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I think I've come to the end of this Beethoven project. The recording won't happen until Monday but as is my tradition it is time for me to release Beethoven into the wind. What follows is a little different but reveals a bit about how I see this stage in performance preparation. It's a bit fanciful, a bit odd perhaps, but it's what works for me and it certainly beats getting myself tied up in knots of anxiety.
- 15 days have been spent selecting, preparing, and putting together my bouquet of balloons - now it's time to let them go and to see what happens.
- If I'm too afraid to let go of my balloons, if I persist in woodshedding, my balloons will stay tightly clenched in my hands until performance day. When I do let go, those balloons will be right where I released them and won't have much of an opportunity to fly.
- If I choose to let go of the balloons now, I will have the indescribable joy of watching those balloons rise and bloom into the sky. At performance time what I will have is an awesome vision of what the music really is to me.
- In the next few days I will take the opportunity to perform my piece for anyone who will listen, not listening for perfection but rather to see where my balloons happen to be on their little journey. I fully anticipate that some may get stuck in trees along the way, some may get shot down by little kids throwing stones, and some may completely disappear out of sight. But those remaining will be mine and they will make me smile.
So here I stand. And here I go. Until next Monday's recording session, happy balloon watching!
That's a nice way of looking at it. I, however, still hear a previous teacher's voice in my head saying, "Practice until the minute you go out on stage!!" Not very aesthetically freeing. But maybe it's one of those things where the discipline of continuing to try to improve focuses the mind better? Anyway, whatever works for you! Break a leg!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Harriet. I hear that a lot from some teachers but those are also the teachers that tend to not like performing very much. To each their own, I suppose. I just know that for me that simply doesn't work. Staying in that mode up until the moment I walk onstage gets my mind hooked onto the more analytical side of things, inhibiting the other, more creative side of my brain. I prefer the be thinking creatively when it comes time to perform.
DeleteI hope you are well!
Erica
I love your way of thinking about music. I wish I'd had your ideas when I was playing the piano as a teenager. You make me want to go back and play the piano better - these days I play mostly nursery rhymes and accompany my son who has just started violin.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Kathleen
Kathleen,
DeleteYay - I'm so glad that I make you want to go back and play again! And what a perfect opportunity you have to do that now that your son is playing the violin. My mother played duets with me when I was just beginning piano up until this day and she also accompanied me when I was studying cello. We had our moments, that's for sure, but I'm grateful for the unique opportunity that offered! So enjoy every moment...well, when your son isn't glaring at you for messing up ;-)
Happy practicing and thank you again for the feedback and encouraging words.
-Erica
I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Superb work!
ReplyDeletelocksmith tools
deepsharma,
DeleteNo, I have done everything so far by myself. I'm glad you like it.
-Erica