How good do you need to be?

[MarkAllison]

Hi,

I've been playing two years now and am at around Grade 4 standard, will be sitting my Grade 4 exam next year. My piano teacher asked me how I felt about performing, and I said, "Yeah, I'm up for that." thinking that he meant performing in front of all his other students.

He said, "Great, you can perform at the Bedfordshire Music Festival next year!".

I was stunned. I can't even play one piece yet flawlessly but he thinks I can do it. I've never performed in my life, and even when I perform for friends, the "performance" is much worse than my practice sessions, because I am so self-conscious. He wants me to perform Einaudi's Le Onde which is a beautiful piece and is coming on well in my practice sessions, but I haven't managed to play it flawlessly all the way through yet.

What should I do? I'm tempted to chicken out and perform in a few years time, but at the same time the appeal of the challenge kind of thrills me in a masochistic way.

Mark.

[timothy42b]

Emulate the bassist.

You know that story, right?  I can't tell it well, you may want to look it up, it's pretty famous, but it goes something like this:

This kid decides to learn bass guitar, and goes to a famous teacher for lessons.

The first lesson they cover the E string in first position - just 4 notes.

Next week he comes back and they do the A string.  4 more notes. 

The teacher says okay, see you next week, we'll try to get both D and G strings now that you're making progress.  The kid says sorry, can't make my lesson next week, I've got a gig. 

Anyway, this idea of never playing for people seems to be unique to piano students.  If you've been playing two years you're good enough; only your fear is standing in the way.  I would suggest not pushing the envelope of your ability though, better to play something comfortable and well than challenge yourself.  This is not because you might crash and burn - it's because you've got to think about what an audience may want to hear. 

[galonia]

only your fear is standing in the way.

So true - when I was 14 I had no fear, and it didn't bother me that I was the youngest and most inexperienced student in master classes (other students being conservatorium Bachelor of Music students, and I was just a high school student).  I definitely played the worst in most these situations!

Now that I'm older, I get nervous about performing, but I remind myself that I play much better now than when I was 14, so if I had no fear then, there is no reason for me to be afraid now.

We are all much more critical of ourselves than other people are, and this is necessary for improvement, but you shouldn't let it stand in the way of performing.  If your teacher is inviting you to perform, you're ready.  Just enjoy it!

[bernhard]

Emulate the bassist.

You know that story, right?  I can't tell it well, you may want to look it up, it's pretty famous, but it goes something like this:

This kid decides to learn bass guitar, and goes to a famous teacher for lessons.

The first lesson they cover the E string in first position - just 4 notes.

Next week he comes back and they do the A string.  4 more notes. 

The teacher says okay, see you next week, we'll try to get both D and G strings now that you're making progress.  The kid says sorry, can't make my lesson next week, I've got a gig. 

Anyway, this idea of never playing for people seems to be unique to piano students.  If you've been playing two years you're good enough; only your fear is standing in the way.  I would suggest not pushing the envelope of your ability though, better to play something comfortable and well than challenge yourself.  This is not because you might crash and burn - it's because you've got to think about what an audience may want to hear. 

That is an excellent story.  I must remember it.

[anda]

nice story

anyway, how good? as good as your best. and yes, not being conscient of your level sure helps. also, being overconscious helps - if you know how to turn this into an advantage.

about playing soon  on stage - i make all my students play as often as they can on stage, starting at about 2-3 months of studying piano (very short very easy works, of course). this way, they get used to playing on stage before learning about jitters and stuff like that. based on my personal experience, it helps them.

[quasimodo]

Litany Against Fear

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it is gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear is gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Bene Gesserit litany against fear. (Dune - Frank Herbert)

Fear is the main reason which prevents us to be as good as we would want to be, maybe not the only one, but the main.

Providing you’ve made all the needed work, all the basic learning and the methodical daily practice, there’s no reason that you would not be able to perform the pieces you master in front of any public, except fear.

I have two passions: music and tennis. In tennis, let me tell you a few words about a great young lady who is about to become THE star of sports. Her name is Maria Sharapova, she’s 17, quite good looking, plays good tennis, though she is not a model of technique. But the thing that appears at first sight is that she’s self-confident. And when you see her play for a while, you realize that she doesn’t know fear. This word does not exist in her vocabulary. She goes for crazy shots and most of the time it’s successful.

