Up till now my interviews have almost exclusively been with organists living and working in the UK – so I though you might enjoy an interview with a young South African organist. Jon Nisperos and I have been exchanging emails about new organs in the UK amongst other things: ‘I have always dreamed of travelling and exploring the many organs of the world’ says Jon. He is 20, and was born in King Williams Town, South Africa and in 2000, moved to a small town called Berlin in the Eastern Cape Province, then moved back to King Williams Town in 2005. He studied piano under John Thompson, and has been involved with the Choir at church since he was 8 years old. It was when he joined the Senior Choir that he was inspired by the sound of the organ, and the many voices of the instrument. In 2010 he took his oath as an official organist in the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), an international religious organization. After the senior organist had her first child and decided to take a break from playing ‘I am now the senior organist, and I am pretty much the youngest to be, because our congregation is small’ he says. He now plays for both Junior and Senior Choir, and teaches child beginner piano students at Church voluntarily and enjoys it very much. If need be, he travels to other groups of the Church of Christ in other parts of South Africa, mainly in the Free State Province. He has a full time job as a Personal Assistant and has to fit his Church work around it. Thanks, Jon, for taking the time to answer my five questions:
Which piece of music are you studying at the moment and why?
JS Bach’s Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude, a wonderful composition especially for a heavy mood – it takes you to that calm place inside. It was my favorite piece while studying piano, and then I was introduced to the organ and decided to find the organ notation for it. Shivers struck down my spine when I played it. It wasn’t much of a difference except that the bass pedals added much more value to the piece. The piece has a special meaning to me, though I don’t know if there are any words to it, but every note and phrase I play has a different role that is familiar to my past.
What has been your best experience as an organist?
Being organist has allowed me to explore more about the world of classical music. After having been assigned as full-pledged organist with my love for music, I volunteered to assist my piano tutor, Ms Petro Van Biljoen, with teaching piano basics at a local all-boys school. My best experience isn’t much of a “once-off” type, but rather “all the time”. When I play the very first note of Church hymns, there is a special connection within my body, the organ, the sounds, the hymns, and most especially, the Holy Spirit.
What has been your worst experience as an organist?
I had one funny incident where I was playing a rather fast piece and looked down quickly at my feet and pedal board, and my spectacles jumped from my eyes to my mouth as I looked back up to my notes. The worst I would say is when I was playing one time, and I think my stomach tried to reject something I ate for breakfast. I had to run out, interrupting the ambience. I can never forget that day.
What’s the best piece of advice you were given by an organ teacher? (and who was it?)
Being self –taught for from the young age of 8 until 12, I wasn’t into meeting tutors. It started with piano, and then I moved onto organ, studying under Mrs Diana Grace. I also had guidance from our then District Mentor, Mrs Helen Tumbaga, all the way from Rome, Italy. She’s now based in Germany. But I’ll never forget what Mrs Diana Grace said during a rehearsal, “Pray and Play”. It’s just as simple as that; being Christian, nothing could be clearer than this, and I thank her.
What would be your own best piece of advice for student organists?
‘Breathe’, by that, I mean practice your pieces, familiarize yourself with them and make the organ ‘sing’. If you don’t breathe, the organ won’t sound well, Make the organ YOUR voice, feel it, and express your emotion through the voices.
King Williams Town is in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, on the banks of the Buffalo River, about 30 minutes by motorway from the coast. The Eastern Cape has played a prominent role in South African history. In the latter half of the 18th century it was where black and white met for the first time, and King Williams Town was was the birthplace of black consciousness activist Steve Biko.
