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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000044.txt from 2003/01
From: Kathryn Sleeper <KatSleeper@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] recovering from a bad recital
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 10:27:06 -0500
Hi Lisa,
I think everyone has a story like this. I have been playing piano since I
was 6 years old, and in recital since 7. By the time I was 16, I was pretty
seasoned on the recital venue. Up to that point, I had had no idea how I
memorized things=8Btactile, probably, but basically I =B3zoned=B2 while pla
ying.
Sometimes I would get finished with a piece and it felt like I would then
start coming into consciousness. This awareness became more pronounced the
older I got and I began having doubts about =B3trusting=B2 this state and
started trying to have a way to control it as a back up. Things got a
little more difficult before they got better. Anyway, when I was 16, I was
doing the famous Chopin Waltz that everyone does on a recital where I was
the representative for my teacher=B9s studio for the region. I had a fever
and my parents tried to get me to stay home. I didn=B9t=8Bit was a big dea
l and
a big honor to be playing. There is this famous =B3b section=B2 to the wal
tz
that comes back 6 times before the end. I got to the scale passage at the
end of this section (which is probably the simplest part of the piece,
honestly) and couldn=B9t complete the scale. I was suddenly aware that I w
as
playing and felt lost. I just went on to the next section of the waltz=8Bno
problem=8Bthe b section came back=8Bsame place in the scale, I went blank.
Went
on. This block happened every time I got there! Fortunately, I was so
delirious I didn=B9t feel the tension in the hall which had to be horrible.
Finally, the 6th and last time I got to that point I played the pattern over
and over until I got it right. I was insanely (and embarrassingly) pleased
not to have given up completely and stood up and smiled at the audience
before I bowed. My teacher looked like she was about to cry. My mother had
her head in her lap. The audience clapped with relief that I was leaving.
I went off stage and threw up. The first thing my mother said to me was
=B3Don=B9t ever do that to me again!=B2 My teacher patted my back and said
=B3It
happens. And it=B9ll probably never happen to you again.=B2 The audience
members in the reception line said =B3Nice dress!=B2 Guess which of these
was
the best thing to have said? And, my teacher was right.
So, to your son I say--=B2It happens. It=B9ll probably never happen to you
again.=B2 Remember, too, that performing is a skill, not just like playing
but, different. The more you do it, the better you get at it. And mostly
remember, it=B9s music. No one is going to get hurt if a performer messes
up.
The world will not end. It doesn=B9t mean the performer is a bad person, or
even that s/he wasn=B9t well-prepared. Things happen=8Beven to the most
seasoned professionals. Makes interesting conversation at cocktail parties.
And the next time your son performs and it goes just like he wants it to,
he=B9ll experience a greater amount of satisfaction than he=B9d have ever f
elt
if nothing bad had ever happened. That is a good thing!
Best=8BKat Sleeper
>
> "Vickery, Lisa" wrote:
>> >
>> > This question isn't specific to double-reed playing, but rather has to
do
>> > with fostering love of music in children and helping them overcome flu
bbed
>> > performances.
>> > My 10-year-old son recently was in a piano recital, and it was a disas
ter.
>> > Luckily, he's had several others that went off without a hitch. But for
>> this
>> > one, he began playing his little Berlioz piece (which he'd played a mi
llion
>> > times by memory) and just choked about 2 lines into it. He started ove
r, >>
but
>> > hit the same problem at the same spot. He simply couldn't remember how
it
>> > went.
>> > The teacher told him to take a bow (meaning: get off stage).
>> > Obviously, it was a heart-breaking experience, and he sobbed quietly
>> through
>> > the rest of the hour-long recital.
>> > My questions to you:
>> > Was the teacher too harsh in rushing him off stage? ( I thought so, bu
t I
>> > also realize he's seen these kinds of problems over the years and knows
>> when
>> > somebody is having an off day.)
>> > And secondly, do you have any words to the wise about how I can prevent
>> this
>> > from turning into a musical scar that doesn't heal properly? Luckily,
he's
>> > continued to practice regularly and hasn't mentioned any desire to qui
t, >>
but
>> > I suspect the experience has subtracted something from his willingness
to
>> > perform.
>> >
>> > Lisa V., oboe/flute. NJ
>> >
>> > DOUBLEREED-L mailing list
>> > DOUBLEREED-L@-----.edu
>> > http://lists.washburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/doublereed-l
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