I've ruined my recital, need some advice!

[mnn12]

Hello everyone!

I have ruined five recitals in a row this year and I know it's not going to get any better if I don't ask for help. I never get anxious or nervous in the beginning because I don't really care what the others think about my performance but I'm not going to fail my teacher again!

The problem is, I can't play in the crowd because I easily get distracted by any kind of noise! I do well in the class and at home or while playing for my friends because I always make sure the room is quiet. I even can't play piano/violin duets with my friend because my mind goes blank when I hear the violin!

I really don't know what to do to stay focused while playing.

Thank you all in advance for your kind advice.

[cwjalex]

maybe try practicing at home with distractions.  put the tv on or a radio or something and get used to background noise.  if that doesn't work maybe wear earplugs while performing.

[j_menz]

Practice with the radio or TV on - audible but not too loud. Your regular practice. You'll soon learn to ignore it.

[perprocrastinate]

Find any opportunity to play for people, musicians or not, and take it. I've found that getting using to an audience, no matter what size, helped me mentally prepare for a recital in the past. It lessens anxiety and improves confidence. Granted, I still didn't do as well as I thought I should have done the first few times, mainly due me being nervous and choking, but it definitely didn't hurt me.

[indianajo]

To get over my nervousness, I've been playing during the charity dinner at a local church.  They have a great Baldwin console piano on the stage. Sometimes a catering team church member plays it, but mostly it is ignored. I found the situation when my church was catering, the piano was just sitting there, and before the dishes needed washed I had a little free time.  The audience ignores me, except to interrupt me sometimes to make a request - most often for Amazing Grace which I truly detest as the hymn that Janis Joplin made famous, but I do comply.  Another person interrupts me to find out if the music I'm playing was played by Marvin Hamlisch. Sort of correct, I do play Scott Joplin, but not in the wimpy fashion Mr. Hamlisch made famous in the Entertainer movie.  People at charity dinners are not the politeest people in the world, but getting along with ordinary people is a skill I need to work on anyway.   
Look around, some cities have public pianos on street corners or in train stations, others like mine just have churches with free dinners and an out of tune piano in the fellowship hall.  I suppose there are still bars with pianos.  In most cases, I have to tune the piano myself before I start, but that doesn't cost me anything.  I've got a grand piano almost to pitch in at a church in the next county, that allows me to play with the middle pedal, what a pleasure to a console owner.  The church secretary there is a Scott Joplin fan.  Onward and upward, next, maybe someone will recognize Lecuona or Granados! One guy did recognize Beethoven, Moonlight, no surprise really. 

[louispodesta]

Hello everyone!

I have ruined five recitals in a row this year and I know it's not going to get any better if I don't ask for help. I never get anxious or nervous in the beginning because I don't really care what the others think about my performance but I'm not going to fail my teacher again!

The problem is, I can't play in the crowd because I easily get distracted by any kind of noise! I do well in the class and at home or while playing for my friends because I always make sure the room is quiet. I even can't play piano/violin duets with my friend because my mind goes blank when I hear the violin!

I really don't know what to do to stay focused while playing.

Thank you all in advance for your kind advice.

Until I played my senior jury, I knew that I would fail, and I knew that I would fold due to nerves. Then, as I have shared on this website before, a fellow student of mine (who won the Naumberg Competition) said:  have you ever heard of Inderal?  This was 1981, and not 2015.

He further shared:  that all of the classical musicians in Europe (1981!) used in on a regular basis.  And further, it is not a narcotic, is not physiologically addictive, and IT WORKS!

This is a (generically available) medication, which is probably the most prescribed Beta Blocker in the world.  It slows your heart rate by restricting the amount of Adrenalin that gets pumped into your system.  That is why the FDA approved pharmacological literature lists it as being prescribed for "stage fright."

So, get yourself to an Endocrinologist or a Neurologist, both of whom prescribe this medication on a daily basis.

Well: shouldn't my "Primary" physician know how to do this?  Yes, if you have a heart/cardiac condition.  In your specific circumstance, no you do not, or if in fact you do, either specialist will pick this up instantly.

The bottom line is that once your nerves are fine, then your playing will be fine.  I cannot imagine performing without Inderal/Propanalol.  Why would I ever want to go through the living HELL that I did for so long before?

[mjames]

jesus christ don't resort to using *** drugs. just grow a sack, and start playing in front of people regularly.

[hammeroffelt]

While I don't do recitals, I have found that allowing my dogs to sing along (one doesn't howl well, so she just barks) has helped me to focus on the music immensely. I used to discourage them because it messed me up so badly. Now I let them have their fun. They get worn out quickly, and I get great practice playing under very distracting conditions.

[louispodesta]

jesus christ don't resort to using *** drugs. just grow a sack, and start playing in front of people regularly.

When, if you play with orchestra, or if you ever have medical surgery, you can bet your bottom dollar that these individuals are using Beta Blockers beforehand.  That is not my reality, that is THE reality!!

"Grow a sack," okay, just set up your parameters before a particular performance.  And, then we will just see who is real and just what your "sack" is, or is not!

[timothy42b]

The problem is, I can't play in the crowd because I easily get distracted by any kind of noise! I do well in the class and at home or while playing for my friends because I always make sure the room is quiet. I even can't play piano/violin duets with my friend because my mind goes blank when I hear the violin!

I really don't know what to do to stay focused while playing.

Thank you all in advance for your kind advice.

This doesn't sound like an attack of nerves, it sounds like a difficulty with processing sensory input.

That is a classic symptom for those with Asperger's or on the autistic spectrum.

You may not have either of those, but it is still possible to have an isolated symptom.

Perhaps reading what is suggested for them may help.

I'm sure others can suggest some reading.  I found this one helpful in understanding the problems:
https://www.amazon.com/Aspergers-Syndrome-Workplace-Survival-Guide/dp/1849059438

[dcstudio]

jesus christ don't resort to using *** drugs. just grow a sack, and start playing in front of people regularly.

lol...   I kinda like the nerves--keeps things interesting.    A performance without that adrenalin rush would be just kinda--sad. 

[bernadette60614]

I live in a major metro area and there are at least 5 amateur pianist "meet-ups"  I play only for myself so I've never joined them, but each offers an opportunity to play in front of others.

That's something you might investigate.