THE CHALLENGE TEACHING THE ORGAN TO YOUTH YOUTH Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman Tuesay! "uly # AGO Nat$onal Con%ent$on
&a'e () Ieas *or Re+ru$t$n' Youn' Or'an Stuents &a'e ,) Tea+h$n' Su''est$ons &a'e #) The &$anoOr'an Conne+t$on &a'e ) Sele+te Methos o* Or'an &lay$n' &a'e /-0) De%elo1$n' Te+hn$2ue throu'h (! ,1t hymnoy &a'e 3) Su''este Su11lemental Re1erto$re Re1erto$re &a'e 4-5, Sele+te 6$7l$o'ra1hy
Dr. Shelly Shelly Moorman-Stahl Moorman-Stahlman man Lebanon Va Valley College College 101 North College Avenue Annville, Annville, PA 1700 717-!"7-"#7! moorman$lv%.e&u Co1yr$'ht! No%. No%. 4! (88/ 7y Del7ert D$sselhorst
IDEAS 9OR RECRUITING YOUNG ORGAN STUDENTS Shelly Moorman-Stahlman: AGO Nat$onal Con%ent$on (88/
Preschool Demonstrations (Church and Day Care Programs) 1. Use softer sounds 2. Put several children on bench at same time 3. Organ Demonstrator Series published by ayne !eupold "ditions #. $%he %une &actory for 'rgan by ohn *arr is e+cellent ('D, -1) . $/e+0 %he ing of nstruments by Daniel *urton (orning ,tar) "lementary and 4outh (Church and ,chools) 1. Coordination 5ith public music school teachers 2. Coordination 5ith piano teachers 3. 'rgan assistant programs in churches #. 'ffer scholarships . nvite youth to perform piano pieces on organ for preludes 6. Organ Demonstrator Series 7. $a+ Cat /ag for %5o Performers on 'ne 'rgan by /obin Dinda (!) 4outh Concerts 1. nvite youth to perform in concert (all youth or as opening piece)
nteraction bet5een college organ ma8ors and youth 1. "stablish peer partners as part of 'rgan Pedagogy courses 2. 9igh ,chool 5ith College students: Undergraduates teamed 5ith graduates 3. Peer partner can perform opening piece on partner;s degree recital #. "ncourage college students to be involved in P'" ,cholarship programs through local <=' chapters and Churches 1. "ast o5a Presbytery offers scholarships cosponsored by Presbyterian s of study: 2 scholarships granted) 2. /iver ?alley Chapter sponsors @A12 students each summer for lessons 3. ,ponsor students to attend P'"
SP'C()(C C*ALL'N+'S 1. ,tudents are involved in many activities 2. Difficulty finding practice time at Buality instrument 3. *ench height often too high #. ,chedule often inconsistent . *e fle+ible and have fun
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TEACHING SUGGESTIONS 9OR ;OR
ildred s a basic sense of rhythm he alone is responsible for the result. %he same organ may sound vitally alive or deadly dull depending entirely on the performer;s ability. *ut teaching is more than a matter of techniBue: it is an art. %he one unchanging fact is that the truly great the inspired teachers are those stimulate and challenge the strong student support and encourage the 5ea> and by their o5n ideals and enthusiasm instill in all their students a love for the best in their art.
Common eanee /or rgan an& Piano Stu&ent 2outh 3ith average ba%groun&4 1. Poor sightreading abilities 2. *ad hand position 3. Difficulty choosing fingering and using fingering suggestions #. !ac> of basic technical s>ills (little bac>ground in scales arpeggios etc) . nability to count and play rhythmically 6. nability to >eep eyes on the page 5hen playing 7. Poor practice habits Number ne Priority5 6ea%h Stu&ent *o3 to Pra%ti%e 1. 4outh often play the organ because they en8oy it. %hey practice to please their teacher or parent. 2. *e specific 5ith instructions to students 3. Promote thoughtful practicing 5ith a clear purpose in mind #. Padere5s>i $,ystem is perhaps the most essential thing in practice. %he student must have some design some chart some plan for his development. < bad plan is better than no plan. . /eBuire practice 8ournals (Ching study) 6. !yn5ood &arnam said $hen ma>e a mista>e in practice stop. &irst the reason for the error must be found. ,econd clearing of any technical difficulty must be decidedApossibly a ne5 fingering is needed. &inally decide that 5ill never ma>e that mista>e again and never do. 7. Use analogiesAchec> boo> analogy @. ochevits>y $Practicing is never boring 5hen the mind is actively engaged. G. Padere5s>i $usic study is 5or>. t is very delightful to sit at the >eyboard and revel in some great masterpiece but 5hen it comes to the systematic study of some e+acting detail of fingering pedaling phrasing touch dynamics0 that is 5or> and nothing but 5or>. 'ne can not be too emphatic on this point. G. /obert ,chumann $
