Preparing for Competitions
Much of the following contains excerpts from an article by Barbara English Maris entitled "Points to Ponder When Preparing to Perform" (AMT, American Music Teacher Magazine-January, 1987) provide amazing insights into the exciting world of Music Festivals. Thank you, Barbara, for all your wonderful books and articles!
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FAVORITE QUOTE:
"Just as every sunset is different from those which precede it, every performance is different. Performers have the opportunity --- nay, the responsibility --- to share their insights, to communicate with their listeners, to link the composer and the audience, to make each performance unique." --- "Points to Ponder When Preparing to Perform", by Barbara English Maris, AMT Magazine-January, 1987. Many thanks to this wonderful author for her fabulous suggestions which are also included in several of the articles on this page.. How Can Competitions Help Me? Music Festivals. Competitions. Auditions. Adjudications. All different words for the same wonderful experience. Auditions have so much potential to help us develop in so many ways: they can help us to learn [and "polish"] new music; they can give us motivation and incentive to keep developing our musical talents; they can develop security and help us realize that there's a whole world of musicians out there just like us...that the musical world doesn't stop at our own music lesson, and also along this line, they can help us meet and hear other pianists our own age who may become good friends. Perhaps this is one of the greatest benefits of a competition .... to be able to hear other great pianists and new music/new interpretations, and gain respect for our fellow competitors. [We're not "in this boat alone"! Other students just like us struggle with the same challenges in learning music, memorizing, scheduling enough practice time, performing etc. etc. Sometimes, these fellow competitors can inspire us to become better musicians ourselves....to raise our standards and expectations!] Auditions offer us immediate goals to reach, and also long term goals to work toward in the future. They give us a PLACE to perform - - - sometimes, a fabulous instrument and hall that we would never be able to encounter had we not entered the competition! - - - sometimes, a rather "challenging" instrument missing a pedal or a few ivories on the keys!! (Always be prepared for ANYTHING!) Sometimes, auditions with "required repertoire lists" give us incentive to learn new music, and when we've prepared adequately, competitions can give us confidence and poise. So, in a nutshell, all these special events can actually help us become better people, and musicians, IF we make sure that we see them as aid to learning, and not an end in themselves. 
When Can Competitions Not Help?
Often competitions can cause students to "cram learn" music and not allow a healthy time-period for learning. Unfortunately, it is this sort of mentality which often leads to injury, or, at the very least, non-musical "mechanical" playing. When such time pressures are demanded, not only is the musicality and freedom of expression often sacrificed, but also the "forced learning" is unhealthy on the body. Every mind/body is different, but a"natural" absorption of new material usually takes months and even years for each new piece to be absorbed properly. Competitions, unfortunately, demand a time-frame more along the lines of weeks/months. The healthy body needs a certain time-frame to absorb new motions. The repetitions must be done in a non-stressful, consistent matter. It should never be "forced" into the mind/body. "Sadly, I have known some very fine students who ended lessons right after a contest victory, feeling they had already achieved enough. You can never stop growing as a pianist! The famous concert pianist, Arthur Rubinstein was still giving concerts at age 89! For Rubinstein, playing the piano came so naturally that he didn't practice SERIOUSLY until he was about 40. By then, he was already a great success, but he knew he needed to work on making his performances less sloppy , so he practiced harder than ever before in his life. Other famous concert pianists may have always practiced SERIOUSLY, but grew in their interpretations of the music. As they lived and saw more of life and love and art, they had more to express in their music." You may play the same piece at 20 and at 60, and it won't seem like the same performer! Every life deserves music . . . don't give up on such a special gift! Competitions can help us grow as musicians and people, providing we regard them as an AID and not as an END in themselves. You should always take the long view of your progress; don't see the audition as the "final" goal. The primary goal should be to make sure you're growing technically and musically, as well as learning pieces in all sorts of styles. Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on ratings and prizes. If you're only worried about these things, you can lose sight of the real goal which is to improve our playing. Sometimes students become discouraged when they place lower than they feel they should. Remember, the audition is only one rung in the ladder of steady growth; long-term growth is not limited to any boundaries. Sometimes students study nothing for the entire year except the required recital or competition pieces. Again, too much emphasis is placed on a single event that lasts, at best, only a few minutes. This can give a student a one-sided slant. He is apt to look at the event as all-important, not realizing that he's neglecting other important aspects of his study. We don't study the piano to enter a competition; a competition is the result of successful study. Well-rounded study is like a well-rounded diet. Attention needs to be paid to all aspects of musicianship --- sight-reading, technique, theory, and all styles of repertoire. How Should I Practice While Learning The Music? 4 "Commandments" 1) Practice the way your teacher preaches in the lesson! 2) CONCENTRATE WHEN PRACTICING 3) PRACTICE CONCENTRATING 4) The way you practice, will be the way you perform! (SO, if you "stop" or hesitate all the time when you practice, then you'll do the same thing in your performance! If you practice wrong notes or rhythms, you'll perform wrong notes or rhythms! SEE THE "PRACTICE TIPS" or refer to resources in the studio waiting area/library for specific ways to practice when learning new music. How Should I Practice the Few Weeks/Months Before a Competition? By this point, it's important that the music is basically learned, memorized, and pretty much up-to-tempo. The cake has been cooked and NOW we get to do the FUN part!! Add the delicious icing on the cake! Look for inspiration outside the practice room. Perhaps you've read an interesting book, or walked outside in the freshly fallen snow! How can these different scenes be "re-created" in your music? Have you recently experienced something very sad in your life? Have you recently seen the fireworks at Disney Land? Spark that imagination! The sky's the limit! Now's the time to start "visualizing" the actual performance/audition. How do you want the piece to sound? What will be special about your interpretation? You might want to tape-record yourself often to have an "objective" ear (your OWN ear!!) truly hear the piece. Perform the music as MUCH AS POSSIBLE for "friendly listeners" such as a grandparent or a best friend, or a "video-camera audience"! Several of my students have made a Classical Music Video (ala MTV!!) as a fun Saturday project! Now to the "nitty gritty" of how to practice. If you will have Keyboard Theory and Technic (scales/chords etc) in the audition, make SURE you include these in every practice session. You want them to be automatic. Include SLOW, MEDIUM, and FAST tempos (tempi) of each piece in each practice session. You should always vary your practice techniques....sometimes with the metro, sometimes without. Try unusual ways of playing, too, to test memory ... for example, if the piece uses pedal, try it without pedal a few times. Try playing "backwards" by section. If there are spots that are not physically comfortable in your body...any awkward fingerings/elbow adjustments/torso adjustments etc. etc. make SURE you fix these things now. Often, problems in performances stem from not feeling comfortable at the instrument. The body almost "rebels" on you! Continue to drill difficult sections extra, EVEN IF YOU FEEL you have mastered these tricky spots. The "memory" of the wrong fingering/wrong accidental/ wrong note etc. is STILL in your memory bank, although it's buried quite deeply by now! MEMORY WORK. (This is only for those who will need to perform a piece from memory at the competition... which, thanks to Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt, is what's generally expected!) A piece is never memorized "once and for all." Memory work takes constant work and review. Think about it. You may have memorized a long list of spelling words or French Verbs for a test last Fall. But if you did not REVIEW these words all along throughout the year, you probably won't be able to remember them once Spring rolls around! TYPES OF MEMORY: Our brains memorize several different ways -- we memorize through HEARING, through SEEING (the page and the keys) and through a type of "memory muscle" which is like a habit. (Sort of like when you play a piece from memory, and your fingers move, but you were thinking about something totally unrelated, like what you'll eat for supper!!!??!!) Aural/Visual/Kinesthetic SO, it's important to make sure you're not JUST using that "digital" (muscle) memory which is not secure enough under pressure. People who just play a piece over and over using the book, and then suddenly try the piece from memory are using this type of memory. They have never CONSCIOUSLY memorized the piece, engaging the brain in other ways. USE THE MUSIC/STUDY THE SCORE: Once a piece is memorized, ALWAYS go back and practice using the music at least one time in each practice session. (You have to reinforce the "VISUAL" memory of the page.) In order to assure a successful performance, you MUST "analyze" the music constantly. What's alike? What's different? What interval is formed between the 2 hands? Is that a I-V7-I progression or a I-IV-I? The pedal changes once a measure in the first phrase, but twice a measure in the 2nd phrase. Where's the climax or loudest part of the middle section? There are an ENDLESS number