you'll wanna read this

[nervous_wreck]

it's like the best performance of my life and i'm doing so great, everyone has goose bumps. and all of the sudden... I GET THIS AWFUL ITCH ON MY NOSE!!!! what do i do? you can't stop! you can't keep going! it's causing you to mess up. you can't stop thinking about the itch! what do you do?!

[jlh]

I've been there!  Tough it out until one hand is free for half a second.  Nobody will know.

[kriskicksass]

I've never run into that when performing *knocks on wood*. I'm usually concentrating so hard on the music that I can't think about anything else, including where I am and who I'm playing for. Judges at competitions usually tell me that I have good stage presence, which I think is hilarious because I'm always just forgetting where I am like the goofball I am. 

[alwaystheangel]

I've been there!  Tough it out until one hand is free for half a second.  Nobody will know.

Bang on, that's all you can do.  I always blow my nose before a performance too.
It really sucks, doesn't it?

[donjuan]

I've never run into that when performing *knocks on wood*. I'm usually concentrating so hard on the music that I can't think about anything else, including where I am and who I'm playing for. Judges at competitions usually tell me that I have good stage presence, which I think is hilarious because I'm always just forgetting where I am like the goofball I am. 

i think that's what happens to me too; when im at home practicing, I keep getting distracted with little itches and things like that, but when performing for people, time seems to stop and i dont think about myself so much. 

[alwaystheangel]

funniest thing ever:
The ad below this thread is a 15-minute eczema cure!
lol!

[lostinidlewonder]

I have has a sneezing attack during a peformance, but I kept on playing to my own and people suprise. I don't think I could deal with an ichy nose I would have to scratch it even if it meant taking one hand away from the keyboard, quickly scratch it and get back to it. You will stuff up if you havent practice taking ur hand away from the keyboard, I guess its all left to your concert prepatation. But it would be murder feeling that itch throughout the piece, it totally distracts, I'd probably rush the piece so I could quickly scratch myself eheh.

[will]

See how a true pro handles it
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,17244.0.html
Scriabin Sonata #5
Itches at 4.46 and 6.21
Hair Flick 9.36

LH takes care of it each time, when it is free to do so.