tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post348051635211396633..comments2024-03-22T06:38:04.697-04:00Comments on Beyond the Notes: Revisiting stage frightErica Ann Sipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-39646898394347709812012-05-24T21:20:52.932-04:002012-05-24T21:20:52.932-04:00Thanks for letting me know your side of everything...Thanks for letting me know your side of everything, Tadd. I do think it was good that we did the performance because it really did give me some more insight into how woodwind, brass, and singers must experience on a pretty regular basis - your instrument is not the same from day to day, hour to hour, and that is something that would be hard to get used to - at least for me. I'm used to dealing with different instruments, different pianos, of course, but that's just not the same - I now know that. <br /><br />And I love what you have to say about there being more transparency in situations like this and that perhaps that's what can sometimes translate positively to an audience. Very, very insightful!<br /><br />Thanks for putting up with me at that performance, Tadd. It meant a lot to me that you were willing to give a crazy girl like me a chance!<br /><br />Love,<br />EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-1686757919545724192012-05-23T21:07:03.968-04:002012-05-23T21:07:03.968-04:00I have to say that being with you, my wife of almo...I have to say that being with you, my wife of almost 14 years, on that day was somewhat surrealistic. I had never seen the fright that I saw on your face, and I really just wanted to rescue you. At the same time, I was really looking forward to singing. We're more used to the roles being reversed. Your experience on Sunday with the anticipation of things not going well are very similar to experiences I've had - when my oboe reed wasn't working well, or when I've had to sing even though my voice is not doing well. I am in agreement with statements here about the perceptions of the audience in circumstances like this. I once did a horrible job with some Ives pieces because I had over-sung in the days leading up to the performance. Afterwards one audience member told me that she enjoyed so very much the piece that was a living nightmare for me to get through. Go figure. Could it even be that when we reach those awful moments in front of an audience and we stick with it anyway, that there is a transparency that is meaningful to the audience? I believe transparency is one of the hallmarks of great artists and great performances.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-46182359540300889512012-05-22T21:06:20.531-04:002012-05-22T21:06:20.531-04:00LaDona,
Glad you're laughing. It makes the wh...LaDona,<br />Glad you're laughing. It makes the whole painful experience worthwhile :-) <br /><br />And in regards to public speaking, I'm great if I don't prepare at all beforehand but if I just wing it? I'm pretty good! It's ridiculous and kind of irritating. Also makes it hard to "prepare" since preparing tends to mess me up. <br /><br />Go figure.<br /><br />Thank you for reading!<br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-34509556094945568852012-05-22T21:04:05.320-04:002012-05-22T21:04:05.320-04:00Cellophyte,
You are certainly not alone with your ...Cellophyte,<br />You are certainly not alone with your surge of adrenaline and the symptoms it causes. Nerves manifest themselves in such different ways depending on the individual and I've worked with many people that have routinely thrown me for a loop. But I find it interesting to try and beat our own chemistry in order to get ourselves to a more sane, musical, and comfortable place on stage.<br /><br />I'm glad you're discovered beta blockers - that definitely seems to work for many people and if it gets folks comfortable enough so that they can perform, I'm all for it!<br /><br />Thanks for reading and for sharing your own experience. <br /><br />Happy music-making! <br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-45630308042886762662012-05-22T13:22:46.297-04:002012-05-22T13:22:46.297-04:00Laughing! Great post! Love the part about being co...Laughing! Great post! Love the part about being comfortable with a particular instrument. Piano is my comfort zone - don't make me get up in front of a crowd and talk, though. My teacher husband will never understand this.LaDonahttp://ladonasmusicstudio.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-34192578679461256492012-05-22T12:01:31.705-04:002012-05-22T12:01:31.705-04:00Great story. I've been playing the cello for ...Great story. I've been playing the cello for a couple of years and my teacher has a recital twice a year. I'm fine up until the moment I sit down, and then a huge surge of adrenaline floods my body. This induces an impressive range of hand tremors that made playing, especially with the left hand, all but impossible. I tried a bunch of different things to try to eliminate the problem, all to no avail.