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Today I played 2 pieces as part of a program at our local nursing home, put together by my piano teacher. Haven't performed in front of anyone other than family for many, many years, and even then not on piano! Played somewhat difficult arrangements of 2 hymns. I was SO nervous, more so than I had imagined I could be. Couldn't eat before, almost backed out. But, I muddled through. Missed some notes, but kept going, huge for me.

The piano was a hoot. Old spinet, uneven action, uneven volumn, not quite in tune, wobbly bench. So they probably didn't notice the missed notes. And they did clap .

I'm so glad the first time is over. It couldn't possibly ever be this bad again, could it? I want to continue to do this, but sure hope I can get a handle on the nerves.

My daughter belongs to the local chamber music group and every year they have two warm-up performances at nursery homes the night before their main performance. I had to smile when you mentioned the state of the piano. It's pretty scary when you HOPE it's a digital so at least it won't be too bad compared to some of the acoustic beasts that some of these places have.

That said, the audiences at the nursing homes tend to be a wonderful audience to play for (esp if you are dealing with a bit of performance anxiety) . They are usually very respectful (except for the odd cantankerous ones) and often quite grateful that you are there at all. Also a very unpretentious atmosphere.

Congratulations on overcoming your fears and working through it. Just think about the fact that you brightened up their days, even if it was just for a little while.

Applause, applause, applause. And to keep going thru the missed notes - a pro, already.

Two hymns - exactly the right choices for the audience, most likely.

These kinds of performances are wonderful - kind of a collaboration between the performer and the audience. That's what helps the nerves, for me - it's not a performance so much as a shared time and music.

Congratulations.

Cathy

considering that my mind goes blank whenever someone walks by while im playing, i would say u're pretty professional. keep going at it. im quite sure it'll only get better

Good for you, Playmisty. I'm someone who goes down in flames the moment I turn on the cassette recorder, so I think anyone who can pull off a performance is awesome.

Yes, Bravo. I have stood in front of college students and given lectures, stood in front of the board of huge international companies and given presentations, but I get wobbly even at piano lessons with the most gentle teacher you could imagine. As for performing - forget it for now...

It won't be. It gets easier and easier and--believe it or not--if you do it often enough, you may feel no nerves at all.

This is a huge and important rite of passage for you! Congratulations!! We all agonize over the Red Dot, but the Red Dot got nothin' on the Accumulated Glare of Dozens of Eyeballs.

LaValse. Been there done that. I have always been a success at whatever I have attempted=---except when it came to learning to play when someone is listening. I have the most wonderful teacher one could ever hope to have. He is kind, always encouraging, and patient. Yet, I really played so miserably today, and just could not get things right. Yet an hour before my lesson things were going great.

What was awful was that I had really practiced, and thought I had several things well learned.

Just the idea that someone may be listening reduces my fingers to jelly, and none of the notes on the page make sense.

Playmisty4me has my total admiration. She kept playing even though she was nervous and had missed a note here and there. Love her description of the piano. Gaby tu

I'm going to start dragging people off the street...

Yay congrats. It takes a lot of guts to do that and i admire you for it. Well done!!