Searching Organ Students- Traveling Organ- Part 3

The question: "How do we connect to a new generation?" produced the brain child of John Vanderlee and John Baratta, which was to take the Theatre organ directly into public schools. Rising to the challenge, NYTOS purchased an Allen ADC 4600 Organ. With its dual capability of classical as well as theatre voicing, it is eminently suited for teaching. By adding 8 extra speakers to accommodate any size venue, and a 6 x 12 ft enclosed trailer, NYTOS now owns a "Traveling Organ."

The organ travels to schools to present the "SOS" (Searching Organ Students) program, where all-day workshops are presented to the Music department student body. The program has garnered overwhelming praise from music teachers. Students display a genuine interest and a number have taken up, or are considering, the organ as their instrument.

In no small part, the success is due the talents of retired public school music teacher and organist John Baratta. From technical as well as performance details to the differences between theatre and classical organ, John totally de-mystifies the organ with a style that mesmerizes students and draws them completely into the presentation. Meanwhile, John Vanderlee attends to the transport, set up, and technical details to ready the organ for every presentation.

Each session starts the evening before by loading the trailer for a next-morning departure of 4 AM, or earlier, to have the organ unloaded and ready by first school bell. Load, return and unload can move deep into the evening, with 18 hour days not uncommon for these two gentlemen.

Other organizations, like local AGO chapters, the Garden State ATOS chapter, as well as private donors, have stepped forward to fund presentations of this successful program. NYTOS also continues to fund refinements, with a list of items to yet be completed.

Theatre organ enthusiasts hold the highest level of respect for these two people for their fine work in promoting the theatre organ to the younger generation. Keep up the great work!

Note: This video is part 3 of 3. This video was also posted with the permission of John Vanderlee of the New York Theatre Organ Society (NYTOS).

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Traveling
• Theatre
• Organ
• Allen
• NYTOS
• AGO
• ATOS
• Wurlitzer
• Students
• Music
• Instrument
• John
• Vanderlee
• Baratta

[paulj0557]

@cobraglenn The organ has a very VERY broad range of music that sounds right on it & the more you listen the better. Check out my youtube play list you will see that the organ can grab you with every kind of music. Some of that 'old' music sounds better than you might think. And I'm not old.

'Organ Tunes even Organ Haters will love'

Listen to these four first-

Alan Haven plays Hard Days Night

Celestial Voices - Pink Floyd - Richard Wright - Farfisa Organ Part

Novachord video

The Chipophone

[cobraglenn]

again here we are with this music that is so out of date, newer stuff, im pretty sure if you have no idea what newer music is, you should at lease know the beatle's or star wars, kids can connect w/that!!!

[dacatholicbandorgan]

Good Idea.

[christhompsonorganis]

This is a wonderful idea! I hope it proves successful.

Unfortunately in the UK I have found many of the societies to be the biggest obstacle in encouraging young organists.

As a teenager I found the organ clubs to be very cliquey and very much "we'll have you if your face fits" attitude.

I am still playing but it's thanks to the church.

[spinaway]

Great programme, Personally i would targetchildren younger than this, I started my daughter at the age of six on a single manual keyboard, By the age of 11 she was playing a wurlitzer 950 and a Gulbranson 600 series, sadly i pushed her too hard and she lost her way and gave it up, she is now 26 and is showing an interest again, she too has a daughter, Maybe i will buy the young one an organ it may interest them both.

[Dale13152]

Great video and teaching. Hope you can get some theater pipe organ students out of this. Again , good show. Maint/tuning on opus 1143.

Good job

Dale

[germromeo]

This is such a cool program. My city, I know of like 5 organ players, all of them are at least 70 years old. I'm lucky to be taking lessons with one of them. It's an open market for organists. We need them. Maybe I can start this kind of program in my city....

[earlph]

Let's just hope plenty of youngsters are just amazed like we are.. and will start out into a professional way !!

[organman0921]

Bravo! Excellent! You are a genuine trooper and you will definitely win friends for the organ. I applaud your hard work.

[AllenOrganCrazy]

that is awesome..i plan to major in classical organ..thanks for making my day!