What do you believe?

[m1469]

How many people when they walk on stage for a performance, really believe that they can do it?  That they can get through it, or even that they can get through it well?  What do people think about right before you walk on stage, or as you walk on stage, or when you are sitting there before you start to play?  What goes through your mind?  Doubt and fear, or excitement and confidence?

m1469

[donjuan]

really, I think it depends on the intelligence, or more importantly, the lack of ignorance- of the audience.  "If I skip a few notes here or there, will they notice?"  

I am always petrified with fear up to the performance.  I cant seem to remember a single note, and I have to somehow pull a 15 minute piece out of my ass.  But, the fear dissipates when I play the first note, because the only thing I am aware of is the single phrase.. and when I reach the end of the phrase, I will somehow miraculously remember the one after that, and the one after that...

The goal of practicing is to do all the work at home, so I dont have to experiment and tamper during the performance.  The work should be done- the piano should play itself.  I have only felt this way 1/15 performances.  To be a Rubinstein, Liszt, or Andre Hamlin, I need to do it 20/15 instead.
donjuan

[Tash]

well the first thing i think of is that i hope to hell my mind stays in the same place so it doesn't interfere with me playing. which then leads to the possibility of screwing up. but then i remember that all i wanna do is show to the world how brilliant the pieces i'm playing are and aim to convey as much feeling as possible and touch the audience. that is after all what music is about

[janice]

Now, DO NOT ask me how I can do this, because I have no clue!!! LOL  This took alot of mental training (and religious, believe it or not).  With the mental training, I have been able to NOT CARE and CARE at the same time.  Don't ask me how.  So I basically space off alot when I play!  That REALLY helps!!!!  If I think too hard, it will be a disaster!!  I am not in competitions or doing recitals anymore (I'm old!), so the pressure is off.  I play mainly in church, so I play with a different focus in mind.  I play to bring glory to God, period.  Every time I do a solo at church, I think to myself "ok, if I totally screw up, that's ok--because I know that God is please with my efforts, and truly, I still thank God for this talent no matter what happens."  And this is SERIOUSLY what I think!!!  I care if I screw up, but at the same time I don't care.  It's an odd balance.  But it works for me!!  And I consider myself doubly blessed because someone will tell me afterwards how much that "song" (LOL) means to them and/or how they were brought closer to God during that time PLUS I end up making only one or two mistakes (at the most) per piece.  I can only have that second blessing by not making it my focus and not caring.  Because think about it, does it REALLY matter that I play flawlessly?

[dj]

 I am not in competitions or doing recitals anymore (I'm old!), so the pressure is off.  I play mainly in church, so I play with a different focus in mind.  I play to bring glory to God, period.  Every time I do a solo at church, I think to myself "ok, if I totally screw up, that's ok--because I know that God is please with my efforts, and truly, I still thank God for this talent no matter what happens."  And this is SERIOUSLY what I think!!!  I care if I screw up, but at the same time I don't care.  It's an odd balance.  But it works for me!!  And I consider myself doubly blessed because someone will tell me afterwards how much that "song" (LOL) means to them and/or how they were brought closer to God during that time PLUS I end up making only one or two mistakes (at the most) per piece.  I can only have that second blessing by not making it my focus and not caring.  Because think about it, does it REALLY matter that I play flawlessly?

lol ur not THAT old horowitz was playing into his 80s. right on with the rest of that post though.....although with me, i get freaked out anyway less and less the more i do it though! who knows, i may actually forget that everyone's staring at me some day

[HemanHands]

I believe that I and all those in attendance are about to experience the world changing in some way.  That all of us who walk in, will walk out somehow different.  Eyes will be opened to what lay beyond the shadow of words.  We will all know more than when we walked in, and expect more from ourselves and from our lives as a result.  I expect good.  I have deep joy and gratitude for what we will all be experiencing together.  I am aware of the uniqueness and profundity of a consecrated musical endeavor.

[ahmedito]

At first, Id try to space out and not think of anything.
Later Id try to just think about the piece and forget my surroundings.
Later I would pray and try to remember every single detail of the piece before I walked in.
Now I think of the people listening. Why are they here? what do they expect? What can I give them? And when I play I try to concentrate on the flow of music from piano to listener...

More details on my thread "What about the audience?"

[m1469]

Thank you for your responces  

m1469