I think that a similar attitude could work as well for music. Since you’ve made repetitions, practice and rehearsal, once again, only fear would be the obstacle to play successfully in public.

Then you need to know what do you fear.

-   Is it that you’re frightened by playing wrong note(s) ? Then remember this :

Q: Maestro how comes you never play a wrong note ?
W. KEMPF: Because I only practice the good ones …

And whatever, a wrong note never killed anybody…

- Is it that you’re afraid of critics? Then just think that a pertinent critic is going to help you improving something. A non constructive critic can only be made by stupid, jealous people.

And so on… There’s always a rational response to get over any fear, especially in such a peaceful domain like music. At least, in tennis, they play against an opponent. In music there’s no opponent, unless you invent one: yourself.

[MarkAllison]

Thanks everyone! Great comments.

I have recently deeply studied Chang's Fundamentals of Piano Practice and that made me realise that I needed a digital piano to allow me to practice - I was slowly driving my family insane with my piano practice.

Now that I have the digital, I decide to record pieces that I consider that I have come a long way with, so I can hear how I sound. I often find that when I hit that record button on my PC, my piano playing gets worse. I'm scared of something, but I don't know what. What is it? Who's going to listen to this recording anyway? Noone.

If I practice without the recording button on, I often can play the pieces quite well - still not flawlessly, but better. When I do a casual performance for friends and family, I also tend to do poorly, but I'm not sure I know why.

Have you ever tried going to the toilet with someone watching you? It's not easy - it's a very similar feeling when playing the piano with someone watching - I feel threatened. I guess I should try and do more casual performances and just pretend I'm on my own practicing - going for that perfect run.

Do you think the teacher should suggest that I break myself into this gradually? I haven't performed in front of his students or any other less threatening envionment except my own friends and family. I'm thinking maybe he should get all his students together, or maybe half and half (he has 20) and get them all to play a piece in front of everyone.

What do you think?

[quasimodo]

About recording, it would be more appropriate to record when you're playing the real piano, not the digital, in order to have an idea of your tone. The digital is going to be misleading because it's not rendering the nuances of your touch.

Chang's book gives a lot of tips, including how to record, how to prepare for performance.

[galonia]

I agree it's much harder to play when I'm being recorded.  I think I play better in certain situations - from best to worst, I'd say:

1. By myself, no one listening
2. For my teacher
3. For strangers (e.g. examiners, adjudicators, any other strangers)
4. When I'm being recorded
5. For family and friends.

My theory is that I'm afraid of disappointing - I don't want to disappoint people whose opinion matters to me.  I especially don't want to disappoint myself, which is a huge possibility if I am going to have to listen back to my own playing.

So I usually use recording myself as a way of practising dealing with nerves during a performance.

If recording makes you nervous, you can use it to help control the nervousness.

[tocca]

The festival is next year i think you said?

I'd recommend doing some public playing during this time, play for family/friends/neighbours and so on. Not just sit down and play, invite them over for listening.
That way you'll get some pressure, and you'll get used to the idea of performing for others.
Doing the first publical performance on a big event might be a bit "dangerous" if you don't know how you react.
In my opinion: The only way to get rid of stagefright is to go on stage!

But, i'm really having a problem performing publically in later years myself, so i should be the first to follow my own advice! 
When i was younger however, i played twice a year publically for seven-eight years. It was much easier after a while...

[quasimodo]

Here's an excerpt for CC Chang's book (the whole book is freely downloadable and the link can be found in many threads in this forum.

[Why Do Some Pianists Never Perform?
Many amateur pianists never perform. Even more surprisingly, many piano teachers never hold recitals of their students. Why does this happen so frequently, when piano is a performing art? Clearly, there is something wrong in the learning/teaching procedures when the main objective of the art is not attained. The obvious reason for non-performance is that the performance tends to be a disaster. If your playing is terrific, you will be playing to audiences every chance you have. First of all, there shouldn’t be a reason why performances must turn disastrous because no matter what your level, there are always pieces that are easy for you to play. Secondly, many students do not realize that disasters
don’t just happen, they are caused. You have to do something wrong to cause a disaster. When anything happens, there is always a reason. Let me explain. Practicing to play a piece of music and practicing to perform can be two entirely different things. Many students make the mistake of thinking that being able to play automatically qualifies themto perform. Many teachers know only how to teach to play, but not to perform.

