It’s recital season!
Don’t fret; there’s absolutely no need to panic. Here are a few recital tips & tricks from HAA students and teachers.
“Take deep breaths.”
“Calm down, there’s nothing to worry about.”
You may ask yourself, is it just me? Nope, you’re definitely not alone. Famous musicians such as Arthur Rubinstein and Luciano Pavarotti were also known to struggle with performance anxiety. Think about what your favorite type of relaxation is when you are feeling nervous. Maybe it’s relaxing with your pet, reading a book, exercising, or watching your favorite TV show. Before your performance, try one of those relaxation activities to clear your head space of any nerves.
“Focus on your music piece, not the audience.”
“Imagine you are playing at home.”
Pretend it’s just you and the music. At this point you have seen the music hundreds of times and it hasn’t changed…you got this! If you mess up during your piece, that’s okay! Shake it off and get right back into it. More than likely only you heard your mistake and the audience didn’t even notice! Here are a couple of more tips to think about as you get ready to perform:
- Get a good night’s rest the night before.
- Eat a well-balanced meal the day of the recital.
- Stretch your muscles before playing. Instrumental performers be sure to keep your hands warm and loose. Vocalists, be sure not to lock your knees while performing.
- While playing, think about how the music makes you feel and that feeling will be transferred to the audience.
And last but not least, as a HAA student once said…
“Don’t worry about anything. If you need to, pretend the audience is in their underwear!”
Happy Recital to all of our HAA students. We are SO proud of you!