of questions. What can you think of that your teacher hasn't thought of yet? Surprise your teacher at the next lesson!! Could you write-out an analysis or "outline" of the piece and play using just this "short-hand" version? A B A' (transition) CODA etc etc. One teacher told me once, that unless you could write-out the entire piece from memory, then it's not truly memorized! LANDMARK DRILL: Can you start from memory at the major sections? Can you start from memory at the cadence points (endings) of the major sections? Try having someone call out "SKIP TO THE NEXT SECTION" as you're playing at a medium tempo. This makes "thinking fast on your feet" possible, and you'll always have your bearings - - - you'll always know where you are in the piece....what's coming next. You'll never be lost out in the desert without a map or water!!! If there is no one around to help you out, then try writing down the different sections you can start at, and then randomly draw these cards and practice starting at them from memory. VISUALIZATION: Can you "visualize" the piece silently IN YOUR HEAD away from the piano? (This one is TRICKY!! Takes SUPER HUMAN CONCENTRATION!) I like to call this last one "ghost practice" where you sit quietly at a chair or table and pretend to play the piece in your head. Fingers cannot move...you simply picture EVERY NOTE you would play both on the keyboard and picturing the music score in your head. It seems that no matter HOW WELL I know a piece, I'll always come to a spot that I can't picture in my head. I can HEAR it, but I can't actually "SEE" which key I'm supposed to press. SO, I get the music score out. Look at that exact spot, then try to visualize that spot over and over until it's TRULY memorized. PRACTICE "TRYING-OUT THE PIANO" It's important to know how you will try-out the piano before starting. If the judge does not ask you to do this, it is not improper to ask if it would be O.K. to try-out the piano. You and your teacher can work-out what this will be. Sometimes you can simply play an easy scale and cadence, or a specific passage in one of you pieces. Whatever you decide on, PRACTICE THIS, so it becomes "automatic"!! PRACTICING TO PERFORM: It's also important that you always include at least one "performance practice" in each practice session. If you are to be playing the piece from memory, close the music so you're not tempted to "peek"!! Imagine the judge (or judges, or audience) sitting in the room with you. If you're not sure of what to expect, then try to imagine all sorts of different settings. If you're teacher can explain what type of piano you'll have, what type room etc., then picture this setting in your head. Enter the room (practice/pretend handing the judge your music, opened to the correct piece), then walk to the piano. It is an "open audition", where there is an audience, then you may be expected to bow before and after playing. (A general rule, if they clap, bow!) Sit, and adjust the bench. Place your hands in your lap and gather your composure. Set your tempo silently in your head and hear the first few notes to know the "sound quality" you're listening for. Get "in the mood" of the piece before starting. This will take several seconds or maybe even a few minutes. Don't worry about the time. When you're ready, pre-count, and begin. Perform the entire piece from beginning to end WITHOUT stopping to correct anything. If you have a memory slip, keep going...even if you just play the RH for awhile, or the LH alone, or even if you have to skip to the next section or the last chord. Then, place you hands in your lap. Stand (and bow, if there's an audience), and leave the stage/room with a sense of triumph, satisfaction, poise, friendliness, and forthrightness!! KEEP GOING!! If you find you are having problems stopping or pausing or constantly "fixing things", then tape-record yourself. (Or, better yet, video tape yourself!) Nothing like a "permanent audience" recording to make you a little nervous! Then, LISTEN to this recording carefully and place a check mark in the score anywhere you hesitated. KEEP A POKER FACE: I once heard a performance of a 2 minute piece that lasted about 5 seconds. The student played the first 2 measures, then had a memory slip, and immediately jumped to the last chord. She never cracked a smile, and the audience thought that she had simply played a very short piece, and with such poise! She won the competition! (Of course, she played several other pieces in their "complete version"!!!) Another time, a little baby got up from the front row and walked up onto the stage and started staring at the pianist who was performing. The student kept playing, didn't smile or crack a "face" and they NEVER dropped a beat! Impressive. Successful concentration like this, takes PRACTICE. You can KNOW that this student had "Practiced Performing" each day at home! SO, no matter what happens while you play, KEEP THAT POKER FACE!! YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT! It's a good idea to practice on several different pianos (good ones, bad ones.) Is there an "old clunker" piano at your church or school? Try-out your piece for your friends! Is there a beautiful grand piano at a music store? Try-out your piece at the store! It's important to be