It has recently come to Humoresque’s attention that not many of you read these posts.
Humoresque began on 6th April this year. The intention was to provide a weekly term-time blog post which would be helpful (hopefully!), informative (mostly!), entertaining (a humoresque!) and light-hearted (i.e. short!)
All Humoresque’s posts are on my website, and you’re advised to read them there (there’s a clickable link in each email) rather than just scanning the email.
But then, if you don’t even open the email…
One of Humoresque’s recent posts was about working with the metronome, and Rhian, a pupil of mine in Swansea, came up with the idea of a Metronome Practice Record. Humoresque made this a downloadable and printable pdf file, and many of you have found it very helpful. So, to make it easier to locate and print when needed, the MPR is now on the Pupils’ Pages under the “Advice” tab.
I also want to share an interesting and extremely common phenomenon with you.
I have a pupil who prepares his scales rigorously and carefully. When he plays them to me, however, they just “don’t work”. His fingering goes wrong, or he loses concentration… it’s frustrating for him, because he knows he can play these scales well. It’s frustrating for me too, because I want to hear his progress, and I absolutely believe him when he tells me how well he played the scales only that morning.
Of course, we’re talking about the dreaded performance nerves. Even if you’re only playing to one person, it’s a performance, and you know it. You’re desperate to show how well you can now play that piece or those scales, and your mind plays havoc with the performance. It’s a form of self-sabotage. Why does it happen?
Unfortunately, your body interprets performance as a threat. Adrenaline rises, your heart rate increases and your hands may shake. Even your breathing might change. And this is all normal.
So here’s what to do, and I’ve given this advice before, but you may well need to hear it again.
Firstly, performance is a separate skill from playing. You need to practise performing just as much as you practise the playing. Almost everyone forgets this. A great deal of effort goes into practising for the lesson, or the exam, or the Showcase… but if you don’t practise performing it may well go wrong on the day, and that’s so disappointing and disheartening for you.
Don’t see your performance nerves as negative. Make them work for you, not against you.
To practise performing, you must set it up.
- Walk to the piano.
- Acknowledge your imaginary audience.
- Sit down and adjust the stool.
- Place your hands on the keys and check their position.
- If it’s a piece of music (rather than scales), sing the first couple of bars through in your head. This sets your tempo and your volume before you start.
- Perform without stopping.
Do this at the end of each practice session, and it will make a real difference. Choose a different piece or exercise to perform each time, or it might be the scales and arpeggios. Vary the performances, but don’t leave anything out.
Record yourself. Video or audio only, it doesn’t matter. Set up your phone, press record and then perform. Play it back. What was good? Focus on that.
Perform to a real audience: a member of your family, or a friend, or ask the postman in… or just the dog! It doesn’t matter who it is, and they don’t even have to listen. They can read the paper, do some knitting, write a letter – as long as it’s something quiet, they can amuse themselves. They’re still there, in the same room as you, and that means you have to perform to them.
Finally, if your hands shake or your heart rate increases, tell yourself that these things are good. They are helping you focus.
After the performance, think about what went well. Write it down. There’ll always be something, even if it’s just that you started on the right note! Keep a record of your performance practices and build your confidence.
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Humoresque = a whimsical or fanciful piece of music. Be whimsical, be fanciful, but play in time!
This is Humoresque Number 24