SOPP380: I like the idea of submitting videos to you as part of the organ competition
b'This question was sent by John, and he writes:\\n \\nHi Vidas,\\n\\nThanks so much for the podcast and chat today, you are incredibly inspiring! I feel so motivated after that chat.\\n\\nAs 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.\\n\\nCould you please discuss this with Ausra, and give me your advice? It could be a podcast discussion if you want, I don\\u2019t mind the general questions being discussed publicly.\\n\\nI would like to write up a practice plan for say 60 minutes a day Monday to Friday, and maybe 90 minutes on Saturday & Sunday.\\n\\nTo summarise how I feel:\\n\\nI think I\\u2019ve hit a wall of being able to self diagnose what I\\u2019m doing wrong. I have done well so far to be aware of what I\\u2019m doing, and ask you the right questions to get your help, and then correct it. But right now I don\\u2019t know what I don\\u2019t know if that makes sense. I don\\u2019t know of a \\u2018better\\u2019 way of doing things.\\n\\nFor example, sometimes my choice of fingering isn\\u2019t good, but I don\\u2019t really know what the rules are, or what other options I have.\\nThe older retired organist has been helpful, but his communication style isn\\u2019t 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.\\nDo 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.\\n\\nI don\\u2019t know what I should do next, but I think it\\u2019s something like:\\n\\nRebuild foundation of finger technique (start with Hanon exercises, but what else??)\\nWork 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.\\nBreathing and phrasing of music.\\nI have the book \\u201cThe Organists\\u2019 Manual\\u201d by Roger Davis, should I be working through this at my own pace or follow a teacher?\\nUnderstand 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.\\nBroaden 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).\\n\\nI\\u2019m thinking Suite Gothique by Boellman, Fanfare for the Common Man by Lemmens, O Mensch BWV 622 by Bach, maybe Bach\\u2019s Little Fugue in G minor BWV 578 or the Prelude and Fugue in C Major BWV 531?\\n\\nI 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\\u2019t 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\\u2019t done any scales or arpeggios yet.\\n\\nMaybe I could do:\\n\\n5 mins sight reading for warm up\\n25 mins Hanon\\n15 mins learning hymns for church services\\n15 mins learning organ solo repertoire\\n\\nExtras: music theory and harmony? Improvisation? Scales/arpeggios? Pedal scales?\\n\\nI 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.\\n\\nI really need some specific instructions not just a general idea.\\n\\nThanks again so much for your time, and for being such wonderful friends and mentors!\\n\\nTake care,\\nGod bless\\nJohn...'