“All musicians should be able to address audiences confidently.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 176 Speaking from the stage can powerfully enhance audience-performer rapport, provided that we musicians polish our public speaking skills. Here are six public...
“Memorable concerts have three indispensable ingredients: prepared performers, suitable settings, and terrific music.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 208 The newest issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter presents more than 20 articles covering topics ranging from music...
“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 or without a score. We musicians often debate whether to memorize or not, so...
“You must start well, and you must end well. What is in the middle is not so important because no one is listening then.” –Maurice Chevalier, singer & actor The Musician’s Way, p. 180 I chuckle every time I read Chevalier’s words, but they...
“To be on stage is to be in charge.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 179 Take a moment to recall the stage presence of some memorable soloists: Don’t they convey authenticity and enjoyment? Authenticity and enjoyment are common features of commanding performers, so it...
“Display confident body language, come what may.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 194 Are you confident in your ability to deal with on-stage mistakes? I’ve found that rising musicians seldom practice handling errors, so they typically don’t manage them as gracefully as they...
“If things get rocky, stay positive and engaged, and give your audience the best possible experience.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 189 Recall the last time that you were distracted during a performance: How did you cope? Onstage distractions are bound to...
“People have often said to me, ‘You’re so relaxed when you play.’ Relaxed my elbow. It’s practice.” –Benny Goodman, clarinetist The Musician’s Way, p. 199 It may seem that elite musicians like Benny Goodman excel on stage because...
“Your central tasks are finding inner peace and strength, on the one hand, and being very well-prepared for your performances, on the other.” -Eric Maisel, author & psychologist The Musician’s Way, p. 146 In my previous post, “The 3 Roots of Performance...
