Perform when you really don't want to, but need the money :P

[pianisten1989]

So, I am kind of low on cash right now. Not that I wont survive, but you get it...
Anyway, my friend asked me if I could play some hours at his sisters graduation.
He asked for background music, so my current repertoire wasn't very helpful.

To the point: Now I have to play pieces like Ballade pour Adeline, and cheesy film-music. And not the well written kind of music but the "oh, if we put a d minor here, and a dm7 here, it will sound like jazz!"-kind of music.

Do you have any advice on how to motivate myself? Cause I actually have to play it quite well, since it's a rather close friend, and I don't want to come there and look like an ass. BUT IT'S SO BOOOOORING!

[jesc]

I'm not a working musician but I may have something to share about the "boring" part.

Every film-music I can play, I've learned by ear. Unfortunately, I have my limits and there are compositions that I can't get right. One of them is "Arrival to Earth" from the transformers movie. One day I decided to get a music sheet from online and when I printed it I find myself bored... I never got to learning it.

I don't know but maybe I found the music I've learned by ear less boring since I'm at liberty to change it depending on my mood. I never play them the same way, ever (ok maybe there are times I've played them exactly the same way). Having learned them by ear I'm pretty much free to change it and I always do.

Most of those kind of music have so many interpretations and arrangements that when you change it to fit your tastes no one will bother. That's just from my experience: continuously altering the piece to make it less boring.  

[gerryjay]

Dear Pianisten,
I've been there. Some thoughts:
1. unfortunately, friends rarely do actually understand what your piano playing is all about. They can accept the fact you study several hours a day, they can even be proud of you ("I have a friend that is a great composer"). But they don't get it. So, it's kind of a problem to say: I don't play the music you need to your ceremony. The most likely answer would be: "Anything you play would be nice!". Or, a little less likely: "You play so well, this simple stuff won't bother you!". It's difficult know how to handle, but now we get to point 2.

2. Are you in music as a business? I mean, is it your professional career or a huge hobby? I assume you are young (early twenties), so my question is directed toward your aim. And what you want to do about it. If you are not in the music as your main professional occupation, just decide if you want to play the music or not and go get the cash. If you don't, well...point 3.

3. A professional career is made of choices and the image you build. There are many options, and all are great. But you must develop yourself in the direction you want. If you don't want play in ceremonies, and the like, in the long run, don't even start. It takes time (to study, to promote, and to actually do the music) and it pays you a lot of cash. However, it makes a bit harder to face that Brahms Sonata that no one cares about. So, let's get to point 4.

4. Two options, then: accept the offer and use the opportunity to create a repertory and promote yourself; OR give it to your friend as a gift. Yes, no money: just for the sake of seeing your dear friend happy, assuming that s/he is a very good friend.

I can't offer you anything but my experience, and I never accept money for situations like this, or situations other than my main occupation. Of course, I play very little on these circumstances, but when I did it was great. Last time it was in a very best friend's wedding, where I was both the music performer and the best man...

Best regards,
Jay.

[tb230]

Is the programme absolutely fixed? Couldn't you add a few well-known classics, I mean, with the number of polls regarding Chopin's music you should think that anything by him would be a hit also?
There are several jazz pieces that should be suitable as well - Oscar Peterson 'Hymn to freedom' is a personal favorite - I would guess that little variation wouldn't hurt anyone and at least you wouldn't get bored?

[pianisten1989]

Thank you everyone.

This will probably be the only time I do something like this. It's just not fun enough...
I'm not very good at playing by ear, so I don't want to try to make it work in less than 2 weeks.
And I've added a few Haydn and Chopin, and stuff like that, so I've at least have something fun to play...