Time seemed to accelerate during the final segment of the tour. "Wake up - eat breakfast - hop in the van - dress rehearsal - concert - head to hotel" became the familiar routine. And yet, we found ourselves trying to shirk any sort of musical routine; digging deeper and continuing to discover new and beautiful elements to share with our audiences. Subtleties in timing and dynamics that may have been left to chance early on in the learning process were now significant decisions that could alter the entire energy of the performance. We explored the balance of staying honest with a score and infusing it with our own interpretation.

I'd like to share three aspects of musical exploration that I feel are essential to finding this balance:

• Curiosity (Are you, the performer, curious about the music in a way that allows you to continue to discover new layers?)
• Clarity (Can you share all the contents of the music in a way that if another musician was given a blank copy of the score and had to fill in the articulations, dynamics, phrase markings, etc., it would align pretty closely to what the composer wrote in your copy of the score?)
• Conviction (Can you play in a way that leaves no doubt as to what you are communicating? The audience may not agree with you - but they must believe you at that moment). 

As performers, we should remember that the majority of the audience usually does not have a relationship with the pieces we are playing that is nearly as intimate as the one we develop through the learning process. The audience is not looking at scores as we play (thankfully!). They are there to enjoy, feel, and experience the soundscape we convey to them. But, because they get to hear the music that is second-nature to us just once - we must help them connect with it instantly. 

What a neat challenge and special responsibility!

A couple years ago, I wrote about one of the challenges we pianists all face: adjusting "instantly" to the piano you are given for your performance. As much as we wish we could bring our favorite piano on the road with us, we have to make do with what we get. Sometimes it's a fantastic surprise... and sometimes it's just a surprise. 

There've been a couple challenging pianos on this tour - including an electric piano (please tell me this isn't an indication of the future of classical music!) and a piano with an incredibly heavy action and "dead" upper register (I nearly killed my arms on that one - spent the evening alternating soaking them in hot and cold water).

When traveling on a concert tour there are plenty of challenges that pop up: from changes in weather that you may not have anticipated when packing, to changes in the schedule. Flexibility and a positive attitude are "key" to making the most of the opportunity to meet people, experience another culture, and  successfully share the essence of your musical program with the audience.

It's Spring - the season of music competitions. I've already judged three within the last month (one piano-only, and two concerto competitions for all instruments) and they've been excellent reminders as to what the judges are looking for in the performances .

In each competition the overall level was very high. I wasn't surprised... after all, everyone prepared well and genuinely wanted to give the performance their best effort. But, unfortunately, not everyone can win. 

So, in a field of "very good" performances, who stands out? 

Here are three of my top criteria for a winning performance: 

1. Clean Playing. Mistakes are forgivable, BUT if someone else has a clean performance they will edge you out. The competitive circuit in music is very competitive, so don't kid yourself that your musicality and expression is enough. The easiest way to narrow down the field is to eliminate those who make mistakes. Strive for consistent clean playing in your practicing. And when mistakes happen, recover quickly. I will take a musically engaging performance over a technically perfect but soul-less performance any day, but if two performers are neck-and-neck, judges tend to go with the cleaner and more convincing one.

2. Conviction. Play it like you mean it! This is not the time to be humble or shy or second-guess your interpretation. Decide what you are going to say and then convince us that this is the way it should be.

3. Dynamic range. Lackluster fortes and moderately soft pianissimos won't draw us into a magical musical world. Most performances have a range between mp-ff. If you want to truly get our attention, follow the dynamics in the music, and use a broad range from ppp to fff. And, within these, explore a variety of sounds, colors, and articulations.

I was called in to substitute the music director at a local church this morning. My responsibilities included leading the congregation in the hymns throughout the service, and playing music for the prelude, meditation, offertory, communion, and postlude. 

I dug out some beautiful selections that I thought would be appropriate (shout out to my students Taura and Lukas: I included Valse Melancholique and Prelude from Espana) and arrived early enough to get settled, tag the pages in the hymnal, play through the hymns (once each), and circle the spots in the program that I would be playing. 

The first service went well.* While playing I thought that this experience would make a great topic to share and demonstrate how many of the skills we develop in lessons are important for situations in which we have limited time to learn new music. 

A few reminders:

• Be able to play without looking at your hands. Not knowing the music well, I couldn't play any of it from memory.
• Look at (and know) your key signatures. Every hymn was in a different key signature, and it was imperative that I be able to read through without wondering "is that D that's coming up supposed to be sharp?"
• Count! A secure sense of rhythm and a steady pulse is always important, but especially so if you are leading an entire group of people (no pressure, but they are looking at the music as you play).
• Be aware of voicing. Hymns are written in four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). The piano score has two parts above the text, and two parts below, sometimes making it a challenge to read, as well as to bring out the melody (which must be heard clearly above all the other voices).
• Read ahead. As you are playing, you need to also be scanning ahead to look for upcoming notes, chords, rhythms, etc. that you have to plan for.  Occasionally the bass clef voices are too far apart to be played by the left hand, and thus the tenor part should be added to the right hand. 
• Be ready to improvise a little. I'm not just talking about the few notes I dropped... but rather, since the hymns had as many as 5 verses I would vary the accompaniment patterns, dynamics, and articulations to keep things interesting. In addition, each hymn required a short introduction and conclusion (not written into the music).

