The Joy of Rehearsing

Between lessons is when the awesomeness happens.

Imagine if you'd never been in a swimming pool. I could describe what it feels like to be completely surrounded by water, newly buoyant with slow motion legs, feeling the water pressing in on you in every direction. Sunshine, splashes, and the smell of sunscreen — use all your senses. I could say what it feels like, and you could repeat the things I say, but you won't truly feel it until you've actually been in the water yourself.

And so it is with the joy of rehearsal. Dive in. Get immersed in the pursuit of accuracy and artistry. Toss around the musical choices in front of you and see what floats. I can talk about it all day, but you have to jump in to know what I mean.

So, come on in. The water's fine!

Poolside Piano Practice, by George Hughes

Well Done (Send Pictures)

Congratulations on another successful recital! I am pleased and proud, and I hope you are too. Good performances, good food (thanks!), and good learning all around.

Parents, if you'd like to send me some photos from the show, I'll make a photo album page for us all to enjoy. Send me your best shots.

Again, congrats to you all. It was a wonderful night.

How to Prepare for the Recital

Here's how to prepare for our upcoming recital (and lots of other things).

  1. Memorize! Make sure you memorize things like dynamics, too. Internalize the details.

  2. Connect to the heart of the piece. Make artistic choices. What is this piece about?

  3. Perform it in low-pressure situations before the big day. Then ramp it up.

Between memorization and recital day, perform your pieces for family and friends as often as possible. Start small. First, perform in your homes for a small audience. Then, perform for others away from your normal rehearsal spaces. Play for grandparents, friends, neighbors, and whoever else will let you come over and perform.

Performing will give you insights that you cannot get from rehearsals alone. You will be able to see how your body reacts to the pressure. Maybe you'll get sweaty or feel like giggling or have some uncomfortable combination of trembling, dizziness, or being weirdly emotional. It's hard to predict, but you'll be able to deal with this business much more effectively if you've performed your pieces before recital day — you know, practice performing. So call your grandmas and set a performance appointment. It'll help.

Once you've memorized, brought out the art, and performed in various places, you will have nothing left to do but enjoy the recital.

Nervousness (Probably) Won't Kill You

So, what if you get totally nervous? Here are some ideas that may help when you are feeling nervous about your impending performance.

  1. First, check your breathing. Make sure you are actually breathing in and out, and make it slow and deep.

  2. While you breathe, think about your piece and rely on your preparation.

  3. Start the piece in your mind. Picture yourself giving a successful performance.

  4. Remember that everyone is rooting for you, especially me.

  5. Notice that no one has burst into flame, and believe that you will neither burst into flame nor melt into a quivering puddle, even if it feels like you might.

If you are as prepared as you can be, the fun factor will increase and someday overshadow your nerves. Chin up. You can totally do it.