PIANO PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS
Piano Performance Workshops give students an opportunity to perform for others and
receive valuable tips & constructive feedback from an instructor.
Classes focus on developing effective strategies for performance, including:
how to practice and prepare for a performance, memorization, and much more!
Students are encouraged to play memorized music that they are preparing
for recitals, auditions, or competitions.
Play the same piece, or new pieces, each time...
work on whatever performance goals you have in this encouraging, inspiring atmosphere!
POLISH memorized pieces for a recital, audition or competition
GAIN confidence
INCREASE concentration & focus
LEARN effective ways to practice for performance
DEVELOP stage presence & poise
EXPLORE deeper musicality & expression
DISCOVER more joyful performances
REDUCE & ELIMINATE nervous habits, memory slips & insecurity!
Improve your success on stage and learn how to practice for performance!
PERFORMING
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“Ah, the magic of music,
with it, all things are possible."
E. A. Bucchianeri
Performing music CAN be a magical experience.
But, performing WELL is not a magic trick!
It's not random, not based on talent, and definitely NOT luck!
It's more than just playing the right notes, or showing flashy skills.
Performing well - and creating magical moments -
requires preparation, strategy, and experience.
Performing also helps us develop skills that are valuable in many other areas of life, including:
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Memorizing
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Concentration & Focus
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Setting goals
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Poise & Confidence
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Expressing oneself clearly
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Self-awareness and empathy
My students are given many performance opportunities throughout the year to develop these skills and give deeper focus to our weekly lessons, including:
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Small, informal piano parties
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Workshops & masterclasses
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Recitals
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Competitions
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Certificate programs, like The Royal Conservatory Certificate Program.
TOP 3 TIPS:
1️⃣ Practice performing.
You might practice your music every day, but - do you practice performing?
It's a different mindset! Start with mock performances for family and friends, or record yourself. Play your music in lots of different settings: home, school, your lesson, and on a stage. The goal is to learn about yourself when you're under pressure or in front of people:
Do you panic, with a fight-flight-freeze response?
Do you stumble and react with "fix-it" mode, like you're practicing at home?
Do you feel really intense adrenaline, that makes it hard to concentrate?
When you learn about how you feel under pressure, you can learn strategies to have a better performance, and learn to trust yourself!
2️⃣ Focus on the details.
Your performance practice should include all the things you’ll do in a real performance: walking on and off the stage, bowing, adjusting the bench, breathing & preparing, playing without stopping, bowing, and walking again. These are things we don’t always do in everyday practice, so it’s easy to forget or feel insecure about doing them on stage. Make it a point to practice a few times in the concert attire you’ll wear for the real performance. Practicing everything exactly like a real performance will ensure that you look your best AND feel your best from the second you step in front of an audience!
3️⃣ Test your memory.
Our focus and concentration really get a work out when we’re under pressure. To make sure that your memorization of the music is secure, create memory tests in the weeks before the performance: test hands alone from memory; divide your music into sections and memorize important “landmarks” or “starting points” that you can aim for or jump to if you get lost. Ask another person to attempt to distract you while you play, and see if you can keep playing no matter what! Spend some time visualizing your music and yourself playing - can you see, hear, and feel the music in detail? The more you test yourself, the more confident you'll be that you can trust yourself under pressure. There are many other memory strategies to try … learn more in my Piano Performance Workshops!