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I did it! I played for church Sunday evening, the second time in my whole life! A nice little arrangement of Silent Night, a few notches down from where I'm at, but nice nonetheless... Then I hear from someone that was watching my face and wanted to know was my experience as "painful" as I made it look? Ummm, yes, it was. Extremely so! Aaarrgh! Now I have to mind my facial expressions while juggling sweaty hands, nausea, a racing heartbeat and memory meltdown?? Please say it ain't so...Liz

I get alot of feedback about how I look when I play... either I move too much, or laugh, or have my mouth open... some people think they are supposed to comment I guess, because they do.... and of course they don't play (or sing probably).

My response would be, "well, let's set you at a piano in front of xx # of people and see what YOUR face looks like".

Congrats Liz! It's too bad nobody commented on the music, instead of your face. :rolleyes: What are you planning to play next time?
Jon

Apple, I guess feedback means they listened, anyway! I'm a long way from laughing up there - what causes you to laugh, do you think? I'm too busy trying not to throw up. I just never watched someone's face while they're playing. But I did after that, and noticed several people play with their face very passive and unresponsive. No frantic leaning towards the music or swiping at sweat..Liz

Thanks on the congrats, Jon. You mean I have to get up there again??? Seriously, I did receive a few nice compliments on the piece, mostly from other sympathetic piano students, old and young! My teacher asked me the next lesson what did I play - I told her I thought I might have played, "Smoke on the Water", but I'd have to ask around to be sure! Liz

Congratutlations! playing in front of people is scarey. I bet the piece was beautiful, and you gave the gift of music to the congregation. Hope the next time is less stressful.

Lizzy, did you ever consider maybe taking up another hobby, like needlepoint or something?

My first experience playing in front of people was in a church as well. It was a lent service or something. My teacher was the director of music ministry there, and gave me the opportunity.. I played Chopin's Prelude in Eminor. My nerves were a mess. Firstly, I am not religious, church is very much not a place you'd ever find me, but an opportunity is an opportunity, but I was "uncomfortable" around the whole worship/service thing. Just not my bag. So everything felt so "formal" and I was sitting in the front row with my teacher during the service, to be close to the piano.. I seriously almost passed out just sitting there. It came time, my teacher nodded to me to go to the piano.. I had been warming up before the service, and my book of Chopin music was on the stand, opened up, but not opened up to the right piece.. (I had it memorized, but this was first performance jitters) -so I'm sitting there, looking at this sheet music, thinking "this just doesn't look right, what is going on?!" I completely forgot how to start the piece, couldn't figure out why this material in front of me looked so foreign (was too wrecked to look at the title.) But anyway - so I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Used a relaxation technique I learned in my study of martial arts, and suddenly the first note was as clear as the day in my mind.. I played the piece, actually one of the more beautiful renditions of it for me at the time, with my eyes closed the whole time.. It just flowed. From that point on, I have not felt nervous playing in front of anybody (granted, I'm no pro doing big recitals or anything)

-Paul