Blog Post #12: When Things Fall Apart

This week I wrote an article for a music history class. The goal was to write an article similar to something one might find in The Etude, which was a magazine published from 1883-1957  aimed at all musicians. My article was titled Focusing on Performing Piano When Life Goes Awry, and I wanted to share it here because I think it contains some messages that extend beyond piano. 

So you’ve arrived on the day of the big performance. Your audience is waiting eagerly to hear your sound. You know the music through and through, but your mind is elsewhere. Perhaps you have a cold. Perhaps you and a close friend got into an argument. Or perhaps, a loved one has recently passed away. If you’ve made up your mind that you will perform,the first thing to do is to not let the audience know that something is wrong. Say a pianist prefaces her performance by saying, “I’m sorry, I have a cold, and might not play at full capacity today.” What happens next? The audience will be listening to hear the imperfections and the effect the cold might be having on the pianist’s performance. If you’ve made up your mind to perform, you must throw yourself wholly into the task without letting traces of life’s trials and tribulations seep into your playing.  

If you have not yet sat down at the piano, there are measures you can take to ease your mind. Here are some strategies we have come up with. 

1. Take a walk. Getting fresh air will help calm any pre-performance nerves, and movement may help take your mind off things. If weather does not permit walking outside, taking a short stroll around the building can be just as effective. 

2. Try belly breathing. If you are not familiar with belly breathing, here are the steps. 

1. Sit in a comfortable position. 

2. Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your abdomen. 

3. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise and expand. 

4. Exhale slowly through your mouth, allowing your abdomen to fall and contract. 

5. Repeat for as many breaths as needed. 

If you have already seated yourself at the piano, make sure to take a deep breath before you begin. Feel your feet grounded on the floor. And remember, the audience wants you to play well. They are supporting you. Otherwise, they would have no good reason to take the time out of their day to sit and listen to you perform. 

Lastly, remember that just as life can go awry, so can music. Allow yourself to release the fear of small mistakes, and remind yourself that you are sharing a musical story with your audience.