Suggetion /or Develoing 6e%hni8ue an& Mui%ianhi ill 1. &ingering principles learned through practicing scales 2. "ncourage students to conduct their music 3. /obert ly as possible. #. Catherine CroFier responded to the Buestion $hat advice do you have for organists 5ho 5ant to play recitals todayH 5ith $%o listen to other performersAother organists of courseAbut also performers on other instruments to symphony orchestras and to smaller ensembles to listen to all good music and to hear 5hat ma>es the performance interesting not only to them but to the audience in general. . &arnam told his students $f one >eeps his eyes and ears open he can learn something useful from every service and recital he attends since even a hopelessly bad service has the virtue of sho5ing 5hat not to do. 6. "+plore ne5 instruments a. &arnam adapted Buic>ly to a ne5 organ but 5ould insist on 1 hours minimum on any ne5 organ before he 5ould give a recital on it (even if needed to be done through the night)
The &$anoOr'an Conne+t$on $!ose no opportunity of practicing on the organ0 there is no instrument 5hich ta>es a s5ifter revenge on anything unclear of sloppy playing in composition and playing. (/obert ,chumann) $%he organ touch is the nearest possible approach to a correct pianoAtouch (!ud5ig DeppeAfather of 5eight techniBue) $ feel that a strong piano bac>ground is very important. %his develops strong fingers and a secure techniBue. %he best players have a good piano bac>ground: those 5ho don;t must 5or> t5ice as hard. (/obert
Metho& /or Develoing Stu&ent9 6e%hni%al an& Mui%al +ro3th in Partnerhi 3ith Piano 6ea%her 1. "ar %raining 2. &ingering choices (influence of scales and arpeggios) 3. Piano repertoire on organ #. 9anon for organ
SELECTED METHODS O9 ORGAN &LAYING ,helly oormanA,tahlman 2II6 <=' Convention Di%over the rgan 'lementary :eyboar& Metho& edited by /o5ley and !eupold =raded series designed for upper elementary and middle school students ;eginning at the rgan (# successive boo>s) ;ai% rgan ed. !eupold) 'ater an& Pente%ot Seaon at the rgan (arr. &ed ed. !eupold) rgan an& ne (ntrument (arr. ahn>e ed. !eupold) )irt rgan ;oo e&ite& by ayne Leuol& 'aiet *ymn, vol. 1 arr. *y ayne !eupold 6rio /or the rgan by /ichard 9udson (vol. 1 and 2) *ymn 6rio /or the Ne3 rganit (vol. 1 2 3 #) )irt (mroviation ;oo by =ohn Shannon . "dited by ayne !eupold 6he e rgan 6e%hni8ue5 Mo&ern an& 'arly. +eorge no5n pieces included. (not intended as a resource of music) 6he rganit9 Manual. ier +leaon. Prentice 9all 1G@@. "+cellent e+ercises for manuals and pedal. Compositions are included from all periods but early fingering is not utiliFed. "+tensive te+ts serve as reference tool. "+cellent list of graded organ music. rgan 6utor rgan 101. Don Coo . ulti media computer based resource for classical and traditional sacred organ instruction. (ntro&u%tion to rgan Playing in 17 th an& 1! th Century Style. =ohn ;ro% . ayne !eupold "ditions. A 2oung Peron9 +ui&e to the Pie rgan. San&ra So&erlun& . <=' publication
DE=ELO&ING TECHNI>UE THROUGH T;O-THREE =OICE HYMNS ?S an 6ass-1eal: S! T! 7ass-1eal@ )ive /inger oition melo&y 3ith all toe in e&al 1. !ift Up 4our =ates "ternal (refrain) 2. um ba 4ah (thumb plays d and e but hand stays in position) 3. ;ve =ot Peace !i>e a /iver (pentatonic melody 5ith easy pedalAall toes)
'ay melo&ie 3ith all toe e&al line 1. ,tille Eacht 2. Dennis 3. esus /emember eA*erthier setting #. !ord 5ant to be a Christian (one note 5ith heel) . !onesome ?alley 6. ,t.
)ive /inger melo&ie 3ith imle heel?toe e&al line 1. 9ymn to oy 2. !iving =od 3. !afferty (t5o e+tensions in melody line) #. y !ord hat a orning (refrain very easy) . ,t. &lavian ( finger pattern 5ith the addition of lo5er neighbor) 6. yrie (erbec>e setting)
Pentatoni% melo&ie 3ith eay heel?toe e&al line 1.
(nvolve& melo&y 3ith hi/t 3ithin hrae but imle e&al 1. %hree ings of 'rient (mostly toes) 2. Converse (many repeated pedal notes) 3. ,olid /oc> (medium) #. 'livet (medium) . ' ,tore =ud (refrain becomes more difficult in melody)
Easy 7la+ ey 1eal Bor 1. ,till ,till ,till 2. 'pen y "yes
One han 1os$t$on 1er 1hrase $n melo$+ l$ne 1. Di+ (simple heelJtoe) 2.
9$%e *$n'er melo$es B$th a+t$%e 1eal l$nes 1. 9yfrydol 2. !lanfair 3. *oundless ercy
SUGGESTED SU&&LEMENTAL RE&ERTOIRE 9OR YOUTH Shelly Moorman-Stahlman! (88/ AGO Nat$onal Con%ent$on
*ach C.P.". *ach C.P.". *ach .,. !eupold *ehn>e ohn *oely hardt ichael *ur>hardt *ur>hardt *usaro5 Donald Caine yron Callahan Charles "ngel ames &ranc> Cesar 9aan /aymond 9andel 9aydn oseph 9eld ilbur
9opson 9al 9udson /ichard eller 9erman !eavitt ohn !ovelace ham Daniel /eger a+ /oberts yron ,usanne van ,oldt %revor C.9. alcha 9elmut Kuiderveld /udolf.
%en Pieces for an 'rgan Cloc> ,acred usic ,onatas Peters sgiving (7 sets) orning ,tar ?ariations on $' Perfect !ove orning ,tar Processional on $!ift 9igh Concordia &irst *oo> of 9ymns for the *eginning 'rganist Concordia Partita on s 7 ,ettings of 9ymns Concordia !ittle Eativity ,uite 'rgan ,ettings of Children 9ymns
