Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Another recital bomb

Well, this was my 2 year recital. I played the pieces quite well to myself, during lessons and in my piano meetup. Got to the recital, nerves kicked in and I blew it. I forgot to play one whole section of my waltz, had multiple finger fumbles and just generally had a poor showing.

On the bright side, my ability to recover from errors and not having to start over was a win over last year!

Anyway, for all you AB's, you're not alone if you've had a bad recital. For the record though, I find them valuable and really do want to be able to play in front of an audience one day and actually entertain them In fact, my teacher had been considering adding a winter recital, and I think I've convinced him it would be a good thing to have more.

Anyway, back to my regular practicing!

Well as they say in boxing - anyone who steps in that ring deserves respect no matter how good they are.

Giving recitals in itself takes practice by doing recitals. Well done for actually doing it is what I say.

I like that. Courage!

I can remember 3 recitals/public performances where I was pleased with how I played. That got me thinking - how many times have I played in recitals? I keep a list, so I went back and started counting - about 25 times. 3 out of 25 is 12 percent. So 12 percent of the time I have played well enough to be pleased.

So keep trying!

Sam

But were those 3 closer to the end or spread throughout? In other words, did it improve over time?

Interesting question.

They are spread over time:
July 2013
July 2016
April 2018

I restarted piano in 2009 without a teacher, started taking lessons again in November 2010, started playing in student recitals the Spring of 2011. With all that experience, you would think playing in public would now be easy for me - its not. I have more confidence, but I still do not like being judged. I have to be relaxed (but not too relaxed!), well prepared, and have the right mental attitude. In other words, the stars must align perfectly...

Sam

Kudos for playing in recitals. I like your attitude!

There's a saying in aviation--a good landing is one you can walk away from. It's a really great landing when you can fly the plane again.

So as long as that piano is still playable, it's all good.

there is also a similar saying in long distance racing. The race was all done in training and what will happens on race day is of little consequence.

On one hand, sorry to hear it did not go better, on the other hand, congratulations! It sounds like you made a lot of progress in performing, and that is a pretty big hurdle to jump! Hopefully your teacher will add more recitals for you, especially if you enjoy it. There only way to get better at performing is to perform.

I think you are wise for continuing to think recitals are important.

When I started at age 6 we had two recitals a year in the conservatory's recital hall. There were usually 40 to 50 people in the audience. I used to be so nervous the day of the recital. When I went on stage my nerves seem to go away and I was in a different place. That went on throughout college. Later in life I started taking master piano classes that included a recital at the end. I've done that four times now and have not been the least bit nervous. I think it is because of the recital experience earlier.

All the best to you,

Steve

I don't know that I'd say I enjoy them, more that I recognize the value in them

+1 for the boxing ring/courage comment. I admire pianists who can merely present themselves for a recital. I never have done a recital and am pretty sure I never will; simply don't have the nerve. I've tried to play for a couple friends {only twice} but it seems if it's anyone other than my wife, I fall completely apart right away fast like 1st measure fast, develop all thumbs, can't find middle C, can't remember my name or day of the week or where I am, etc.....

There are many other things one can do besides performing to get better. That's why there are entire books and lengthy threads at PW on the subject.

Consider yourself lucky that you can play with your wife! Some of us aren't so capable. The only way I can play for my wife is called "SoundCloud".

One thing that I must suggest:

If you see a street or a public piano that you are allowed to play, anywhere, play it. Play anything.

The first time I did this I messed up so bad, songs that I could play by heart at home.

To get better at what? Playing? Yes. Performing? I am not so sure. I admit, that may depend on the case. I know for myself, I always struggled with stage fright, trying too hard, so many things. And I read a lot of books, did a lot of practice techniques, and so many other things. But what actually helped me get better, was performing. Although in my case, it was acting in theatre, and after that, performing musically became so much easier. But, it was still performing.

I suppose that is anecdotal rather than statistical, so I bow to your point, there are other ways. .

|Zilthy, I think what might be meant are things like learning approaches or mindsets, which you might get through books or advice that hits the spot. I can think of a couple of things over the years:

- I used to have a "study buddy" when we were both learning a string instrument in different countries. She used to freeze up in front of her teacher even worse than I did. One day we came across some ideas and tried them out. One was: Don't think you're performing for your teacher for judgment; think you're working on a project together - like how good this chair is that I made in carpentry class - and focus on the project (the piece). From that point on she was focused when playing for her teacher.

In this particular story, doing more and more of the same (playing in front of the teacher) in order to get used to it, would have given the same results. Our learning of new approaches and trying them made every difference.

- Back then I read anecdotes by some coach who helped professional musicians who came with varying problems. S/he had found a common phenomenon of these musicians trying too hard, being too focused, too attentive, and it was actually messing them up. I forgot what strategies were used to overcome whatever. One story I vaguely remember is where a singer was recorded once while just being loose and almost fooling around, and once when singing in performance mode. The singer expected the second to be better - but listening, found the "loose" performance to be superior, even technically.

- Learning pre-performance strategies, like ways of practising so that if you get stuck anywhere,you can quickly find your way back, and other such things. Often a good teacher will give you such advice. Then, when you are on stage and something happens, the way you practised carries you to some degree, or you can grab a strategy that you learned.

So .... I think that if you keep getting experience performing, and also get strategies or learn new things about performing, that is a winning combination. If you are forced to perform as a child and every single experience is a bad one, that can't be good. (I have no experience in this since I had my first lessons in my late 40's).

I think, that was my point. You can work on tons of things, but until you step on that stage, it does not matter. Of course, there are ways to improve, but you won't know what to improve until you are there. Like, I knew this kid in high school, Daniel Larusso, and he wanted to learn how to fight because he kept on getting beaten up. He even got a teacher. But, he really did not learn until he stepped in to the ring. Lucky for him though, he was a natural, and put it all together in one afternoon on that stage.

But, I digress (and maybe mock a bit) I do not think one can learn to perform without performing. I'll start a new thread though, so as to not completely divert and derail this one further than I already have.

This sounds very much like Soprano on Her Head by Eloise Ristad. A very good read.