ATOS Convention LA 2012

This was the second convention I went to. My first was Atlanta in 1978. It was wonderful actually meeting all my friends I know from online. We heard so many great organs. The one I like the sound of best was the Pasedena Civic Auditorium Moller. It used to be Reginald Foort's traveling Moller. It has an incredibly full orchestral sound. Both Mark Herman and Walt Strony played it. Mark is developing player. I hope he makes some mre CDs soon. I was selected for the Mentor program..where I had a private hour session with Walt Strony. It was avwonderful experience and a got. Lot of gret tips The whole convention was great and I am glad I went (even though it was very expensive.) i am looking forward to Atlanta next year.

Metronome

My teacher has put me back on the metronome for the Hanon exercises. We stopped the metronome because it was making me too frustrated.  I can handle it now.

Grandpa Spells

I am now able to "Grandpa Spells" by Jelly Roll Morton on the organ.  I always used to struggle with it so much.  I guess the technique things in my lessons are paying off.  I was given my first piece of this music by Bill Gage when I was on on the organ crew and he played at the old Stanley Theatre in Newark, NJ.  Which had become The Center For Italian Culture.  It was a nice 3/12 (I think) Wurlitzer.  At the time we had removed the organ from the Fabian Theatre in Paterson and were building chambers in Newark for it.  I am not sure what happened but I have heard that the Fabian organ is now in storage in England somewhere.  It was a beautiful at least 4 manual organ with a floating string division.

St Patrick's Day

Am gathering Irish songs and down loading them on my ipad for this Wednesday at Bristol Glen. I may start out by singing at the piano, "It's not that easy being green" from Sesame Street. I have never song for them before...so I will have to think about it.

Sustenuto Pedal

I started using the sustenuto button on the two Allen organs I play. You can do some nice things with it but I don't want to get too used to it since most pipe organs don't have one.

So beats my heart

I just got the music for Fred Waring's "so beats my heart" the opening phrase is great for open harmony! I don' like to overdo open harmony.. But this song is just crying out for it.

Stainer's finger substituions

I have not been practicing the Stainer finger substitutions enough when I sit down on the organ so I just photocopied the one page so I can also work on them on my piano. Hopefully that will help.