History and Information
The pipe organ, often just called the organ, is a keyboard instrument. While the console consists of normal-sized keyboard(s), the entire instrument of the organ is very large and is therefore often housed in a building, and frequently in churches. The earliest organ, dating back to the 3rd century BCE, was called the hydralis. The organ has a wide range of styles, and is included in many genres of music such as classic, pop, jazz, rock, and blues.
When to Start
Students can start organ lessons as young as age 4, depending on hand size and strength. However, since the organ is not generally available to purchase or rent in the home, many students start on the piano (or other keyboard instrument). Most instructors will also incorporate reading music into their lessons, so students should have some basic reading and counting skills.
Getting an Organ
As mentioned above, organs are usually not found in the home. Because of this, a piano or digital alternative may be your only option. For young students, you may want to consider renting instruments for two reasons: 1) they will most likely grow out of instruments quickly and 2) they may lose interest (although we hope they don’t!). Most stores provide repair services for instruments that they rent out. We can give you recommendations for places near you to buy or rent your piano or other keyboard, and your teacher may be able to provide information about accessing an organ in the community. Please contact us, and be sure to include your location!
Books and Supplies
Your instructor can tell you which books and supplies are appropriate. Most materials are available online. We can give you recommendations for places near you to purchase supplies and music, if you prefer to do so in person. Please contact us, and again, remember to tell us where you live!
**Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We can help provide you with additional resources.**