“You can control your performance but not the result of an audition or a competition.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 221 Whenever you audition or compete, you offer yourself up for criticism. That criticism may be overt, as when judges provide comments, or it may be...
“Music is a performing art. . . . It isn’t there in the score.” -Michael Tippett, composer The Musician’s Way, p. 152 When you think about all that goes into preparing for a concert, performing can seem like a delicate skill, something akin to tightrope walking. I’ve...
“The fight-or-flight response works wonders when you’re standing on a sidewalk and a piano is falling from a building above.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 135 Shaky hands, racing heartbeat, queasy stomach – all manifestations of a nervousness that...
“When I play, I make love – it is the same thing.” -Arthur Rubinstein, pianist The Musician’s Way, p. 207 If you’ve read much about performing, then you’ve probably run into the terms “peak performance,” “flow,” and “being in the zone.” Those synonymous...
“Performing from memory can be a beautiful thing.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 82 As someone who has performed countless solos, I know the upsides and downsides of playing with and without a score. We musicians often debate whether to memorize or not, so...
Mindfulness Gives Performers an Edge Those of us who watch athletic competitions such as the Olympics witness some athletes who triumph and others who choke under the stress of performing. What differentiates those two groups? I’ve probed that question for...
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