able to practice "adjusting" to all sorts of instruments on the spot. Also, you might see if a younger brother or friend (or dog!) will help "distract" you as you practice performing your piece. See if you can ignore them, not smile or make a face, and keep going without stopping! Finally, a few days before the performance, practice performing in the outfit (including the shoes) that you'll be wearing. Make sure the outfit is not too tight, or too "blousy" and that the shoes are comfortable enough to allow for easy pedaling. The biggest thing to remember the days before the competition, is that you've worked hard, and NOW's the time to relax and try to have fun with it all! Get a good night's rest the night before if possible. And remember, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE LIKE YOU! You are the ONLY one who will play that exact piece in that exact way. Whether anyone else likes the way you play it doesn't matter! Only if YOU like the way you play it! (And the "imaginary composer" sitting on the back row!!) How Should I Practice the Day Of The Competition? When you warm-up at home before the audition, make sure that you follow a definite format that you have planned ahead of time. This is what I recommend for my students:
What's The Judge Listening/Looking For? (From Piano Education Webpage): "If you have ever read the reviews by two critics who have heard the same concert, you realize that different people listen for different things and may even disagree in describing what they hear. When two basketball teams compete there is a winning team and a losing team. Points are posted on the scoreboard throughout the game, and the winners simply accumulate more points by putting the ball through the basket more times. The contest is clear, straightforward, and easy to understand. The winner of a music contest is not so clear cut, though, and the scoring system may be difficult to explain to young musicians. Judges will be listening and watching for many different qualities, such as technique and musicianship, that can only be judged subjectively." (Maris' AMT article): Actually, you NEVER KNOW what one given judge is listening for. The amazing thing is that EVERY HUMAN BEING on this earth hears music differently. All you can really plan on is the fact that YOU, personally, have spent many "sacred" months/weeks/years(?) learning this music, and that YOU have decided to interpret this piece in the manner that it will be performed on any given day. (Which, incidentally, may differ from what you performed in your last lesson --- Don't worry! On THAT day, at that GIVEN HOUR, THAT is how you decided to perform the piece!! AND, always remember, that you probably can play that particular piece BETTER than even the judge on that given day!!) If you HAD to define certain "textbook" aspects that most judges are looking for, since interpretation is SO subjective, try the following......... The judges will expect to hear the music (or scales etc) performed at an appropriate tempo, one that matches the mood of the music but still allows the piece to sound technically under control. (Faster is not always better! Choose the performance tempo that you have been practicing!) They will pay attention to the notes, rhythms, dynamics, touch distinctions/articulations (staccato/legato/phrase lifts etc.), and the use of pedal, making certain that the performance matches the composer's intentions, as indicated in the score. They will listen for playing that is rhythmically stable, but not rigid. They will want the various musical ideas to be clearly differentiated and yet all belong together in a unified whole. They will expect the melodies to have a shape, but not bumps and lumps. They will be listening intently for the expressive quality of the performance - - - for music that "says something", lines that have direction, and sounds that communicate . . . for performers who listen to themselves. Remember, they'll usually have a copy of your music in front of them, so not much slips by them. Some specific things that a piano judge will look for include: KEYBOARD THEORY AND TECHNIC (scales/chords etc.) 1) accuracy of notes 2) accuracy of fingering 3) steadiness of tempo and evenness of sound/tone SIGHT-READING: 1) accuracy of notes, fingering, rhythm, dynamics, pedaling 2) **STEADINESS OF TEMPO......continuity (no pauses/stops/hesitations). Even if you make a mistake, it's better to keep going if possible. PERFORMANCE: 1) Accuracy: correct notes, rhythm, rests, tempo and dynamics, staccato, legato, phrase lifts. 2) Technic: clarity, evenness, ease, fingering, speed and command of touch (articulation) posture, bench height and positioning, hand position, effective use of pedaling, 3) Tone Quality: phrasing, "breathing after phrase", slurs, rise and fall of melodic line, articulation and "tapering" at appropriate cadences, vitality of sound. 4) Rhythm: regularity of beat, steadiness (and flexibility, when required) of tempo, accents or pulse on beat one, or appropriate beats when syncopated, correct counting on longer notes (no "clipping the beat" shorter than necessary), correct counting of rests tricky rhythm patterns, dotted rhythms etc. etc. 5) Memory 6) Interpretation: balance between melody and accompaniment...Can they always hear the melody clearly? Clarity of the climax and individual imagination, "Does the music express something unique to that student" or is it simply another computerized performance. Is the interpretation stylistically correct? Does Bach sound like Bach, or does it sound too romanticized and over-pedaled like Chopin? 