This organ class is intended for members of the Springville Spring Creek 9th Ward, unless permission has been granted by the instructor.
After receiving approval from our stake president and Bishop Weight, I am excited to offer a 6-week beginning group organ class to interested ward members. The goal of the class is to learn to play hymns well enough to play for the congregation to sing in sacrament meeting.
Requirements: Basic piano skills: ability to read music, play a hymn on the piano, and a strong commitment to attending each class and doing the homework of practicing the organ at least once a week (more is better!), in addition to the class time.
• There is a small fee of $15 per class, or a total of $90 for the 6 classes [Private organ lessons at BYU are $60 for a 45-minute lesson, to give you some perspective.]
• An instruction book “Hymn Studies for Organists” is available for purchase ($15.95) on this BYU website: https://creativeworks.byu.edu/CreativeworksStore/ProductCategory?mediaID=4&SiteID=10
Please purchase this text, if at all possible. Assignments will be made based on the content of this text. It is by Parley Belnap, a former BYU organ professor, and is focused on helping organists learn to play the hymns.
We will be learning to use the pedals, so you will need to bring shoes that fit well, have a low heel (1 1/4 inches high) and a flexible, not chunky soles that slide easily. Organ shoes can be purchased, but they are expensive (around $60). I played for years without official organ shoes. I just found other shoes that worked. Playing in bare or stocking feet is not very sanitary and might result in stubbed toes!
The classes will each last 90 minutes. We will learn about different parts of the organ and organ playing technique – which is very different than playing the piano. Each week will focus on a different aspect of organ playing technique. Each assignment will be demonstrated and each class member will have an opportunity to play the exercises during class, so they can receive feedback.
Most of the assignments will be focused on some aspect of hymn playing. During the last class, each student will perform a hymn of their choice for the rest of the class members (and possible family members) to sing. In the following weeks, each student who would like to play a hymn or the hymns for sacrament meeting will be given that opportunity.
About me and the organ. When I was 10 or 11, my piano teacher suggested that I take a course offered by the Church. William Foxley, a BYU organ professor was the teacher. I don’t remember much about the details of the class, but I do remember playing “Now Let Us Rejoice” on the stake center organ in Shelley, Idaho, for the class final.
When I was around 12, I began playing the organ for Sunday School in the Chester, Idaho Ward, and played for Sunday School and sometimes sacrament meeting until I went to Ricks College. When I transferred to BYU in Provo, I had the opportunity to take private organ lessons from William Foxley for a couple of semesters – the same man who taught the class when I was 10.
Over the years I have had many opportunities to serve as the ward organist in a number of different wards. I love playing the organ! And I hope to help some of you learn to love it as well.