Klarinet Archive - Posting 000059.txt from 1999/05

From: "dew@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Performance Preparation
Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 10:37:56 -0400

At 05:24 PM 4/30/99 -0700, Jeff Chan>jeff.chan@-----.com< wrote:
>Fellow Clarinetters,
>
>I'd like to start a discussion regarding preparation for performance.
>
>My question revolves around the different methods of rehearsing for
>performances and the depth of preparation.

<snip>

I think what you have noticed is more a result of the personalities and/or backgrounds
involved in your situation.

My quintet has the goal of rehearsing nearly every week for a couple of hours, but many times
the members have too many conflicts to come up with a mutually agreeable time for 2 or 3
week in a row... :o) Depending on what we have coming up, our rehearsal techniques vary greatly.
We enjoy our group, and value the opportunity to play together. We do a lot of reading--adding
pieces to our repertoire and practicing ensemble communication. (It's important to be able to
communicate even when the music is not familiar.) When we have a wedding or other backgroud
gig, we run through all the material at the last rehearsal before the gig. Most of it is quite familiar
to us, either as part of our standard backgroud gig repertoire or as new material we add through
our reading sessions, and since the performance will be casual, what is more important than
artistic perfection is energy. As we all know, energy can be less than optimal after countless
rehearsals of some good standard wwind 5tet pieces...When we have an upcoming concert,
we work on artisitic presentation. I would also say we work together with more intensity and
musical drive when preparing for a concert.

All this is to say that the approach to performance preparation should not be canned, but should
be suited to the needs of the performer(s) and the performance. If one gets boxed into a practice
routine that never changes, one risks either a certain sameness among all the performances or, worse,
the possibility that something could change at the performance that completely throws one's mindset
off kilter. I have recently come across a book by Madeline Bruser called _The Art of Practicing_. I have
not yet read much of it, but it seems to explain the (very basic) idea I put forth here. If anyone has read
this book, or has ideas on this topic, I would very much enjoy hearing your opinions.

Thanks,
Denise

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