Preparing For A Performance

by Lorraine Moxey

January 1992

Performing is the most rewarding thing a musician can do

Music needs:

For a work you have not studied before, allow three months preparation time - assuming 1 rehearsal per week

yes, but remember that the recording is only one way of interpreting the piece (as you will discover if you hear more than one recording of the same work)
use it to
get an idea of tempi
style and phrasing
ornamentation
see how your part fits in - where you are important and where you are not

use in both private practise and rehearsal
if not loud enough, each player can take a turn to tap or clap along with metronome so that the beat can be heard
tapping player can listen for problem bars or players

slow, careful tuning
tune softly, especially string players
once in tune, sit quietly - tuning is not a chance for you to practise your cadenzas
if others have finished, don't rush if you haven't

can be a barrier between you and the other players, or you and the audience
use small stands and keep them low
watching body movements is essential in chamber music, and stands can block your peripheral vision

pencil, eraser, score, metronome, tape recorder Warm-up
play some unison scales together in keys related to the work
this improves listening and intonation skills
scales can be used to practise leading
the leader leads changes of tempo and dynamics
the other players try to match the attack on notes, different parts of the bow and different length of notes.

choose a steady tempo
try to play through without stopping, regardless of mistakes
even if you can't play all the notes, always know where you are by careful counting
make a note of disaster areas for practise
remember! - rehearsals are for rehearsing the ensemble, not for learning the notes - learn the notes at home

chamber music should be very democratic
everyone should be prepared to give and take criticism
constructive criticism is essential to improve the results
don't feel hurt - others hear you better than you hear yourself - they're probably doing you a favour
if there is a difference of opinion in interpretation, try it both ways and decide which is best
remember the limitations of the players in the group, they can't produce more than their very best

ensemble/intonation
interpretation/style
matching phrasing, articulation and note lengths
matching bowings, parts of bow and bow strokes
be conscious of the fact that difficult passages tend to be played louder and faster than they should be - fight this

make a rough rehearsal schedule for the three months so that the work is covered adequately - schedule movement by movement
schedule the more difficult movements for more rehearsals

Tape recordings are excellent to highlight intonation and ensemble problems. It's good to play for as many people as possible in the last weeks.

arrive in plenty of time (allow time to park etc)
do some exercises to relax muscles (swing arms, move shoulders etc)
play a long note aiming for the smoothest note possible
play a slow scale carefully, listening for intonation
play the more difficult parts of the work slowly
nothing in a pre-concert warm-up should be played fast - tune carefully off-stage, leaving only fine-tuning for the stage (audiences hate long tune-ups)
try not to tune between movements unless absolutely necessary (audiences hate this as well)

affect different people in different ways, eg
running nose
dry throat
perspiration
frozen muscles
trembling hands, legs, or anything else
forgetting to breathe
super-sensitivity to distractions (coughs etc)
some or more happen to all of us - but don't let these distract you - it's quite normal

Any cure for nerves?

yes, the more you perform, the easier it gets
nerves can be a useful tool to hone your concentration
if you are too relaxed, you can be easily distracted, the tempo can sag, the dynamics can become half-hearted
nerves give a performance an edge, if they're under control

Additional hints

get plenty of sleep before the performance
eat healthy food
play for as many people as you can
when on stage, take an extra few seconds to breathe, relax and focus on the music
(in Kirribilli, the leader takes time up front to talk about the work to the audience - this should give you a few minutes to compose yourself)
some players spot one special person in the audience and play for them
others transport themselves mentally to their favourite playing spot, blocking out the audience

can be magnified in your mind, spoiling the rest of your performance
90% of the audience won't notice it
the other 10% will want you to do well, having probably experienced nerves and mistakes themselves
don't pull a face
don't give up
put twice as much into the rest of the performance
don't panic - panic can make you race, making your job harder
think calm and breathe easy!