 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Therese
Date: 1999-06-04 00:07
I have my Senior Recital this Sunday, and I am nervous out of my mind. Any suggestions on how to calm down? Thanks in advance! therese
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William Fuller
Date: 1999-06-04 01:41
I always used to pick one or two people in the audiance and make believe that I was playing exclusivly to them alone. (One of them was usually my girlfriend) Not too sophisticated and a little dumb, I know, but it worked for me. Of course, their is no better confidence builder than being absolutly prepared to play every single note without fail. From memory is even better. It is also comforting to remember that probably no one else knows the music as well as you do and what may seem like imperfection to you will be astoundingly musically profound to your audience. Good luck--take a deep breath--relax and try to have fun. No live performance is ever perfect--that is why they invented retakes in the recording business.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clare
Date: 1999-06-04 02:31
Be very glad that you're nervous now and not on Sunday! I usually get nervous a few days before I perform. Then on the day of the performance my mind is sick of being nervous and concentrates on performing. If I'm playing in a non-judged situation, I just think that nobody will know if I make a mistake. Usually that's true. Just let yourself be nervous now. It'll keep you on your toes and your recital will be great!
-Clare
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Meredith
Date: 1999-06-04 17:40
EAT BANANAS...it may seem so silly but I swear it works. Start eating a couple of bananas today and some more on saturday and then sunday just eat a ton. Bananas have something in them that block the chemical in your brain that makes you nervous. I get so nervous that my fingers shake and slip off the keys but I always eat bananas before region try outs and stuff and it really helps alot.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Fat Albert
Date: 1999-06-04 18:24
The banana thing is probably just semantics...But if it works for you, that's great!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ben
Date: 1999-06-04 23:11
Play strongly and remind yourself that nobody will think less of you for a few minor mistakes. The audiance is listening because they have confidence in you - they already like you. Concentrate on the fun you will have. If you can get yourself excited about how fun the music is, you mind won't be able worry so much.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don
Date: 1999-06-05 02:40
Fat Albert!
Could you have meant that eating bananas is a superstition? "Semantics" as defined by Webster is... the branch of linguistics concerned with the nature, structure, and, especially, the development and changes, of the meanings of words.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tim2
Date: 1999-06-06 03:07
I say, "Just Do It". Focus entirely on the music. I totally ignore the audience. I put myself in the realm of my clarinet and its sound. Maybe sounds a bit theoretical but that's what I do. It's you and the music.
And about the banana thing, I have heard that a few times. I am going to test it out this summer on Mr. Bernstein's Sonata.
Incidentally, what are you playing? You may have already played by this time. I'd like to know.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John
Date: 1999-06-06 14:26
Therese, OK today is Sunday and the recital is all over. Hope it went well. From the other posts you can see that everyone deals with nervousness. My most unforgetable moment was being the 1st freshman to play that year in the dreaded "performance class" at the U. of Colorado. I shook so much I was afraid of dropping the clarinet,much less doing any justice to poor Mr. Von Weber's music. It gets better with more performing! A suggestion: buy "The Inner Game of Music" by Green and Gallwey (Anchor Press Doubleday) This book addresses the problem and has concrete ways of fighting the nervousness battle. Good Luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Stuart
Date: 1999-06-07 19:12
Well, I had all this stuff to suggest but I'm too late!
Relaxing is one of my specialties. Maybe next time!
By the way how did it go? Now that it's over, may I recomend chilled beer and a warm climate? Congradulations!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
