Organ Lessons in Princeton, NJ

If you are an organist, aspiring organist or pianist in Princeton who wishes to double on the organ, I would be happy to speak with you. My private teaching studio is based in Freehold, NJ, and I’m happy to work with organists from the Princeton, NJ area. I’ve been a church music director for many years, and I’m an experienced pianist, organist, choir and handbell director, and music arranger. If you have any questions about life as a professional organist or how to become competent on the organ, please get in touch!

About My Organ and Musical Background

As the music director at First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, I lead singing, provide preludes and offerings, and handle wedding and other responsibilities on the organ. I also direct choirs and lead the handbell ensemble. I also play the piano in church settings and offer private lessons to many students in the Princeton, NJ area. I’ve helped pianists learn how to play the organ and vice versa, and I’m happy to share my knowledge with aspiring church or synagogue music directors.

Organ Lessons in Princeton for Beginners and Advanced Musicians

Lessons For Beginners

With beginner organists, we first cover the anatomy of the instrument. You’ll learn about the keys, pedals, stops, pipes, wind supply, the console as a whole, and the technical aspects about how this magnificent instrument works.Then we will dig into the fundamentals of music.

You will learn notes on the staff, the corresponding keys on the keyboard, and after you are comfortable with keys, you will learn which pedals play different notes. We will also learn how to recognize time signatures and key signatures, count quarter, half, whole, and other note values, and how to recognize accidentals.

We will also work on scales, arpeggios and other drills which will teach your technical mastery of the instrument. As you progress, we will discuss transposition, play with hands and pedals together, and how to use stops to create different sounds, and use swells, among many other aspects of playing.

Coaching For Experienced Organists

If you already have the basics covered, I’m happy to work with you on breaking through the skill plateau. We can identify repertoire that will challenge you in areas where you may be deficient, and we can work on bringing your practical skills up to a professional level. “Practical skills” may include writing transcriptions of music for the organ, transposing choir music into different keys, and improvising on a theme.

Helping Pianists Broaden Their Horizons

Pianists who wish to work in worship settings (a steady stream of work) will benefit from becoming a competent organist.

Church organ gigs start off as rewarding part time jobs, and you will need to play the organ in worship services and for the occasional wedding or funeral. If an organist adds responsibilities like choir directing, youth ensemble work, and more, the pay may even increase to a full-time position.

Start Taking Organ Lessons in My Studio

If you live near Princeton, Rosedale, Cranbury, West Windsor Township, or the surrounding areas and would like to take organ lessons with a highly experienced professional, please get in touch. I would be happy to hear from you and discuss your background and specific goals.