Is it ready???

[Antnee]

Once you have "completed" a piece, how do you know it's ready for a performance? What can I do to prep it right? I feel that every week my pieces are in better shape then they were before. Will I ever hit a point when improvement stops and the piece is ready? But, Also howcan I ensure that the performance will be how I play it alone? should these considerations start when beginning the piece or when it feels finished??

-Tony-

[Nana_Ama]

Once you have "completed" a piece, how do you know it's ready for a performance? "

You can try transposing it.  You could also try switching the order of the sections... If you don't think it sounds quite right you could record yourself playing and listen.  That way you will know if it's ready.

What can I do to prep it right? I feel that every week my pieces are in better shape then they were before. Will I ever hit a point when improvement stops and the piece is ready?  But, Also howcan I ensure that the performance will be how I play it alone? should these considerations start when beginning the piece or when it feels finished??

When you've memorized it just try to play it for an audience at least three times before your real performance...
I don't know what else I can really say because I am not very expericenced but it's what my teacher tells me.
So far it's worked for me... I don't know if a piece can every really be "finished" but there is a time when you just have to let go I guess and accept that it's your best.  

Good Luck
Nana

[donjuan]

I tend to believe you cant "finish" or "complete" work on a piece of music.  You can learn all the notes, and memorize the composer's indications, but I cant really say a work is "done".  It's like trying to take a picture and you spend time focussing the camera to get it as clear as possible for the people who will look at the picture after it is developed.  We might work on a single piece of music for our whole lives to make the idea, or theme, or motif, or whatever as clear as possible to the audience.

I know I sound like an artsy-fartsy type when I say this kind of stuff, but that is how I perceive music.

donjuan

[Clare]

Also, things might actually change over time. Like, I might like the way I play something now, but in a year I might have different ideas about it.

When I think I've got a piece ready for performance, I record myself playing it. I only give myself one take, otherwise it's too easy if you think you can try more than once. Then I listen to it. Often, there are many things I want to fix. When I fix those, I record it again. Then I play for a number of people to see whether some bits will fall apart when I'm nervous and also to get feedback. Then, it's ready to play in a more official sort of performance.