Practising on the day of a performance

[bleicher]

I'm interested to know what you all do to prepare on the day of a performance. Do you do your usual amount of practice, or more because you've got a concert, or less in order to stay fresh? Do you do technical work or just enough to warm up? Do you play through your entire programme or just a few corners?

[asiantraveller101]

Really depends on each individual. Richter was known to practice till the very last minute. Some of my acquaintances/friends do that too. Horowitz liked his nap before his recitals, and so do I. On the day of performance, I usually run through passages that are difficult or problematic for me. I don't run through the entire program. It is just too exhausting, and I want to keep everything fresh. Moreover, I tire easily, so I cannot do a full practice. When I am tired, my mind starts to wander, and that is not good during the performance.
All the best in your performances. Find out what works best for you through experience and experiment.

[juliantoha624]

Hi Bleicher,

As AsianTraveller101 mentioned there are various routines that work.  It all depends on the individual.  On tour I usually, review pieces daily away from the piano for 30 minutes to an hour, practice on a piano for 30 minute to an hour and always do some type of nap before performing.  For larger performances I may even take a long shower or bath and then sleep prior to performing. 

Sometimes the stress that we carry with us from daily life can interfere with our mindset and we should make sure that we do what is necessary to make sure that nothing interferes with the performance.  Regular exercise is also a great way to maintain a good performance mindset.

Regarding practice, I would suggest keeping it to a minimum to allow you to feel fresh on stage.  The last thing you want is to have tired arms walking out on stage.  Good luck with your performances. 

[keyboardclass]

If you really want to be secure run through your program note-for-note, finger-for-finger in your head.

[bleicher]

Good answers everyone, thank you! I think I need to do lots of practice in my head for the next few days and take it easy on the actual day.

[nyiregyhazi]

If you really want to be secure run through your program note-for-note, finger-for-finger in your head.

It's a good idea in general. But if you can't already do it flawlessly, attempting it on the day of the performance is just asking for trouble. It's simply going to breed panic, whenever you notice even the slightest holes in what you can visualise. If you start worrying about it, gaps that would never normally cause problems suddenly become very likely to interfere with the muscle memory. This is something that needs to have been mastered to the full, before you use it as a last minute refresher. If it's firing at any less than 100%, there's more to be gained on the day from slow and precise practise at an instrument. This is a time to be reminding yourself of what you can do. Not a time to be confronting yourself with the inevitable gaps between the physical and mental (which is virtually guaranteed unless you're a Volodos or Gieseking).

[keyboardclass]

Good answers everyone, thank you! I think I need to do lots of practice in my head for the next few days and take it easy on the actual day.

Agreed.

[invictious]

Alternatively, I normally do something like this here:
(audio nsfw, but video is sfw)

[naomicampbellmusic]

That is a very interesting question! As others have said before I agree that it is up to the individual what their preferred preparation routine is. However, I feel that a less prepared pianist WILL almost certainly practice and prepare in a very different way than someone who is comfortable and technically prepared for the performance. I advise AGAINST changes of fingering and other technical structural changes. This can cause confusion in the brain due to the fact that muscle movements and repetitive motion of practice is interrupted.

Personally, I love to practice OTHER music and intense exercises followed by periods of deep rest where I don't play. For example: I may play some virtuoso exercises for 60 mins (10 mins break) + 30 mins then rest for 3 hours. Then repeat this as often as possible in the week leading up the a performance. This keeps the muscles warm without creating mental tension or anxiety about the score due to be performed. Relax your mind and be confident that you know the material by heart. If you practice for long hours it may be really worthwhile getting a weekly sports massage on the back and arms. This will lubricate the muscles and release points of extreme tension and ultimately prevent residual repetitive strain injury. Even in early stages of muscle strain you may find your piano playing less free and increased heating of focal points in the arms.

Perhaps reminding yourself of some fundamental Alexander technique will refresh your mental and physical approach to practice, especially leading up to the actual date of your performance. Deep breathing and relaxation as well as taking care of your muscles, associated with intense periods of piano practice, is the key to fluency and a successful performance.


-good luck!!