After the conclusion of the service a member of the congregation came over to speak with me, and we quickly lost track of time. Soon, it was 10:45; time to get ready for the 11:00 service. I grabbed a bulletin from the front of the church and let out a little gasp. The hymns for this service were all different than the first service. I would barely have time to tag them, and absolutely no time to play through them. I began the prelude while concocting a plan. As the pastor led the church in prayer between hymns, I would look at the next selection and create a mental map of the hymn. This exercised another, very important skill for pianists: 

• Be able to scan the music and "hear" what it will sound like before you actually play a single note. It's sometimes easier said than done, but I tried to get a sense of the melody, harmony, and rhythm. The melody and rhythm was especially important for me as very often the harmony is somewhat predictable - for the most part.
  
• Don't stop. Ever. Keep the music going and keep a  steady pulse, no matter what. Don't go back to correct a note - as doing so will lose the 100 people who are singing with you (or listening to you) and make a small mistake a big one.

The final selection was a hymn in D-flat major (5 flats). Oh joy...

I appreciated all the folks after both services who came over to tell me how much they loved my performance. I resisted the urge to explain what a relief it was that things went well, but instead made an effort to thank them for having me today and wished them a lovely rest of their weekend. :)

*Funny moment: an alarm on my phone (one that I didn't even know that I have!) went off at 8:59am, just as I was finishing the prelude. I finished the piece then dove into my bag to turn it off. I am sure my face turned a nice shade of pink.

Take a quick peak at the photo on the left. This is the piano that advanced young pianists used at today's NFMC Junior Festival at UMBC. Notice anything odd? Look under the music stand, in the corner closest to the camera. See it now? The white and green... toothbrush????!!!

Yep - that's a real toothbrush that was found by one of the festival participants (there was a pencil right by it, too). Though the toothbrush didn't impact the sound of the piano (it would be an interesting prepared piano effect if it were on the strings)  it did serve as a good indicator that this instrument is not particularly well-loved. [Sometimes I want to start a new organization: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pianos]

Indeed, students were challenged by this beast of an instrument: from the bass notes not sustaining with the damper or sostenuto pedals, to the una chorda pedal creating intense dissonances and rattles, to an uneven sound quality across the keyboard. Yikes. A problem piano? Definitely. A fluke? Maybe (the recital hall piano was unexpectedly locked... and no one could be reached to come open it). A day in the life of a pianist? Yep.

Unlike other musicians, pianists don't get to take their own (or their teacher's) instruments with them for performances. That means we at the mercy of whatever is provided (don't remind me about the times that the concert organizers "didn't realize" I need a piano, or time the TV producer assured me that I can play without pedals for a televised performance with orchestra). Sometimes we luck out and get a beautiful instrument that is easy to play. Other times, we have to work MUCH harder to create an effective performance.  Do we give up when we get a piano that isn't up to our normal standards? No! 

I liken our challenge to the process of a chemist analyzing a water sample: we must evaluate the instrument's strengths and weaknesses quickly (sometimes instantaneously, if we don't have a chance to try out the instrument before diving into the performance) and create a plan of action to make it sound as best as it possibly can. I have witnessed many a fine pianist turn a "bad" piano into a beautifully singing instrument through their expert voicing, determined expression, and careful avoidance of the piano's weaknesses. Thus, I believe whole-heartedly that it can be done. It's not easy... but we need to be ready to step it up a notch when the time calls for it.

This challenge can be:

• Physical: How can we play soft without the sound completely disappearing? How can we play loud without the piano shouting an ugly sound? How can we play forte on a "dead" register of the keyboard without excess tension?
• Mental: How can we stay "in the zone" and lose ourself in the performance when we really aren't sure that it will make a difference?
• Artistic:  Can we effectively evaluate the instrument and create a new canvas of sound?
  

Dr. Stephanie Bruning said that "flexibility is a good middle name for a pianist." I agree! The audience has sympathy for the plight of the performer, however in the end, all they want is a beautiful performance, and it's your job to make it happen.

