Have you listened to “One for my Baby” by Ella Fitzgerald and counted the beats to find where she starts her rhythmic phrases? Frequently, before the bar-line. An organist should be applying them to hands and feet with different actions simultaneously.Ī jazz vocalist or singer should be adapting them with phrasing. To simply summarise, multi-tasking is a huge element of organ playing both in repertoire and mechanics/technique.Īll rhythm exercises should be adapted to the instrument. In the Royal College of Organists advanced aural classes that I led online, I focused specifically on skills that are common challenges to organists: contrapuntal music and coordination between hands and feet. Just as a choir director, a singing teacher or vocal coach should produce exercises that connect with repertoire (rather than simply singing up and down scales), so should the aural teacher. The majority of traditional practitioners or courses are not producing bespoke courses to the individual or joining up the exercises with the work on the person’s voice or instrument (piano/organ).

The Kodaly advanced aural training practititioner’s concept of aural training includes rhythmic syllables and solfege (although many other methods include these too it should be pointed out) as one part of its philosophy. Here, I take thoughts to an even higher level.Īdvanced Aural Training – from Ear to Exquisite Performer The Kodaly “Method” and Limitations This year, Routledge published a chapter that I wrote in the Routledge Companion to Aural Skills Pedagogy Before, In, and Beyond Higher Education. Oxford and Cambridge Choral Awards scholars frequently arrive at the beginning of term with wonderful voices and experience in great choirs, but they lack sight-singing ability and a more comprehensive, in-depth musicianship skill – they don’t “sing with understanding”. In recent weeks I’ve had students as far away as Hong-Kong learning with me and I’ve taught groups at different levels for the Royal College of Organists, as well as some Heads of Music at independent schools.

Fascinatingly, it’s not only possible, but in some ways even better, online than in-person.

Taking aural training way beyond examinations and transforming the most advanced performances is a speciality of mine and I love it, the transformations are exhilarating. Advanced Aural Training Online has really become a specialism for me and there is a huge demand, worldwide, but so many advanced performers have not discovered how it can transform their performances yet.

Chord progression for aural training