SOPP538: I am 65 years old and have only returned to organ playing in 2014 after 35 years

This question was sent by Ray, and he writes: “Hello Vidas Pinkevicius, Thank you for asking for my answers to your questions. 1. I am 65 years old and have only returned to organ playing in 2014 after spending 35 years working as an architect and part-time singer “to earn money for our vacations.” My dream is to learn some of the major organ pieces on my list and be able to play them with my heart, with confidence and in recital. Having some substitute church assignments that require me to learn shorter pieces and play hymns is also fun for me. 2. The 3 most important things holding me back are: practice discipline, practice discipline and sight reading. My hope is that when I am fully retired at the end of 2020 I will have more time to practice and be more efficient with my practice time and learning ability. In the meantime, focusing on real learning during my practice time is my goal. I find it difficult to not read ahead or have patience to only learn a little bit each day, which I know is more efficient. Thank you. I enjoy reading your emails. I just need to focus on doing what you recommend. Ray”