<br /><br />I finally tried some beta blockers as a last resort, and . . . voila, miracle cure. I know I'm not playing at Carnegie, but it's worth it. I recommend it to any amateur who deals with awful adrenaline issues, if nothing else works. :)Cellophytenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-75662979501765810182012-05-22T10:43:21.177-04:002012-05-22T10:43:21.177-04:00Thank you, Janet, for reading and commenting. And...Thank you, Janet, for reading and commenting. And yes, of course you're more than welcome to excerpt a part. <br /><br />So yes, I guess I'll stick with piano...gladly. But I don't think I'll give up on flute entirely. There's something about it that I really love. And I guess I'll just have to perform with more flutists to get my fix of flute on stage. Perhaps someday it will be with you! <br /><br />You'll be on your instrument, I'll be on mine...perfection! <br /><br />Happy practicing and musicking,<br />EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-71200495066573025952012-05-22T10:31:31.410-04:002012-05-22T10:31:31.410-04:00You have, once again, turned a tough experience in...You have, once again, turned a tough experience into opportunity and shared valuable lessons. I would like to except a part of the lemonade section on my website, it I may? I do agree about the instrument that fits. After 20+ years playing piano self-taught, I took a year and dedicated myself to it, including lessons from good teachers. Every time I played I was terribly nervous, and made lots of mistakes. I finally came to the conclusion that as a pianist, I would never be anything more than mediocre. Then I tried flute..love, love, love! I have steadily improved, discovered a talent for writing music, and bonus...rarely get nervous. The flute is my instrument, as the piano is yours.Janetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-6793129598846890362012-05-22T10:25:22.839-04:002012-05-22T10:25:22.839-04:00Well, Olya,
I think it's high time you give it...Well, Olya,<br />I think it's high time you give it a whirl too! If I can do it, you can do it. <br /><br />And I love your story about playing in church. In my experience, unless I'm playing for musicians at an extremely high level (and that rarely happens), this type of reaction is more often the case - someone inevitably loves whatever is given to them because quite frankly, people love listening and watching to live performances! And church people have an extra strong connection to listening to hymns and tunes they grew up with. They are usually powerful musical experiences for them even if some notes are dropped or improvised! That's why I like playing for retirees at our church a lot! <br /><br />Thanks for reading, Olya and I look forward to hearing about your more successful attempt at performing on the flute!<br /><br />All the best,<br />EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-75884464524234654662012-05-22T10:21:04.944-04:002012-05-22T10:21:04.944-04:00Anonymous, who is not so anonymous to me,
I had ne...Anonymous, who is not so anonymous to me,<br />I had never considered doing that but that might be just the thing to help me feel a little more comfortable outside my own little practice room. Thanks! <br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-15398760824628818622012-05-22T09:34:54.676-04:002012-05-22T09:34:54.676-04:00Erica, I have been playing for a year and a half a...Erica, I have been playing for a year and a half and still can't get the nerve to play in the studio recital. So, good for you! And you are right, while it's possible to play dehydrated or hungry it usually doesn't sound as good as it does when we are feeling well. Oh, and playing a note here and there reminds me of my recent experience of playing a solo at church that I had a chance to sight read once. I got lost in the middle of it, had to improvise for a measure to get back to the melody and changed registers abruptly (decided that though I can play in the high register, it doesn't sound very good). After the evening service that same day one sweet lady came up to me obviously excited and said 'I loved that hymn you played this morning! It's awesome! What is it?' So, you never know. There might always be someone who was deeply moved by what you did even if it was not perfect (or, in my case, really really bad. LOL)Olyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17230704672730866871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-38908169276246733942012-05-22T00:08:50.186-04:002012-05-22T00:08:50.186-04:00You and your flute should come to Community Band. ...You and your flute should come to Community Band. wed 7:30 B''burg high and then the following weeks we will be at your church. It would be a great way to practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-1381132016888695432012-05-21T23:18:32.826-04:002012-05-21T23:18:32.826-04:00Hmmm, Harriet. I guess I'm just really creati...Hmmm, Harriet. I guess I'm just really creative! I'm actually planning on having my first official flute lesson with an actual flutist in a few weeks so perhaps I'll learn more then. I could use the help - obviously! <br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-15746787371375198342012-05-21T23:09:20.287-04:002012-05-21T23:09:20.287-04:00Interesting ... I played the flute for a while, in...Interesting ... I played the flute for a while, in my pre-stage-fright days (i.e., I was a kid and didn't know enough to have it), and I don't remember having this problem. But then again, I probably didn't practice enough to lose my lip like that. It does make a good story, though.Harriethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13880173260724402584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-43750458706674631342012-05-21T22:57:22.286-04:002012-05-21T22:57:22.286-04:00Very funny, Katie! I think you should just stick ...Very funny, Katie! I think you should just stick with piano otherwise a certain piano teacher might get a little grumpy on me! <br /><br />But I'm glad you enjoyed reading. Definitely better than hearing me play the flute, lol!<br /><br />-EricaErica Ann Sipeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526622607656348353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048025771349159983.post-64571552565428453352012-05-21T22:48:43.021-04:002012-05-21T22:48:43.021-04:00I would just like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed...I would just like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this. Now I'm off to learn the flute! ;-)Katie_5:16https://www.blogger.com/profile/18364011770994450288noreply@blogger.com