Author Description
A guide for organists revealing that improvisation is within the grasp of all students, even for those with minimal keyboard skills. The book is organized in a loosely graded fashion with exercises that are not only simple and useful, but musically satisfying from the very start. Written in an engaging and readable manner, this text will work well in both the classroom and the private study setting and can serve as a prerequisite text to Gerre Hancock's Improvising: How to Master the Art.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the accessibility of organ improvisation, arguing that the skill is achievable for students regardless of their initial keyboard proficiency. Jan Overduin, an experienced educator, presents a pedagogical framework designed to demystify the creative process. By utilizing a graded sequence of exercises, the author demonstrates how foundational techniques can be developed systematically. The text serves as both a classroom resource and a self-study guide, bridging the gap between basic musical knowledge and advanced improvisational mastery.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A graded curriculum of exercises for organ improvisation
- Techniques for developing musical creativity with minimal keyboard skills
- Pedagogical strategies for both classroom and private instruction
- Foundational exercises intended to precede advanced study
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and educators frequently cite this work as a highly accessible entry point for students intimidated by the complexity of organ improvisation. The text is widely recognized for its practical, step-by-step approach that balances technical skill-building with immediate musical satisfaction.
Page Count:
224
Publication Date:
1998-12-31
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0193860759
ISBN-13:
9780193860759
Music
Organ
Improvisation
Education
Instructional
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