What do you do when....

[elevateme_returns]

...youre playing a concerto, and there are long gaps when the piano is not needed.
what are you supposed to do? look around at the orchestra? look at the keys? twiddle your thumbs?

[zheer]

   Most pianists tend to either move to the music, or just listen to the music. I gess the best thing you could do is to keep one eye on the conductor and another eye on the piano keys.

  Best ov luck.

[franzliszt2]

sleep

[Bob]

Still still.  Calm and relaxed.  Listen and follow along -- You can tell they're doing this.  Don't break the "wall" and look at the audience.  Maybe occasionally look at the conductor.  The ones I've seen have that distant look in their eye when you can tell they are listening and no really seeing anything.  But they do look at the keys and piano.

[pianistimo]

mime the conductor and then stop when he looks over.

[Bob]

mime the conductor and then stop when he looks over.

A conducting coup?   Take over the ensemble? 

How about miming the instruments too?  You could mime playing the piano I guess as well.  When the violinist plays a solo, mime him or her and point to the violinist so the audience knows for sure who's playing.  Look to the audience and give a big head nod of approval.  Give the violinist a big thumbs up with an Enzyte smile and try to get the audience to clap when the solo is over. 

Mm, yes.  That would be quite freaky to see a soloist sitting there while the ensemble plays with this smile on his face...