he wasn't too bad.

LOL, funniest comment I've seen all day! You want to tell that to the AGO. :-)

Top marks!