 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meri
Date: 2003-02-03 22:10
One of my students, who's 13, has been working with a pianist in the past few weeks, on the Carol from Finzi's Five Bagatelles for the Kiwanis Festival in about 2 1/2 weeks. While he knows the piece really well and can play it quite beautifully, there seems to be a general problem that he doesn't trust himself or the pianist to play it really well. It's his first time working with a pianist too.
Any ideas on encouraging my student to trust themselves and the pianist? I've been reading the Inner Game of music and it's provided me with some ideas, and the pianist gave some ideas as well but I'm looking for others.
Thanks,
Meri
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Author: Ken
Date: 2003-02-03 23:06
Meri, if I understand what you mean by "trust" (and given that tender age) I wouldn't consider it a specific problem but a perfectly natural lack of confidence, musical leadership and maturity that will develop and surface in due time (encouraged and nurtured by you of course). If fundamentals and mechanics aren't an issue then the essence of the indivdual's personality, expression, (who and what they are) must be stirrred. I've worked with numerous students like this and gotten the best results applying constant positive reinforcemnt, poking, prodding and even and flattery to bring out them out of their shell. Just like us when we were struggling and at that stage, one taste of success was all it took.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2003-02-03 23:17
...pardon my terrible english and not proofing what I wrote first.
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Author: HAT
Date: 2003-02-04 01:22
If, as you say, the student has the tools but can't access them under pressure. . .
Try setting up performances of the piece in every place out there which has a piano and an audience. Nursing homes, VFW's, etc.
Make him introduce the piece verbally to the audience. Does wonders for performing 'sea legs.'
Performing music is more than half mental. Lots of otherwise talented folks fail at music performance because they can't find their focus under pressure. Happens to atheletes too.
Lots of performing also aids in learning that better preperation leads to increased competence under pressure.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2003-02-04 12:54
I'm not a music teacher and haven't run into your problem precisely, but for many years I've been a member of Toastmasters International, an organization that gives people the confidence to speak before an audience.
One suggestion would be to have him perform first before an audience he knows to be nonjudgemental and encouraging, his family for instance. Another before friends might be helpful as well. When he finds that he didn't die in these performances and the audience appreciated them, he'll gain some confidence. HAT's suggestion about nursing homes, etc. is very good as well. (The people will be so appreciative that they will likely slather him with compliments.)
You might also remind him that the people at the Kiwanis festival don't know nearly as much about music or the piece that he is playing as he does. (At least we can make this assumption on his behalf.) He has already played it successfully more than once in front of the two most critical people he will likely encounter, himself and you. And, should he make a mistake in front of the festival audience, they likely won't know because they probably don't know how the piece is supposed to sound.
That and a few deep breaths (and maybe a banana an hour before he performs) should help.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2003-02-04 14:47
It also helps to pick out a particular person in the audience to play to. Someone he loves -- his mother, the pretty girl he wants to impress.
Remind him that the pianist is there to carry him in his/her arms. Relax into the piano part and let it float him along. In the slow movements, they sing together and to each other. In the fast ones, it's like playing Ping Pong, tossing the phrases back and forth.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: thomas piercy
Date: 2003-02-04 15:31
Be careful about taking bananas or anything else before a performance that you haven't tried beforehand. Try the experiment during a rehearsal to see if it has an adverse effect.
Bananas do seem to have a calming effect on some; on some it can make them somewhat lethargic, for some it can practically but them to sleep.
I was recently in a somewhat high pressure recording situation -- short on time, very little rehearsal, difficult music. I brought in some yoghurt and some bananas; I like the yoghurt, one of the other musicians had request some bananas. The pianist ate one of the bananas before the session. She had never done this before but was really hungry. After a while she said she felt like putting her head down on the keyboard and taking a nap. Her playing was still incredible, but she felt like -- uhm -- not so good, during the session. She learned a lesson, but learned it in the wrong place and time.
Good luck to your student; sunds like he's in good thoughtful hands.
Tom Piercy
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Author: Vic
Date: 2003-02-04 16:22
To paraphrase that astute observer of human activity, Yogi Berra: 90% of performing music is half mental.
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