7) Poise and flair. Is the student composed? Do they concentrate well? Do they adjust the bench correctly? Do they take plenty of time before starting? Do they place their hands in their lap before and after playing? 8) Appropriateness of repertoire. (Sometimes, students are disqualified simply because they did not follow the competition rules, and chose a piece of music that was not acceptable.) An important thing to remember, is that the judge only heard you for a couple of minutes max. How can they ever know what you're really about based on such a short period of time? They don't know how hard you've worked, (or how little!!), or what you might sound like in a different setting, on a different instrument. They're only judging those few split seconds in your life....that doesn't sum up your whole being....your whole life! Be careful not to place too much importance on what a particular judge says ... while their comments can be helpful, they are not the final, conclusive description of who you are as a person or a musician! Like I mentioned earlier, the judge is a human being, too! They have unique opinions, (that may be different from yours), AND they make mistakes. (From Piano Education Webpage): "Adjudicators will expect to hear the music performed at an appropriate tempo, one that matches the mood of the music but still allows the piece to sound technically under control. The judges will pay attention to the notes, rhythms, dynamics, touch distinctions, and use of the pedal, making certain that the performance matches the composer's intentions, as indicated in the score. They will listen for playing that is rhythmically stable, but not rigid. They will want the various musical ideas to be clearly differentiated and yet all belong together in a unified whole. They will expect the melodies to have a shape, but not bumps and lumps." "Usually, the judges will be sensitive to the children and find something encouraging to say about every performance. They will try to remember to smile at the students and to make them feel a bit more comfortable in a new situation. The judges will be listening intently for the expressive quality of the performance-for the music that says something, lines that have direction, and sounds that communicate. They will be seeking performers who listen to themselves. It is possible to play all the correct pitches and rhythms and still present a performance that is dull, mechanical, and unmusical. It may be difficult for children to understand the difference between this type of performance and one that is expressive." "When you listen to your child, try to remember something about the music to share with them afterwards. ( "I really like the way you brought out that bouncy section. It made me feel like giggling.") If you are disappointed with your child's performance under pressure or about the results of the judging, try to keep your disappointment to yourself. No matter what happens, your child is a winner; it will be up to you and your child's teacher to be sure that you children leave the contest location feeling confident that they are." What Sort of Things Can I Expect To Find At The Competition? There are as many different "types" of music festivals as there are students. Some contests, particularly those offering a cash prize or performance with orchestra, allow only one or very few winners. Others will not choose any "winners" but give EACH student some written comments and perhaps a rating such as Outstanding, or Superior, or Good. Ask your teacher what each event is about and what you can expect. Some auditions are "closed" where it is just one student and one judge in the room, others are "open", where an audience is allowed to watch you perform. The open auditions can be quite fun for the students involved, as you get a chance to hear new music you might want to learn in the future, or hear a piece you have already learned performed in a slightly different way! In most competitions, each student will provide the judge(s) with a clean copy of his/her music to look at while they play. You can simply erase the "markings" you have made, or purchase/borrow a new book. Generally, the measures should be numbered, and the starting page of the piece (if in a large book or collection of pieces) should be marked with a paper clip or post-it note. If you are playing several pieces, open the music books to the starting pages of each piece, and "stack the books" in the order you'd like to perform, and hand them to the judge. Don't forget, that the judge is working VERY hard for little (or no!) money, and will be very tired. A nice smile wouldn't hurt. They are human beings too! (And, it's always nice to remember that they were once competitors as well! They've been through everything you're going through!!) Be prepared to "try-out" the piano. The judge may say, "please feel free to try-out the piano". If not, it is O.K. for you to politely ask, "Would it be