I ask my students to bring a notebook so I can write down their assignments and make suggestions for playing more accurately. I always have to smile when a particular student hands me her notebook. Here’s advice from Marilyn Monroe, and others on this subject! Insofar as playing the organ, you must know how important… Read More With the right shoes …!
Have you ever heard the term “circuit rider?” It referred to clergy in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the United States who traveled from church to church to organize congregations. It was especially prevalent in places where there was a dearth of ministers, and so it was common to have ministers serve more than… Read More Have shoes, will travel!
You may recall that when I was in Bakersfield, I heard an excellent presentation on introducing the organ to children by Robert Ampt and his wife, Amy Johansen, who live in Australia. They also gave an organ duet recital including Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Handel), Sonata in D minor (Gustav Merkel), Variations on… Read More A visit with the Australians
I just read a fascinating article called “Bach’s Incredible Feet,” which was published on Bach’s birthday, a few days ago. Non-organists find it amazing that we play with both feet, and compared to playing the harp, timpani and piano, which use the feet in a secondary role, our feet become extensions of our hands. Organists… Read More Organists’ feet and shoes