Musical or non-musical audiences?

[jr11]

I was wondering if most people here prefer playing for an audience that is knowledgeable in classical piano or one that is not.

I must say I prefer those that are not especially. Suddenly, your repetoire increases hugely, because there is no need for perfection. Those pieces you played in gr 5 and 6 can be utilized again by just a couple practicings. People may make a little more noise or move around during your performance, but I find this less intimidating than the stonefaced silent concert hall group sitting at attention. Though you get plenty who are indifferent or even make wisecracks, there are always a few who are mezmorized, even with Fur Elise, etc. These people make it all worthwhile, and I hope I may have made a few new classical afficiandos with my humble playing over the years.

How about you?

[dj]

well i would say that for me there are benefits and drawbacks of both. i've never really played for an audience of knowledgable people, but it is much more intimidating to play for my old piano teacher than for my family that could really care less about classical music. however, when i play a piece in front of a non-classical crowd, such as my church, it does get quite annoying when they talk during the piece or compliment me on pieces that i know i botched horribly! and it is much more rewarding to get a compliment from my teacher than from my avril-loving friends. so i guess it really depends on what kinda mood im in.

[donjuan]

I was wondering if most people here prefer playing for an audience that is knowledgeable in classical piano or one that is not.

I must say I prefer those that are not especially. Suddenly, your repetoire increases hugely, because there is no need for perfection. Those pieces you played in gr 5 and 6 can be utilized again by just a couple practicings. People may make a little more noise or move around during your performance, but I find this less intimidating than the stonefaced silent concert hall group sitting at attention. Though you get plenty who are indifferent or even make wisecracks, there are always a few who are mezmorized, even with Fur Elise, etc. These people make it all worthwhile, and I hope I may have made a few new classical afficiandos with my humble playing over the years.

How about you?

hehe in the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king!
Hail, CyclopsJR11!!

[Tash]

well when i DID actually perform (back in the goo ol days of school) they were generally in front of a semi-knowledgable audience, eg. the people assessing me, my music teachers, my music class, and the various others in the audience who knew what i was doing. i do like to have some knowledgable people because then it gives me a reason to play well, and then i get frustrated when the non-musical people start talking about what i played and i'm like you have no idea what you're talking about. but now when i look at it, anything's better than nothing, as now i have no time to perform and don't get assessed for performance at uni so boo to that

[jr11]

hehe in the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king!
Hail, CyclopsJR11!!

Heh, heh.... Cyclops.... by golly, I think you just found me a new user name!

Well, what can I say... for some reason the classical community seems, uh, unworthy of my genius (you may laff now). I'm an entertainer out of necessity ('cause I got sick of having a real job) so I gotta *** myself out to the bar, mall and coffee house crowd to make ends meet. You know, smile and flirt, give the people what they want... sometimes that might be country (*irk*), sometimes light rock, but I give 'em a few classics whether they like it or not, and they usually warm to them nicely. I guess it's like boxers vs wrestlers... boxers train for months for the big fight, and pro wrestlers beat the crap out of each other (supposedly) every night. It's less serious, but more fun, and steadier.

But I still take classical lessons, practice 3 hrs a day, and I am determined to get that ARCT eventually. At over 40 yrs old there is little practical reason for this, so I do it because I enjoy it... low on sacrifice, high on pleasure.

My advice to those who wish to make a career of music: diversify and lighten up, cause the world just doesn't need that many concert pianists. Oh ya, buy lottery tickets, 'cause your chances of making lots of money are way better, and a lot less work. I dearly hope a few of you can prove me wrong.

[DarkWind]

Musical audiences, of course. Might as well ask if you would rather perform Fur Elise or [Insert Anything That Is Not Fur Elise or Rondo Alla Turka, etc. HERE]!

[donjuan]

Darkwind, your comment reminds me of the time I was playing for a number of schoolmates at the crappy neglected school piano one day.  I played various works of Liszt and Chopin.  All they said after I finished was, "so, do you play anything people actually know? - Like Chopsticks, or the 'Cheer' we hear at baseball games?"
damnit, what morons!

[amanfang]

As has been already mentioned, there are ups and downs to both.  Sometimes a non-musical audience is wonderful.  They have no idea what you are playing, and they don't particularly care, but no matter how you do, they tell you are wonderful.  But the downside, they don't have a clue what you are playing or even care.  And yes, sometimes they get bored (depending on the time and place) and ask why someone didn't write some "words" to it, preferably something that people can understand such as women, dogs, and pick-up trucks.  On the other hand, playing for musical audiences (such as a competition, or even sometimes in performance classes at college) everyone sits there thinking how much better they can play, and what different pieces they would have chosen.  Afterwards, you may hear, "That was great, but have you heard how ______ plays that?"  (Slap in the face.)  Yet, they also understand the work (hopefully) that went into it, and they realize (hopefully) the musical value/enrichment it brings.

[donjuan]

preferably something that people can understand such as women, dogs, and pick-up trucks.

hahahaha I like that!!

[Motrax]

No guy on Earth understands women. 's just a fact you come to learn sooner or later...  

[dj]

No guy on Earth understands women. 's just a fact you come to learn sooner or later...  

and once you've learned that fact, you've attained as complete an understanding of women as anyone ever will.