O.K. if I tried out the piano?" "Thank You." Then proceed to play whatever you have been practicing (a simple scale or a passage from one of your pieces.) Sometimes, the judge may say, "I'm not quite through writing the comments for the last student...I'll be through in just a minute." If so, try-out the piano, and then place your hands in your lap and wait quietly until they say, "O.K., let's begin." The judge may ask you what piece you'd like to start with, or he may choose the piece himself. Be polite, and listen carefully. If you do not like the instrument, or the room, or the way the judge smells, it is not polite to comment on these things. Wait until your next lesson, or until you get home! Bad pianos, loud air-conditioners, and other sorts of things are to be expected. Don't complain! Go with the flow! Hopefully, the judge has tried-out the piano before the competitions began, so he/she knows what sort of instrument you're having to deal with. Usually the judge will write comments as you are playing. You might need to get used to the sound of a "pencil scratching on paper" as you play! And, often, you'll receive some sort of a rating. Usually they range from Superior or Outstanding to Excellent, Very Good, Good, or Fair. If you are entering several different categories (e.g. solo performance, hymn playing, kt&t, sight reading etc.) usually a separate rating is given for each category. What's a Winner? We are never losers IF we have learned that all these competitions are a growing experience for our memory muscles, our poise, our sharing, our stage presence, our hearing of others our age, and our inspiration from older students. Did you know that you have actually "won" EVEN BEFORE you set foot in that audition room?! The REAL "winner", (whether the judge chooses this one, or not) is not necessarily the student who plays the loudest or fastest, or the most difficult music, but the one who TRULY ENJOYED their music-making experience AT THAT MOMENT. Please always remember that the reason we do any musical endeavor is for the joy of music. We are taking lessons because we love music. We are playing music because we LOVE MUSIC! I had a teacher once who said they liked to picture the actual composer (whether Bach, Mozart, Schubert, or a modern-day composer) sitting on the back row of the auditorium during the performance. One of the goals of the performance, then, was to make sure that the composer would be pleased with the interpretation of his/her beautiful music! I'll go one step further, and say, "Are YOU pleased with the performance?" If you felt you played the best you possibly could on THAT given day, in THAT given room, on THAT given piano, then that's ALL that mattered. And if you didn't, cut yourself some slack. Living in the REAL WORLD (From "Points to Ponder When Preparing to Perform", by Barbara English Maris, AMT Magazine-January, 1987) "The feeling of being helpless," psychologists tell us, "is one of the most debilitating experiences we can have. When we perceive ourselves as 'victims," momentarily we are stripped of all power to control and direct our own lives. That sense of powerlessness may result from natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, fires, and volcanic eruptions. It can result from illness, a serious accident, the death of a love relationship, or the death of a loved one. It can also result from decisions made by others, leading to the loss of a job, rejection of a college application, political defeat, robbery, or assault. All too often, students approach an important performance with a sense of growing helplessness. They behave as if they felt powerless to control the events surrounding the actual performance. They respond as if they were 'victims of the performance." In fact, even while they practice frantically, counting those final disappearing days before The Recital, they often undermine the likelihood that the performance will be an enjoyable one for themselves. Ultimately, live performances ARE unpredictable events, and that is part of what adds to the excitement of a live performance. No one will splice out the flaws. Just as every sunset is different from those which precede it, every performance is different. Performers have the opportunity --- nay, the responsibility --- to share their insights, to communicate with their listeners, to link the composer and the audience, to make each performance unique." Listed below are 68 suggestions of specific behaviors students can explore as a part of their preparation for a performance. These activities are grouped into 3 categories: 1) Preparation (Things one can do before a performance.) 2) Concentration (Things one can do during a performance.) 3) Affirmation (Things one can do after a performance, to enhance the next performance.) |
A wise person once said, "There is a time to make things happen and there is a time to let things happen." Although life is unpredictable, there ARE many specific things students can do to enhance their comfort in sharing music with others. Before, during, and after a recital there are many actions we can take to increase the odds that the performance will go well. Students can help minimize the sense of helplessness that sometimes mars the joyous experience of sharing music.
