October 2015 Lesson – Gaining Confidence

My cat Kilala standing on the keys while I was practicing.

On Halloween I met with Michael for another lesson. I left the lesson feeling more confident than ever before as 4 of my 6 assigned pieces received a passing mark! The Lesson I began the …

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August 2015 Lesson – When it feels like you are never going to get it

Going into my lesson last Saturday I felt confident that I would receive a passing mark on 4 of my 6 assigned pieces. I didn’t obtain approval on any piece! My performance at this lesson …

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Is subdividing the answer to my tempo problems? – June 2015 Lesson

Music staff for subdividing post

On July 13, I meant with Michael for another organ lesson at his church. When I arrived there were many cars in the parking lot. I was glad it was not surprise recital day! They …

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May 2015 Lesson – Home practice vs. performance

On May 16th, I met with Michael at his church for an organ lesson. We realized that I’m not always able to play at my lesson as well as I do at home. I started …

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March 2015 Lesson – confidence and showing improvement

Last Saturday, I had my latest organ lesson with Michael. I didn’t have a lesson in February as the day we were scheduled to meet there was too much snow. At this lesson, I learned …

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January 2015 Lesson: Forgetting about the singers and the easy way out

Christ Mighty Savior

Last Saturday, I had another organ lesson. I was hopeful going into that at least some of the pieces would get a passing mark. That did not happen. Overall, I am still have issues with …

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November 2014 Organ Lesson – What would the cat say?

Last Saturday, I met Michael at his church in Toledo for another organ lesson. The first piece I played was the prelude from the Prelude and Fugue in F Major (BWV 556). This was my …

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Learning Helmut Walcha’s chorale prelude of Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen

Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen choral prelude

At my last lesson, I was assigned Helmut Walcha’s chorale prelude of (or is it on?) “Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen”. One English translation is “Ah Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended.” When Michael …

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