What to do in the days before a recital

[kghayesh]

Hi,
I have a recital coming up in 3 days. I think i am mostly prepared, but still everyday i feel the day gettin nearer and nearer and i feel worried about if i screwed up or if something happened. This feeling gets gradually more and more until it reaches its peak 1 min. before i perform. I just want to feel like it's just a piece of cake.
So is there anything to do to be more calm and confident before a recital??

[ryan2189]

I just want to feel like it's just a piece of cake.
So is there anything to do to be more calm and confident before a recital??

I wouldn't say that you want it to be a piece of cake. You don't want to be too relaxed  It is possible that, without any bit of nervousness, you can make mistakes. Just know that everyone is the same way when it comes to performing (for the most part). Has your fear caused you to fail a performance in the past?

[Bob]

Stay calm, relaxed, and focused. 

I would concentrate on being positive.  You've already accomplished so much just getting ready for the recital.  The actual performance is only about 1% of it all.  The rest is done.

Stay relaxed.  Just some loose movements.  That builds up over a few days.  Practice effects.

Clear the mind.

Clear the schedule too.  I wouldn't work on any big projects or do anything stressful.  Includes staying away from people who make you stressed.

Walking through the recital format in the mind helps.  Or in the actual performance space.  When it actually happens, you'll have the habits down and won't have to spend brain power thinking about those things.  And it multiplies the effect of being relaxed if you already know what's happening when.

There's a point when I "give up" on the things that just aren't going to happen by the performance.  Those things that you know need work but are a level or two beyond you.  At some point, it's not worth thinking about.  You've done you're best, improved, etc.

I expect to perform the way I practiced.  Sometimes it's a little better, sometime a little worse.  I consider it successful if the performance is within that range compared to the practice performances.

And then shortly before the performance -- day of  -- my two magic words are "F it."  For some reason it helps me.  It's too late to change anything so I might as well go out, do my best, and enjoy it -- and that means being willing to push it a little, take that chance during the performance, too which makes it more exciting, more daring, and much more satisfying when they come off right.  And if they don't, it's lot better to be daring than to play it safe and sound stilted.

I usually think a little about what I will do after the performance.  Life won't stop and there will be things to do after it.  A break or celebration is good though.  Recitals don't happen everyday.

But there will be more performances in the future.  So regardless of how this one goes, you always have that to look forward to too.  This is just one in a series of "performance achievement points."  That helps take the pressure off too -- You've already really achieved that level.

Another thing I've seen people do is to give more than one "real" recital.  Instead of doing your senior recital once at your school, you do it again -- for real, full on -- at another school or church.  I can see a big push-pull with that -- If the first one goes good, the second will have that base, and you can also tweak stuff for the second one.  And then neither one is really "all important."

If you're using the recording of the recital for auditions or entrance to something else later, you can always make another recording -- when it's quiet too -- and use that as a "piece from your recital" even though that recording isn't actually from the recital.  Two plus recitals makes that easier.  Having a recording done before the official recital takes that pressure off too.

I really wouldn't "worry" over anything.  Just take notes for future improvements.  There is always room for improvement and always things to learn.  That way, I can kind of blow off the mistakes and keep myself in check if things go super good.

[rc]

A load of good ideas from Bob!

One thing I found useful was to imagine the music being played perfectly, in detail...  Then going to the piano and pretending that I'm playing before a distinguished audience - looking down at the keys imagining that it's a keyboard with a totally different touch than I'm used to, knowing that I only have one shot to play it, experiencing the anxiety and then getting it under control before launching into it - keeping in mind the imaginary idealization, forgiving mistakes (otherwise is to dwell and invite more mistakes, practice forgiving mistakes!)

It's important to be able to imagine it vividly enough to feel the anxiety, because that is what you will have to deal with at the performance.  It's unavoidable that we feel a bit scared, having prepared far in advance for a one-off of doing our best for the music.  Be prepared for that.

Once your fingers know what to do, the rest is a mind-game.

[invictious]

What I usually do, is, don't play piano at all, keeping my mind off whatever(a day before the recital of course, don't do that a month before).
Before the performance, imagine yourself, as already mentioned, playing the music as you want it to, I disagree with thinking it being played 'perfectly'. I feel it just adds unnecessary pressure and creates a bad attitude in art where there is perfectedness. I prefer to imagine it being played the way I exactly want it to.

It's just a recital, that's what I always think. It's no big deal, it's not anyone is going to kill you (that's what I usually hope before I perform something)

[counterpoint]

It's very unlikely that you will play much better at the recital as when you sit at home practising.

But believe me, it's unlikely too, that you will play much worse 

So the most important thing is to have a good self-assessment in the time of preparation, so that you always know, which parts of your programm need some extra practise and which parts are running fine already. Then, in the days before the concert, you will be well prepared and nothing should go wrong, if you don't lose your nerve 

[ramseytheii]

I recommend learning to smoke.

Walter Ramsey

[richard black]

I recommend learning to smoke.

 

I recommend some vigorous exercise, preferably an hour or more, on the day of the gig. A little physical work never did anyone any harm, but sitting around fretting and 'taking it easy' is just about the worst thing in the world for nerves.

[Bob]

!!! I lost my post.  60 second rule.... Back doesn't work....


I was saying don't foget to stock up on sleep.  You need the energy reserve.

[invictious]

!!! I lost my post.  60 second rule.... Back doesn't work....


I was saying don't foget to stock up on sleep.  You need the energy reserve.

That is, if you can sleep.




Chilling out for me, works.

well I guess you have to try different methods, to see which ones work and which ones don't.

[counterpoint]

sitting around fretting and 'taking it easy' is just about the worst thing in the world for nerves.

That may be true for hyperactive people with obsessive-compulsive disorder 

[atticus]

I identify parts of each of my pieces that I think I can play well and then I practice those parts as "favorite sections" with lots of expression in the days before the recital.  It builds my confidence.  Then when I'm playing my piece at the recital, I look forward to playing each  "favorite section".  It helps me stay positive because I'm always looking forward to the next "favorite section" and therefore I don't focus on any past mistakes or upcoming hard parts.

Good luck,
atticus

[pianowelsh]

Same as you do everyday of course PRACTICE! routine is a great stablizer. Practice for being nervous - scare yourself silly in the practice room then the stage wont feel as bad!