How and what to prepare for public performance

Everyone gets nervous when he/she goes on stage, even though it is a causal one. What to do is the best way to prepare for a recital which you would have audiences? The easy answer is practice, practice, practice.... But what is exactly practicing? Do we all know how to practice? In the previous few articles, I have discussed what is effective practicing, you may want to review those articles too. In this articile, I am going to discuss about the preparation specifically on public performance.

Practice for performance

Performing is a practice-able skill. Piano recital preparation is different from normal practice.

In normal practice, if you make a mistake, you stop and correct it.

However, when performing, you want to keep going no matter what happens. Therefore, a practice performance should be going through your piece without stopping and correcting.

How to do a Practice Piano Recital Performance

1. First of all, have an audience. It can be as small as one or two people, or even a group of stuffed animals (I like this one actually, at least for the first time performance practicing).
   

2. Sit at the piano and take a breath. Sometimes I have my students count to three in their heads before they even touch the keys. As a result, they are more calm and focused when performing.

3. Play! When you’re finished, put your hands on your lap. Then stand, turn to your audience, and bow. Bowing is the performer’s way of saying, “thank you for listening.” You do not need to rush on this. A lot of times when students are rush (too nervous, want to get out of there etc, we get it), the last note is either missed or not held enough or not having a nicely ending touch. Therefore, take your time on the finishing.

When to do a Practice Piano Recital

Anytime! Start doing your piano recital prep a week or two before the event. The more often you perform, the easier it becomes over time.  Doing a practice performance on recital day can be beneficial. It’s even better if you can practice at the recital venue, on the actual piano being used! This isn’t always convenient though, so simply having a run-through at home can still work.   

Be a Good Audience

This is for the parents or other practice partners! After the practice performance, give simple, direct feedback to the performer. What did they do well? Be specific, for example: “You played with clear rhythm and gave a lovely bow!” What do they need to remember for next time? You could say something like, “Remember to count to three before you start.” Don’t dwell on mistakes made in the actual playing; you can address those in a regular practice session. 

Extra Piano Recital Tips

Many aspects of recitals can be nerve-wracking, even ones we don’t think much about. You’re in an unfamiliar location, on an unfamiliar instrument, in front of unfamiliar people. Recitals might be scheduled at weird days or times, and performers don’t always have a chance to warm up beforehand. Consequently, try to have your recital prep simulate this by:

• having a number of different audiences

• playing on different pianos if possible

• practice performing at different times of day – not just during practice time

At last, enjoy the moment when you are in the recital. It is all about you. Remember, everyone there is to support you.