by Dr Wayne Earnest
Invariably, organists begin their keyboard training at the piano. Keyboards for the organ, harpsichord, pianoforte, and piano are all essentially the same. In studying harpsichord and a bit of pianoforte with Dr. George Lucktenberg years ago, along with other research on keyboard technique, I have concluded that the technique for each keyboard instrument changes according to the era in which its music was composed. In other words, early music uses mostly fingers & wrist. Then, in chronological order, one adds the forearm, then the upper arm, then the torso. With that simple and perhaps “overly-generalized” explanation, one can learn to play all those keyboards with proper technique. Knowing this, learning one keyboard technique will not “ruin” another.
As one who has aided numerous churches in locating organists – substitute, interim, permanent – I can say with assurance that there is an increasing shortage of organists for part-time organist jobs which, incidentally, comprise some 99% of the organist job market. Conversely, there is a surplus of organists for large, full-time organist jobs. (I’ve written a monograph on the organist shortage & surplus issue and will happily email you a copy if you’re interested.) Assuming an adequate piano background, organ study can start at any age: older child, teen, college student (Consider a minor in music/organ!), young adult, middle-aged adult, senior adult.
Here are three straight-forward ways pianists can train to become organists.
Private Lessons
- with a local organist;
- with an organ professor/instructor at Duquesne University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Seton Hill University, or West Liberty University;
- with an instructor in the Pittsburgh Organ Academy (www.pitago.org). Perhaps your church would consider paying for your organ lessons!
Online Lessons
At the website for the national office of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), one can find numerous instructional videos on organ playing. They are very well done and easy to follow – with over 500,000 views already! Topics include such things as manual technique, pedal technique, organ stop selection (“registration”), etc. Go to www.agohq.org / education / educational resources / “Lessons for the New Organist.”
Self-Instruction
using a method book. Look online for method books by Roger E. Davis, Harold Gleason, Wayne Leupold, etc.
In my own teaching, I have learned that there are three primary basic things which one needs to teach students how to play the organ: technique, stops, and repertoire/improvisation.
- Technique for the manual keyboards (hands) is mostly just learning “finger substitution” since there is no damper pedal at the organ. Technique for the pedal keyboard (feet) involves learning to play with the “toe” (ball of the foot) and “heel.” You will need special shoes, easily obtained at www.organmastershoes.com.
- Learning to select and combine stops is based upon a knowledge of stop families, stop names and the family to which each belongs, and “ensemble” versus “solo” combinations. You can learn some of that in the above-mentioned AGO videos. Also, I have some handouts on that same topic and/or I could even come to your church (pro bono) to show you the basics.
- Being an organist requires a lot of music. For example, if you play a prelude, offertory, and postlude for 50 Sundays per year, plus special holy days during Advent & Lent, plus weddings, funerals, etc., then one needs at least 200 pieces in one’s repertoire. BUT improvisation is a very good way to get started! Clearly, for the Sunday-to-Sunday organist, sight-reading is a much more important skill than memorizing. One learns to sight-read by sight-reading! Just take a hymnal and start playing. One should be able to sight-read a hymn at the piano, at a singing tempo, before beginning organ lessons.
In addition to the above, it is most helpful to know at least the basics of the church’s theological, liturgical, and musical traditions. That is relatively easy to learn by talking with clergy and church members as well as reading about those topics online.
Please feel free to contact me about any questions or concerns that you might have. I welcome the opportunity to help you in learning to play the organ – and the church needs you!
Since clergy may well know pianists within their church’s membership, they can also identify and encourage those pianists to take organ lessons – and maybe request that the church provide funding for the private lessons! Still further, the clergy can also help us better understand what they need (and don’t need) in their church musician. Below is an example of an article for the newsletter of a local ecumenical clergy organization.
Contact Dr. Wayne Earnest: 724-206-8854; musicmanwayne@outlook.com
