IMG_9042by Laura Mason, Music Artistry Instructor, Guest Blogger at Kathy’s Music

Performing is a wonderful opportunity for people to share their music making with others. Sometimes the experience of performing can seem nerve-wracking or even stressful though. It is important to remember that performing is simply a part of the process of learning an instrument, and not a musical “test.” Here are four ways you can emphasize framing performance as part of process.

1.) Follow-up and return to the piece performed. –  Since performing is a step in the process, it only makes sense that there are steps which come after performing. What went well and why did it go well? What could have gone better and how can it be improved? So much can be learned from reviewing the performance experience. Even better, return to the piece performed. This might be harder for beginning students whose pieces are short and change in difficulty so quickly, but for intermediate and especially advanced students the piece is now a part of their repertoire. When they return to it they will have the perspective of performance to further develop their playing of the composition.

2.) Practice the steps of performing themselves. – While performing can be a great avenue for setting goals and sharing accomplishments, it in and of itself is a skill that is learned when studying an instrument – much like learning how to structure practice. This means that time should be dedicated to learning the elements of this skill. During lessons and at home musicians can practice walking to the stage, preparing their instruments, using a microphone, thanking the audience with a bow, and such. Not only does this allow a student to set expectations for the day of a performance, it helps the student understand that performing is something to learn and grow at itself.

3.) Do not put all your eggs in one basket. – If performing is not  the “be all, end all” and just a step in the process, then a student’s lesson and practice should not be centered completely on the performance piece to the exclusion of other pieces or exercises. Of course, a piece you are preparing to share with others is going to get some special attention, and as students work on more and more advanced works one piece can take up a larger percentage of practice time (conversely these pieces also contain more teachable elements). However, there is a big difference between sharing a piece you have learned and polished and learning a piece, to the exclusion of a balanced musical study, for the sake of performing it. If all of your study hasn’t been centered around one composition, then a performance feels less like an evaluation of your musical study and more like a window into your musical experience.

4.) Perform often and in varied venues. – The more often you perform the more chances you have to grow in your performance skill set – stage etiquette, comfort in front of an audience, channelling of nervous energy, and analysis after the event. Since performance is an important part of the process much is to be gained from  repeating this step often. If possible, the chance to perform in a variety of venues provides the added benefit of learning and becoming accustomed to the nuances of different performance types.

Will how you frame performance eliminate nerves completely? Of course not, but it can help put those nerves and the experience into a perspective that allows for a growth mindset and a positive directing of that extra energy.