[Tash]

one thing that guys know about women, that i learnt the other day, is that we ALL have issues, and i must say i agree with that!

[Antnee]

I like playing in front of people with some musical taste in classical music. It makes the compliments much more rewarding than if they were from some kid at my school.
The only way I would get a compiment from a rap listening kid is if I was to dazzle and impress, not touch musically. Shame shame shame...  

-Tony-

[jr11]

Darkwind, your comment reminds me of the time I was playing for a number of schoolmates at the crappy neglected school piano one day.  I played various works of Liszt and Chopin.  All they said after I finished was, "so, do you play anything people actually know? - Like Chopsticks, or the 'Cheer' we hear at baseball games?"
damnit, what morons!

Believe it or not, you can win over this type of audience. What I would do at that point would be to humour them by modulating into Chopsticks or another goofy tune, and then back into Liszt. Then maybe into an improvised "classical" version of a familiar heavy metal tune and back out. This will get their attention, make them laugh, and demonstrate the prowness of your musicianship nicely. Victor Borge was a master at this, and he made many a classical fan, at the risk of being accused of making a mockery of the masters.

Audiences identify with songs that are familiar to them. We are no different, and will tend to go to concerts with programs that we recognize. As well, the sit-down-&-shut-up-& listen requirement of classical audiences just doesn't work with those not familiar with classical protocol. Most people simply don't have the patience for this. If our performance isn't holding our audience's attention to our expectation, sorry, but it is not that they are unworthy of our genius... we need to look in the mirror.

[Lilo]

i'd rather play for a musical audience. Most of non-musical audiences don't really care about classical music. Just because the only classical pieces they want to hear are "für elise or the moonlight sonata. When you play these, they sit, and listen the whole piece "really really beautiful" etc.
After this, you can try any piece you want, they'll get away most of the time. They'll just think bach's pieces are easy, Liszt's pretty hard but not interesting (something which's really funny : no matter how many mistakes you make, if you play a piece at full speed, you'll be a "real virtuoso" lol).
on top of this, today's youth are much more interested in rap, pop, or heavy metal than in classical music lol.
sometimes I enjoy playing for non-classical audiences, since people are open-minded. i had punk friends which came to listen to me, it was really cool (and i enjoyed listening to their music too, they were pretty good guitar players ). but I wouldn't play for a friend who thinks classical music is "real sh*t" (well, I'm quite glad she hated classical music, then she offered me a lot of classical cds she had at home and never listened to )

[Daevren]

Woman are much easier to understand than music, they are 'just' humans.

Playing for a non-musical audience of friends is probably best for your ego. They will (probably) not like the music, listen out of politeness, hear no mistakes and then tell you that you played excellent

Of course the real satisfaction is when you move the audience. With classical musi that mostly means the people know the music, that makes them more musical, whenever they play or not. If you can impress other musicians or move them than that is much better. Obviously it is also much harder. But its the real point of music. If you play for non-musicians the whole message and the whole point of music might be missed.

[bernhard]

Woman are much easier to understand than music, they are 'just' humans.

No one can understand women. Ask any man.

[Daevren]

I am a male.

I have a very complex female friend, everybody always whines about her being so irrational. I find that I can understand her pretty well. I don't know what all the fuss is about, I don't really see the problem. Maybe I understand females just as well as normal people but I don't expect more.

Of course it is hard to understand other people, but it doesn't have to do much with them being female or not, at least imo.

Maybe I am too young...

Wow, we went off topic...

[Fastzuernst]

The problem I have had in performing for an audience that is not familiar with classical music is that I will usually get complaints about my less tonal choices for my program. Granted, I will always take the audience into account when choosing a program, I will usually add something that is less well known.
For example, I played a program of the Prokofiev Sarcasms, which are generally known to pianists but not so much to the average person, along with a bach prelude and fugue , and the Beethoven Variations in c minor. NO ONE liked the prokofiev, even though I didn't play the bach or the beethoven as well as I would have liked.  When I played a similar program (including the Sarcasms) for a more musically educated group, most enjoyed the Prokofiev over the other selections.
Audiences are fickle and I guess what I have learned is to always filter compliments and critiques.
Although - If I have one more person ask me to play the moonlight sonata, fur elise, or the flight of the bumblebee I think I might freak out.  

[Shagdac]

Daevren wrote:

Maybe I understand females just as well as normal people

You mean we're not normal??


Anyway, I think playing for anyone is enjoyable if they are enjoying it. Of course as far as compliments go, having someone who is an extremely good pianist themself tell you they liked your interpretation of such and such is really great. But I've found, no matter whom I am playing for, if they really are into it, and are enjoying it, I enjoy playing for them, no matter how much musical knowledge they have.  I just think there are different types of audiences, and as JR stated above, knowing HOW to play for them can make all the difference. I enjoy any opportunity to share music I love.
And sometimes how they respond just creates more of a learning experience for myself.

Just my thoughts,
S      (now I'm going back to practicing being normal)!
             

[Daevren]

Haha, I guess that was pretty Freudian.

I meant to say, 'the average person'. So, like all males, I don't understand woman but I don't understand anyone so I don't notice the difference.

But maybe all those whining males, are just... whining.