BEFORE (Preparing for a Competition or any Performance) 1. Ask yourself what you hope will happen because of the performance. 2. Clarify for yourself why you are going to share your music. 3. Clarify your role in the presentation of the composer's work. 4. Consider what you can do to maximize your own level of comfort. 5. Consider what you can do to maximize your audience's level of comfort. 6. Recognize the reality that most recordings we hear result from the benefits of studio splicing techniques. 7. Realize that musicians will be able to enjoy with you those moments when things "really work." Musicians will also understand if problems arise; they've been there themselves and can empathize. 8. Consider how this performance can help you to perform more musically 6 months from now. Treat this performance as a learning situation. 9. When learning a piece, develop an awareness of how the music fits together. Think in terms of theory (tonal center, harmonic patterns, cadences, scale patterns, broken chords, inversions, sequences, modulations, non-chord tones, formal organization, etc.) 10. Reinforce several different types of memory including visual, aural, theoretical. Don't depend only on the tactile/muscular/kinesthetic memory. 11. In your score, provide yourself with useful messages (fingerings, pedal indications, cues from other parts, rhythmic counting, breath marks, harmonic analysis, etc.) 12. When you make an error in practicing, take a moment to analyze why the composer's version makes more sense musically than your "error." 13. Assess your "safety-zones" for the piece. How slow/fast can you play the piece and make musical sense out of it? Develop a range of musical tempi that you can safely control. 14. Concentrate when practicing. 15. Practice concentrating. 16. Spend extra time on potential problem spots (places that are similar but slightly different, tricky technical sections, etc.). 17. Provide yourself with "pretend performances." Imagine that "this play-through is the real thing." Play for a tape-recorder. Play for friends. Play for your family. 18. Tape the work and listen to it very carefully. 19. Practice with imagination. Rather than playing the same passage 100 times, can you play it 100 different ways ? 20. Practice musically. Even when playing under tempo, listen for the melodic shape that you want to provide. PRACTICE MUSIC, NOT NOTES. 21. Develop a sense of knowing how far before a performance you need to have a piece "ready" in order for you to feel comfortable in a recital situation. Pace yourself realistically. 22. Become aware of how professionals handle details of public performance (dress, stage manners, acknowledgment of applause, etc.). 23. Check the place where you'll be performing (lighting, acoustics, stage set-up, backstage area, chairs, temperature, clocks that go "boing" on the hour, etc.) 24. Have a check-list of things you'll need to have at the time of the performance (music, electric outlet? metronome? handkerchief, gloves etc. foot stool or bench pad?) 25. Arrange well in advance for any help you'll need (page turner, accompanist etc.) 26. Arrive at the concert hall with plenty of time for a final mental rehearsal and slow warm-up. Check out everything - and then be prepared for unexpected minor complications. 27. Rehearse in the place where you'll perform. 28. Have someone else listen to check for balance, sound, tempo. It will sound different out-front than from on-stage. 29. Walk through your stage entry and exit. 30. Before the performance, practice in the clothing and shoes that you intend to wear. 31. Avoid clothing that will make you and/or your audience uncomfortable (jackets that constrain arm motions, tight skirts, shaky high heels, thick-soled shoes etc.) 32. Consider what type of "costume" will be most appropriate for the occasion. 33. Find out when the piano will be tuned. (Yes, it will need tuning!) Check the instrument to see if other work should be done (voicing, regulation of the action, adjustments to the pedals etc.) 34. Study your scores away from the piano. 35. Think through the music without the score and away from the piano. 36. Conduct the music, letting your gestures reflect the expressive content of the music. 37. Find movements that reinforce the expressive content of the music. 38. Verbalize. Sing. Create the music with your voice. 39. Listen to many performances of the music (your own and those of several different performers). Listen while studying the score and also listen while doing other things. 40. Analyze situations in which you become anxious (fear of failure, exposure, embarrassment, ridicule, contempt, etc.) 41. Be good to yourself. During the week before the performance get sufficient rest. Before the performance, have appropriate nourishment. 42. Use the time just before performing to you own best advantage (concentrating, looking at the score without playing it, thinking through passages, fingering passages silently, knitting, praying, breathing, etc.) 43. Consider what you hope the audience will hear in your performance (particular mood, special balance of sound, dynamic contrast, intricate variations of theme, unexpected harmonic progression, formal organization, impact of a special harmonic surprise, expressive impact, words, other imagery.) 