I have been away for the past weeks, playing some concerts with different orchestras. I am back with some insights I have gained, as there were many learning moments during this time.
Something that happened yesterday was one interesting aspect I had not considered well enough.
I diligently practiced the music for the concert in the morning for about two hours, then went to the general rehearsal, which took place right before the concert. I exerted a great effort during that rehearsal. We played the concert an hour and a half after the rehearsal ended. Toward the end, I experienced a lack of energy and focus.
What was wrong with this picture?
Would I do it this way if the same schedule repeated itself?
The answer to that question is no.
I would relax in the morning, take it easy, and care for myself. I had mistakenly thought that revising some of the problematic parts would improve my performance. But the result was diminishing concentration. I should have been satisfied with what I had accomplished up to that point.
I would not have spent so much energy during rehearsal time, so I would have preserved my energy. That is what I would have done.
And what had happened?
Toward the concert's end, I felt that my concentration level was dropping and the energy was weakening. I had set myself up for this.
After the concert, a colleague remarked that she would not use up her strength during a rehearsal and would work during the rehearsal economically to save energy for the most crucial part, the concert.
It is not that I did not know this before. But somehow, I had forgotten to adhere to this simple concept. Toward the end of the concert, I felt exhausted, which affected my ability to concentrate properly. Even though I went through the concert and played till the end successfully, I would have felt better during the concert if I had not needed to tell myself to stay focused and alert.
Therefore, how can we ensure we are not exhausting all our energy before a concert?
First, practicing before the concert is not recommended. Practicing should be done during the days before the date of the concert. I had thought there were passages I wanted to review, however, I did more than that as I lost track of time.
Next, during a rehearsal before a concert, we can play but conserve all energies and emotions. The temptation is great to get carried away, but we can remind ourselves to hold and save everything for the concert. This way, we can leave room for a warm-up right before the event begins.
During the day, it is also important to rest if time permits and not perform activities that drain our energy and do not help our cause.
Therefore, on our performance date, we must remember to rest, stop practicing, take care of ourselves, and save our energies to the maximum. This way, we can ensure that we have enough energy left for our performance, which will be the most important part of our day.
How do you prepare for a performance? Do you have a special routine? Please share with us in the comments below.
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