Performance psychology is a very interesting field and important topic for performers of all sorts (musicians, athletes, public speakers, etc). There are many approaches to building and maintaining confidence under pressure. Here are a few of my thoughts on preparing for a successful performance:

• It may seem obvious, but keep in mind when practicing that you are preparing for a performance (especially if the date is already set). If we forget or completely dismiss the performance aspect and forget to plan accordingly, the performance comes as a shock. We can and should look forward to the performance (anticipation) and prepare for it in a methodical manner. This includes creating specific goals (e.g. memorize this 2 page piece in the next two weeks) and a timeline for achieving them (memorize 1 line per day), and objectively evaluating the status of the piece ("how close to ready am I for the performance, and what do I have to improve?"). 
• When a piece is learned, we do need to balance practice (problem-solving, addressing specific issues, slow work, hands separate, rhythmic exercises, metronome) and performance (playing through, non-stop, in full tempo) during our at-home practice sessions. Be aware that playing through repeatedly from beginning to end (as many students like to do) will not improve the performance. Nor does it count as practice. The ratio of practicing to playing should be about 4:1, both in time and repetitions. In addition, playing through should be followed by an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the performance (thus, recording and listening back... or asking the audience for their feedback... is extremely helpful). 
• Keep it in perspective: performances are not life and death situations. We want to do our best, and we should make every effort to do so, but the reality is that mistakes happen to every performer, at every performance (yes, even the stars). We do have to learn to recover quickly (very important) and keep going. Performances sometimes are humbling experiences - but less because of audience judgement (audiences have great sympathy for performances, especially for students!) and more because of self-judgement/ego/pride. A mistake does not mean we are a bad person, bad pianist, etc. It means we are human. We learn from our mistakes and challenges and aspire to make the next performance better. The journey is endless! 
  
• The venue/occasion can and will impact the level of comfort or anxiety. When we practice at home, we are relaxed. When we play in a lesson, we may feel nervous and make some mistakes. When we play a new piece in front of others (family and friends, or recital) we may feel even more so, and the degree may depend on our level of comfort with the piece (and how long we have been playing it), recent success or challenges in playing/practicing it at home, past performance experiences, and the importance of the performance occasion. 
• We need to remind ourself that we are worthy of a good performance, and that we have done the work. We can repeat this mantra in the hours and minutes before the performance. Leading up to a performance we experience a flood of negative and paralyzing thoughts; that we have not practiced enough, that we will be judged, or that we will get stuck if we mess up. This is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as by thinking about it we lose our confidence. One of my favorite musicians, Brian Ganz, says that he tells these voices "thanks for sharing" and then focuses on the positive thoughts and energy that is crucial to a successful performance.
  
• Some things that seem basic are very important to take note of in practice: what notes do I begin on and in which octave? This seems obvious when we do it at home, but in a performance, we may look at the keyboard and blank. If we have mentally prepared for this (oh, the RH starts on the D 2 octaves above middle C, with the 5th finger) we have a better foundation to begin. :)
• It's very useful to practice the music away from the piano. E.g. Sit in bed (or in chair, at desk, etc) with eyes closed. Do NOT move fingers. Try to imagine the entire piece from beginning to end. This is an excellent memory test, and quite hard (usually, if the memory is weak, at some point we will get stuck). Pull out the music, look at the spot that was a challenge, then do it again...

After your next recital participation, take a moment to write out answers to the following questions:

• How did you prepare for today's performance?
• How did you feel as you prepared for the performance? Did your feeling change as you got closer to the performance? If so, when?
• How did you feel as you listened to and watched the other performers on the program?
• How did you feel during your performance? After the performance?
• If you could give yourself some advice and feedback, what would it be?

I would love to discuss your answers with you!

There's an old Polish saying: "How they see you is how they perceive you." Although our art is largely one for the ears, the stage presence of a performer can make a tremendous difference in the audience's experience (as well as their perception of the success of the performance). 

Simply put, your performance  extends far beyond your playing the notes. The energy (and posture) with which you walk on stage, your eye contact with the audience, your smile, your bow, your movements during your performance, and the way you finish, stand up, smile, bow, and walk off the "stage" area all are all part of the package. 

If you combine all these elements, they add authenticity and professionalism to your final product... Forget about them and any one of them can take away from it. 

We are actors and storytellers of the music. The more we can portray and convey the adjectives we would use to describe the music, the more involved the audience feels. Try video-taping your practice/performance and check to see if your physical choreography, posture, and facial expressions really match the mood of the music.

Being comfortable with your stage presence takes practice, but yields great results in connecting with the audience. In addition, YOU will feel more comfortable on stage. 

Realize that performing is a gift you are giving to the audience. They eagerly anticipate getting to hear you. Give it to them with joy!

Here are a few helpful articles on stage presence: 

http://johnranck.net/studio/clinic/practice_corner/stage-presence.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/essential-performance-etiquette-5567231.html

http://www.hilaryabigana.com/apps/blog/ (a LOT of good advice, including videos)

http://triwaymusic.com/Etiquette.pdf

http://kimballtrombone.com/2008/08/21/solo-performance-etiquette/