The thing I would like to point out is that "the main objective of the art" is to perform, to show the result of your work to some public. Until you are not able to reach this objective, all the work you've done is either insufficient/improper or, worse, a total waste of time and energy. Thinking this should be a great motivation to perform, and by the time your motivation is bigger than all your fears, you're likely to become a good performer.

[chromatickler]

Ma Advice:

Let DA FUUUUUURY guide u

 

[MarkAllison]

Ma Advice:

Let DA FUUUUUURY guide u

 

Eh? Are you on something?

[MarkAllison]

The thing I would like to point out is that "the main objective of the art" is to perform, to show the result of your work to some public. Until you are not able to reach this objective, all the work you've done is either insufficient/improper or, worse, a total waste of time and energy. Thinking this should be a great motivation to perform, and by the time your motivation is bigger than all your fears, you're likely to become a good performer.

That's a great reason to perform and will probably be my biggest motivator. The WHOLE POINT of learning the piano is to make music - so performing is the way to do that. Thanks... I think I will attempt to do as you say and perform for neighbours and friends at home, and then just go for it.

[Marinated_Tofu]

Ma Advice:

Let DA FUUUUUURY guide u

 

Is this who I think it is?   

[RachOn]

Rules of Thumb:
1.  Play something you know and like when you're warming up.  Gets the confidence up.
2.  Just keep playing once you start with a performance.  The only thing the audience percieves as a true disaster is a clearly wrong note(s) followed by a long pause and a look of near suicide on the performers face.  If you just keep going they'll be too busy thinking about what you're doing now to worry about what you just did.
3.  When playing for chics, do crazy flashy stuff.  They'll never admit it, but they're thinking of your fingers in indecent ways.  Don't disappoint.  I hope no one with the power to ban me reads this.

[Scaglietti]

Good to know that I wasn't the only one who feels super self-con·scious performing.  I too, play much better by myself than playing for others.  I feel so nervous when I'm the center of the attention.  I have to say that the most frightening thing for me is to speak in public and performing in public.  When I play for others, I feel so nervous that my hands start shaking...  I don't know how to calm myself down.  If I can conquer these two phobias that I have, I'd be so happy...

If any of you can give me any other suggestion, I'd appreciate it! 

[quasimodo]

Good to know that I wasn't the only one who feels super self-con·scious performing.  I too, play much better by myself than playing for others.  I feel so nervous when I'm the center of the attention.  I have to say that the most frightening thing for me is to speak in public and performing in public.  When I play for others, I feel so nervous that my hands start shaking...  I don't know how to calm myself down.  If I can conquer these two phobias that I have, I'd be so happy...

If any of you can give me any other suggestion, I'd appreciate it! 

Unfortunately, there's no miracle solution for this problem. You know, even some stars feel nervous, frightened before entering the scene.

The thing that is sure is if you don't go for it, you won't overcome the stress. There are some tips like breathing properly, relaxing your body, why not practicing things like yoga, they may help but the key is in yourself. You need to know why you have the stress, if there's justified reasons like not being properly prepared, then work on the weak areas (including your concentration-ability) !

 If you don't find rational reasons then you might have some issues with self-esteem (lack of it), and the only way to get rid of that is, I repeat, just do it, face your phobia. Then you will get used to the situation and increase your confidence.
In my previous post in this thread, I quoted Frank Herbert's Dune "Litany against fear". Repeat it in your head, that might work as well...

[Brian Healey]

3.  When playing for chics, do crazy flashy stuff.  They'll never admit it, but they're thinking of your fingers in indecent ways.  Don't disappoint.  I hope no one with the power to ban me reads this.

That's awesome. I actually do that all the time. When I'm performing, I usually pick out a cute girl in the audience and pretend that I'm playing just to her. In a strange way, I think it makes my playing more sensitive, and I also tend to forget about the rest of the audience, which also helps.

By the way, the majority of an audience won't know a wrong note unless it's a really obvious clunker, or if you telegraph it with negative body language (scowling, making a face, getting flustered, etc.). Also try taking a few deep breaths through your nose before you start (once you're on stage). If you get wound up before a performance, you'll be amazed how a few deep breaths can help you compose yourself. Remember to breath through your nose too, as breathing through your mouth excites the heart, and you don't want that.