Preparing for a concert usually involves physical preparation, such as practicing for hours on end and attending rehearsals and coaching sessions. However, apart from practicing and playing in the privacy of your home or practice room, how else can you prepare for a concert?
Is practicing alone enough? Would it suffice to ensure everything will go according to your wishes on stage? Is it enough to practice and rely solely on that to perform a successful concert? And what is a successful concert in the first place?
Performing takes the individual out of their comfort zone. But it is equally essential to ensure that the so-called out of your comfort zone becomes a comfort zone for you as a performer. And how does one achieve that?
As a performer, I have to feel satisfied with my own performance. Usually, when I play well, I know it, and the audience does too.
The one significant aspect of this question about gaining the confidence to feel comfortable on stage is to perform, to perform again, and to perform as much as possible.
The place to start would be at home for family members. Organize events, invite family members, and play for them. As a child, I remember my sisters and me playing together during family time. My parents listened to us, and then we persuaded my father to pick up his violin. We used to have a music room where the piano was, and we each took turns playing. That practice transformed into my family with my children after they began learning instruments. They performed during family gatherings each time, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Therefore, offer to play at family events and take this idea further by providing your services to your community and playing at your church and community events.
I often managed to play for additional performances in a church a week or two before my actual concert.
It is important to note that performing alone is not enough to improve someone's playing. What you do in your practice room afterward can make a difference in your preparation. Having preperformances will reveal your pitfalls, problems, and technical and musical issues. You can return to your practice room afterwards and work on these problem spots. Consequently, that will enhance your playing and give you a different perspective for your upcoming concert.
Whenever I listen to my daughters perform solos in recitals or competitions, I make mental notes on the areas I think they could focus on in their playing and share those with them after the event. We also replay their videos together if available and analyze how to improve specific sections. You can do the same with your teacher or a coach and reflect on your recital.
Another aspect to consider is your mindset during your preparation. Maintain a positive attitude, remain focused, and practice visualization for the desired outcome. One can also think about the best musical idea to come to fruition mindfully, rather than physically. That is a helpful practice I have done when I wanted to figure out the best phrasing in a particular piece. So, mentally staying in touch with the music throughout your day is also a helpful practice when preparing a piece or composition.
In addition, an environment that promotes your success as a musician is highly valuable. It is not always possible to be in the said environment, or whatever, but it is important to take that into account when choosing your concert venues to feel the encouragement and support as a musician.
Therefore, preparation is not limited to practice time in your home. Earning feedback along the way is very powerful in your journey to performing on stage and doing some mental work. Therefore, try using these different approaches to improve your performance next time you perform.
Happy Practicing!
How do you prepare for your concerts? What type of methods do you employ for your preparation? Please share in the comments below.
Add comment
Comments