[bleicher]

invictious - I love the Red Violin clip!

naomicampbellmusic - I totally agree that making last minute changes isn't a good idea and preventing tension is important at this stage. Fortunately I have yoga this evening and the concert's tomorrow so I should be reasonably physically relaxed.

Thanks for the support everyone! Just over a day to go.

[pianoplayjl]

 I wouldn't practice on the day of a performance. I would try to calm my nerves and listen to some music. The most I would do is just have a run through of the score.

[49410enrique]

i usually stop practicing hard core about 48 hours out, this just from past experience, as i have in the past practiced so much in the days leading up to a performance that fatigue was an issue.  now i tend to only practice performing which is  different than 'practicing' in the normal sense of the word. every 2-4 hours i'll play through a work as if i was performing it, that is full concentration, relaxed, non stop. i'll usually start this like i said about 2 days out, normally the day of i try to get 1 run through (sometimes two if i'm not performing a big volume of music) then just relax and enjoy the time on stage, i mean that's the fun part right? we work so hard leading up to these things, the playing for folks is the treat we get rewarded with for paying our dues at the keybaord for hours of hard work.

[pianoplayjl]

i usually stop practicing hard core about 48 hours out, this just from past experience, as i have in the past practiced so much in the days leading up to a performance that fatigue was an issue.  now i tend to only practice performing which is  different than 'practicing' in the normal sense of the word. every 2-4 hours i'll play through a work as if i was performing it, that is full concentration, relaxed, non stop. i'll usually start this like i said about 2 days out, normally the day of i try to get 1 run through (sometimes two if i'm not performing a big volume of music) then just relax and enjoy the time on stage, i mean that's the fun part right? we work so hard leading up to these things, the playing for folks is the treat we get rewarded with for paying our dues at the keybaord for hours of hard work.

Wow, that sounds helpful. I might do that before an exam....

[keyboardkat]

Horowitz never practiced on the day of a performance because he wanted his muscles loose and his reaction to the music fresh.

Besides, anything that goes wrong if you practice on the day of the performance can unnerve you, increase your performance anxiety, and may result in the same mishap occurring on stage.

[pianoplayjl]

also maybe the pianist might want to relax himself so that he/she wouldn't tire out in the middle of a performance. the program might be very demanding.

[kellyc]

With a recital coming up for me in two weeks, here is what I usually do. Lots of lots of rehearsing and polishing up till about 3 days before the recital. Then no more classical music at that point. But to keep my fingers fresh , I do my Oscar peterson, Dave Brubek, Peter nero thing.Play  Lots of jazz and relax. Maybe get together with a couple of friends and do a little trio playing . Me on the piano , Drums and Bass fiddle. Just enough alcohol to mellow me out . On the day of the recital, sleep late, have a small brunch, go for a walk, read a little and then I'm ready . Or at least I hope I'm ready  .

Here's to all us performers

kelly

[irismanu]

in order i do like kelly. relaxing, but still playing. some easier pieces. some rythmus excercise.
at the day of the concert, i run threw difficult parts, slowly. and some warm up. this always helped me to stay fresh and give a good resultat in the evening.

[gvans]

Those who knew him said Chopin, on the day of one of his rare concerts, would only play Bach. I've tried this, and it's a good thing. Something about Johann Sebastian steadies both the mind and the fingers.

But I wouldn't ever rule out the Red Violin method--if it's available.

[pianoplayjl]

Probably because Bach's music is so hard to play and it is very complex, musically and technically. It requires the complete concentration to execute the piece perfectly or to a satisfactory playing standard. Probably maybe because Bach's music has some slow and fast sections within the same piece e.g. a fast prelude and a slow fugue. One good example is P&F in F minor BK 2. I might try that because my nerves get the better of me during exams.

[jesc]

I concur with the notion about Bach. I've been maintaining a lot of classical, romantic pieces lately and only when Bach came up did my music sheet became filled with pencil marks.

I haven't played Bach a long time and was freaked out when I wasn't able to immediately track the four voices playing. It's like when I was sight reading it... I felt something wrong... and freaked out. I heard two voices playing at once or three and I felt I'm not doing the piece justice by just glossing all of them. Only when my teacher introduced me to some theory did I manage to put it all together.