How do you know you are ready to perform a piece?

[torandrekongelf]

Playing on your own and for an audience no matter the size or even recording is a completely different thing than playing on your own. The clue is to just master the piece so well that no matter how nervous your are, you are able to perform the piece to the best of your ability.

But what do YOU do if you make sure you feel safe with a piece to avoid especially memory slip during a performance?

I have absolutely no idea on my own. I had so many memory slips as a child that I stopped performing in public.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Start playing for family and friends before the actual performance

[louispodesta]

Playing on your own and for an audience no matter the size or even recording is a completely different thing than playing on your own. The clue is to just master the piece so well that no matter how nervous your are, you are able to perform the piece to the best of your ability.

But what do YOU do if you make sure you feel safe with a piece to avoid especially memory slip during a performance?

I have absolutely no idea on my own. I had so many memory slips as a child that I stopped performing in public.

Among most certified (Accredited) University Music Schools, the standard practice is to have those formally enrolled as Piano Performance matriculates to participate in a once monthly performance.   This is usually done in the teacher's studio (Studio Class), with each of his/her students playing a piece.

Afterwards, there are many College based Musical Clubs, that will allow a recommended student to "try out" their piece.  All of these steps allow a pianist to acclimatize themselves to the next step of "Performance Ready" reality.

Then, there is the always common step of performing the piece "on the road" in a location different than the location of the pianist.

Duh?  Do you think you are the first person to ever have this problem?

[keypeg]

Do you think you are the first person to ever have this problem?

That is an excellent reason FOR presenting this problem!  Imagine how many people can benefit from the generated ideas.

Among most certified (Accredited) University Music Schools, the standard practice is to have those formally enrolled as Piano Performance matriculates to participate in a once monthly performance. 

Do we know whether the OP is enrolled at such a school?  If not, he could not avail himself of this option.

Afterwards, there are many College based Musical Clubs, that will allow a recommended student to "try out" their piece. 

I know of none in my own area.  We do have a university with a music program in the city, but I don't know if I could just join such a club.  Do we know that the OP has such a club available where he is?

Then, there is the always common step of performing the piece "on the road" in a location different than the location of the pianist.

I could not imagine myself performing anywhere - my abilities are not good enough, imho.  Definitely not for someone to pay for a "performance", and there is also a certain respect for the audience.  Do we know whether the OP is ready for such a thing?

My own solution has been to record some of what I play, and share it with some people.  Playing in front of a camera is more daunting in some ways than playing live, because the camera records your flubs forever.  When I play live in front of my teacher before the camera, this initially also set up nerves and flubs which disappeared over time.

I see no "d'uh" to this (an expression that implies that a person is too stupid to figure out obvious things).  In that case I am equally stupid, because I had not known or thought of any of the options.

I should have checked whether the OP is in fact enrolled at university in a music program.  Louis, you may have already done so, and hence the advice about what is available in universities.

Is this the same in all countries, btw?

[torandrekongelf]

As for myself, I have Asperger Syndrom. Which makes me very hard to function in school/universities since I will always be that guy who is antisocial and everybody things there is something wrong with. As for performing live I have in my younger days never been able to get over the nerves part of performing. Currently I result or making youtube videos in my own very amateurish youtube channel.

Couple of years ago I had nerves when I was recording myself, but not at all any more. I like it a lot. You can say that me and Gould have the same opinion when it comes to performing live and making recordings.

[xdjuicebox]

For me the litmus test is being able to:

1. Hear the entire piece in my head, note for note, preferably including all of the little dynamics details and stuff

2. See the notes be played in my head, without my hands actually moving

3. Be able to write the score from memory

If I can do these 3 things, I usually feel pretty good. And while I don't have any memory slips, I know I'll make a bunch of mistakes anyway, so I don't feel as bad if the memory slip were to occur.