This blog will be virtually content-less until I get back and update for the few of you who're interested, but I just wanted to sort of let out my stress. This is on my cell as well so I apologize for any giant errors from swype or the like.
Basically, I'm performing for a small audience of about 100 and I'm definitely not 100% prepared. My audience will probably be 60 or older and also very nice, but I'm extremely stressed out all the same...
I MIGHT play very well, but there's an equal (if not greater) chance that I will completely bomb it. I just don't want to disappoint them or myself... >///<
I will probably periodically lurk my blog during my last-second practice, but I think the amount of "calm" I get from venting will be worth it.
My problem is that I haven't practiced enough, as I suddenly entered a phase of extreme slacking this year, and only recently have I begun to focus and work hard again...
I play piano, by the way. ^^
Okay: less QQ, more focused practice (aka pew pew *_______*).
I've done quite a few solo performances as well. Don't worry about nervousness or stress. Once you are on the stage, muscle memory will completely take over.
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
Must...stop...being...negative...
Okay I swear I'll stop commenting.
If you blank, just grab your stool and start smashing the piano with it. I'll bet you anything that the 60 year-olds will remember it until the day they die.
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
Must...stop...being...negative...
Okay I swear I'll stop commenting.
If you blank, just grab your stool and start smashing the piano with it. I'll bet you anything that the 60 year-olds will remember it until the day they die.
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
Must...stop...being...negative...
Okay I swear I'll stop commenting.
1. go into your own world 2. use nervous energy as impetus
On December 14 2010 06:58 Xenocide_Knight wrote: what are you playing?
Bach prelude & fugue Beethoven appassionata Chopin andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante Liszt la campanella Bartok 2 romanian dances (no. 1 only) Sunflower (chinese folk song thing) as encore
You made me break my promise :<
I think I was just being arrogant (making the concert out to be more than it really is)...doesn't change the fact that I should have practiced more and that I personally feel as if it's the most important thing in the world right now...!
I don't know how I gained so much confidence in my trumpeting for things like all-region tryouts and solos on the marching field, but at some point in my life I just walked into the tryout room feeling like a beast and my musical confidence has never wavered since.
I think it has to do with realizing that it's not really a big deal if you screw up. (Edit: Also, it's a mark of an experienced musician if he can allow the mistake to happen and not let it contribute to further mistakes due to a lapse in mentality. Basically if you mess up more after you make one mistake, it's most likely because of that first mistake, so it's good to be able to let the first one go so you don't make any more.) The people are there to hear you play, not to criticize... especially if they're older folk. You can always slow down / speed up the piece a bit here and there if you need some time to add emotion. People love it when musicians play slow bits, and it also gives you time to embellish the piece and more time to get all the notes right, so it's a win-win.
Now, if I could get my social confidence where my musical confidence is, I'd be set....
Bach fugue? Which one? F*ck anyhow...that sh*t was hard...well at least for me lol...don't know about the others (I've might have heard them before but never played them)
On December 14 2010 06:58 Xenocide_Knight wrote: what are you playing?
Bach prelude & fugue Beethoven appassionata Chopin andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante Liszt la campanella Bartok 2 romanian dances (no. 1 only) Sunflower (chinese folk song thing) as encore
cool program...senior recital?
I know most of those pieces (not the Bartok or your encore) -- I was a piano performance major in college
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
On December 14 2010 06:58 Xenocide_Knight wrote: what are you playing?
Bach prelude & fugue Beethoven appassionata Chopin andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante Liszt la campanella Bartok 2 romanian dances (no. 1 only) Sunflower (chinese folk song thing) as encore
cool program...senior recital?
I know most of those pieces (not the Bartok or your encore) -- I was a piano performance major in college
I'm a sophomore in high school B)
My pieces are somewhat well-known so I hope my audience hasn't heard them before (and thus carry bias or something)...I think they're the type of people who listen very often to music but don't necessarily have that much personal experience.
It'll take a miracle to play well enough so that I'm satisfied (I'm sort of tough on myself), but I'm starting to feel good :D
I have about an hour and twenty minutes to warm up on their piano...what should I do? I have enough time to run through the whole program, but I'm afraid it will tire me out.
On December 14 2010 06:38 Froadac wrote: Good luck :D This is the show you've been stressing out about for like 4 months t.t
Learn your spanish, boy!
My biggest fear right now is being stiff and boring throughout the whole performance, butchering the songs with mistakes, blanking, or otherwise coming to a stop/just barreling through.
Must...stop...being...negative...
Okay I swear I'll stop commenting.
I have food poisoning & am at home
D: hope you get better soon! Did your mom find your blogs or something?
If you screw up just vamp. Play whatever comes to mind, stay in the right key. I know you know at least the first half of the piece. Just throw in a repeat! That's pulled me through a couple recitals. Just don't stop. Play something. Most people won't realize it wasn't part of the arrangement, or just simply won't know the tune to begin with. The only way to let most people know you failed is to stop playing. So play man! Otherwise yeah, not much to be done for nerves. Practice of course, but at this point it's all about keeping your head clear and just playing. If you do have to stop, at least do it on the root chord. gl hf
nerves are merely a fear of the unknown. if you foresee failure then you shall meet failure. likewise, should you envision bold success then have it ye shall.
I use this mantra whenever I perform on stage as an actor, orator, or musician.
That's quite a repertoire in terms of technical difficulty but it's kind of cliche... I think I've even heard of the Chinese folk dance one back in my high school days. Gives me the impression you're quite the "school pianist" because I'm pretty sure all your friends demand that you're good at those pieces =P
You said your audience are 60+ years old seniors... so is this like part of volunteer/charity stuff? Unless your audience is super-music-keen, they will rarely notice any of your mistakes. Plus, you should have mastered (as the high school musician) the "art of damper pedal" a.k.a. knowing where to pedal over the hard parts. Well, can't do it for Bach, good luck hehehe. Relax and have fun~
On December 14 2010 10:48 OpticalShot wrote: That's quite a repertoire in terms of technical difficulty but it's kind of cliche... I think I've even heard of the Chinese folk dance one back in my high school days. Gives me the impression you're quite the "school pianist" because I'm pretty sure all your friends demand that you're good at those pieces =P
You said your audience are 60+ years old seniors... so is this like part of volunteer/charity stuff? Unless your audience is super-music-keen, they will rarely notice any of your mistakes. Plus, you should have mastered (as the high school musician) the "art of damper pedal" a.k.a. knowing where to pedal over the hard parts. Well, can't do it for Bach, good luck hehehe. Relax and have fun~
What's a school pianist/high school musician? >< My school doesn't really have anyone particularly dedicated to piano (meaning lots of random popular songs)...
As I said before somewhere, my pieces are sort of over-popular :/
I thought every high school had that group of few (two or three) "top" pianists that can play any piece at will. Well, at least my school had a piano competition every year.
(unless you already do so) you should volunteer at a senior home and play piano on regular basis. Easy community service hours, and it's a really worthwhile experience.
EPT