44. Others...... DURING 45. Listen! 46. Take your time before starting 47. Take your time between movements. 48. Concentrate on the music itself. 49. Provide yourself (and your listener) with a guided-tour as you travel through the composition. Point out various points of special interest (catch rhythm, beautiful melodic shape, sensitive slowing down of the pulse, dramatic contrast etc.) 50. Do what you can to make yourself comfortable. 51. BREATHE! 52. Do what you can to make your audience comfortable. Acknowledge them when you walk out, smile their way, let them know you appreciate their presence and emotional support, let them anticipate with pleasure the performance. 53. Consider the mood you want to establish. 54. In setting the tempo, think through a portion of the rhythm before you begin. 55. Provide yourself with an upbeat. 56. Know that your adrenal glands will be working. Take that into consideration when you set the tempo. (What you think is slow may be faster than you ever played before!) 57. Let your total presentation reflect the mood of the music you are playing. 58. Listen through to the end of every sound. Notes actually represent a sound that continues (not simply the moment of initiating the sound.) 59. Focus your attention on the music you have decided to share with others. 60. LISTEN! 61. Others . . . . . . AFFIRMATION (AFTER) 62. Accept all congratulatory comments graciously. (When you say, "Oh, that was terrible!" are you really saying, "Oh, you dummy, you don't know anything!"?) 63. Take in appropriate context any negative comments that are made. Consider the source, consider the expectations of that listener, consider the framework in which that listener heard your performance. 64. Take the time to assess what you learned during the process of preparing the work and performing the work. 65. Take the time to listen to a tape of the performance. What would you do differently next time? What special moments do you hope you'll capture again some other time? 66. Take the time to notice that you can do now but couldn't do several months ago. 67. Pat yourself on the back. Rejoice in your accomplishments. Enjoy the satisfaction of having followed through on a long-range project. 68. Look back - AND look ahead! 69. Others. . . . . . .. The judge wore tennis shoes .... I once had a student who made a surprising remark after participating in her 1st piano competition. She said, "Would you believe it? The judge was wearing TENNIS SHOES!" My first thought after she said this was remembering my own 1st adjudication experience. I was fresh out of college -- feeling quite "proud" (and nervous) to be judging my 1st competition. Now, I had "officially made it". However, during the competition itself, I realized how human and invincible I truly was. The responsibility of assessing the BEST interpretation of all those Spindler Sonatinas? Jeebers. It was a real eye-opener. All those years as a kid I had 'immortalized' the judges who had judged me in competitions. "If the judge said it, it MUST be true"! That day, I realized that judges are simply human beings -- subject to tired days, or grouchy moods, or biases and confusions. If I had only realized this at MY 1st competition, as my own piano student had done, perhaps I would have had a clearer understanding of the actual role of a judge all those years. It's not the judge you should be worried about -- your focus should be on making music. As an article from the Piano Education Webpage states: "By their very nature, competitions are the most difficult venues in which to have the proper mindset, which is: Behold this wonderful creation called music. Let me share my excitement, my passion, my joy, by communicating its beauty with all of you. Ironically, the judges will likely respond best when you lose yourself in the music and play for everyone -- not specifically for the judges." "When you get to know the judges, you will see that they are anything but deathly serious. Serious as in passionate, committed, and enthusiastic, yes -- but also possessing a hearty sense of humor along with what the French would call "joie de vivre" (joy of life)." The article continues: "Dean Ornish once commented: Stress comes not simply from what we do, but, more importantly, from how we react to what we do. Nerves cannot undo you without your permission. For the most part, nerves are actually your friend, not your enemy. A wise performer realizes that the best performances have a certain spark, a heightened acuity, because of nerves.
A perfectly calm performance might be error-free, but may also be boring. It's like a lame amusement park ride. On the other hand, no one wants to fall out of the roller coaster and come crashing down. The only real problem is out of control nervous tension. This degree of tension is, in a sense, an ego problem. Your brain is focused too much on "What will everyone think of me?"
My vote for the name of the next piano competition? "The Judge Wore Tennis Shoes" (Not the pianist though, mind you --- it's quite difficult pedaling in tennis shoes!) |
