How to practise a piano concerto..

[mandel]

Please, you who have played any piano concerto or other large work, read and help 

I have a mission to perform a piano concerto (shostakovich first) in few months and I have it memorized, but can only play it in approximately a moderato tempo by now. How would you practise if you were me? how would you set up your practising schedule?

Would you concentrate on all movements every day and practise little of everyhing?

Would you concentrate on one movement per day? or maybe one movement per week?

Im getting a little frustrated since there is so much music and I don't know were to start or how to get a good structure in my practising?

What are the traps I should avoid?

 

Regards //David
 

[Dazzer]

well... alot of what you ask have nothing to do with how to practise a piano concerto in particular. just practise as you normally practise. As with regards to technical issues, there're several threads here which touch on that issue.

What i'd do if i were you is
take out your book (a photocopy, preferably). go through each, and look at the score. Find the places which you know will give you trouble. Mark that page with a star. Those pages without troubles, or you're confident you can do them already, just leave it. Next when you practise, dig out the pages with the stars (from the movement you'd like to work on), and work on those one by one. When you've finished all the problems with one mvt go on to the next.

every practise session, focus on one movement. But run through movements you've already done. So you don't forget.

Everyone's practice technique is different, so it might not work for you
you have to figure out what works.

Regarding practicing a piano concerto... i recommend you familiarise yourself iwth the piece THOROUGHLY. not just the piano part. you need to know the orchestral part like the back of your hand, to the level where you can sing the orchestral part if necessary (-exaggeration). It'll really help when you're playing with the orchestra themselves (and particularly useful if you get lost... heh)

[whynot]

That was all good advice.  Definitely sing/hum orchestra parts while you practice, or remember to hear them in your head-- especially accented moments, sudden percussion, anything really loud or surprising, so it doesn't shock you.  Even if you know what these things sound like on a recording, you won't be used to hearing it with your own playing unless you keep singing or imagining it.  Know when to expect silences in the orchestra, so you don't feel like the bottom drops out.  Know what you want to discuss with the conductor beforehand:  "I'd like to take a little time here," or "Can we push this at the coda," etc.  He/she may have a few requests as well, for interpretation, or for technical or logistical issues for the orchestra.

About working up the speed:  there are fantastic posts on this subject if you do a search.  But in general, do a little detective work and figure out exactly where you're being held up.  It's probably not a whole section, although it can seem so at times.  Maybe it's a certain pattern in one hand, or a big jump, or an awkward fingering.  But really nail down what it is-- often what appears to be an ongoing difficulty is just one or two beats, and the rest of the problem is anticipating beforehand and recovering afterward.  When you know, note for note, what the trouble spots are, check out the speed posts.  Also, check with the conductor about tempo expectations, because you might be fine where you are, or closer to fine than you thought, and this would be the time to find out. 

In addition to the last poster's excellent suggestions, I recommend getting another pianist to play the orchestra part.  Many, many times.  Even though you don't experience the instrumentation this way, it's a HUGE help.  Mainly because it's such a distraction at first!  So it's good to get that aspect out of the way, then you get a sense for what sections might be touchy to put together with orchestra, which is really good information.  Eventually, the team playing becomes very fun and you start to feel like you're performing, and you'll be much more ready for the concert. 

Also, I recommend giving yourself random starting places and making yourself play from there.  Fast-forward or rewind a recording and just stop anywhere.  Listen to only a few measures (or less), then turn it off, run to the piano and start from there.  There are so many distractions in a performance, and the way to prepare for that is not to force yourself to focus, but to practice RE-focusing, over and over again.  Pretend you spaced out, or the concertmaster sneezed right next to you, and you only have two measures to listen to the orchestra and find your place again.  If you do this a little bit every day, you will be able to cope with anything.   

Also, even with the parts you know best, don't take them for granted.  Play through the whole thing often, maybe every few days, in addition to working on sections.  Record yourself, partly to check on your playing of course, but also because it adds a little pressure.  Every time you play from your piece, even a little section, sing or play yourself in from the orchestra part to confirm in your memory that "this" comes after "that."  Performers talk all the time about not wanting to over-practice/over-think the music in the weeks and months before a concert.  But nobody ever stands backstage five minutes before the performance and says, "I think I'm too prepared.  I should have practiced less."  More likely they wish they could strike a bargain with God (or the devil) for just one more week to prepare.  So if you start to burn out, find another way to practice, or walk away if you must, but then come back and play some more.  And more.   

I probably wrote too much... well, very best wishes on your piece.  Good luck!