Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Performance
Experience
(achievement)
Learning
100% music
Our attention may be cut in half when we are worried about various
things to do with an audition situation/performance that causes
anxiety:
100% concentration 50% music/50% audition anxiety
When we are shifting focus to several different things, our focus on
the music is even less.
100% concentration 35% boredom/15% looking assured/25%
music/15% past successes/10% dinner after the concert
Brings me joy
Makes me sad
Can change my mood
Good way to unwind
Gives me ideas
Gives me a way to express myself
I enjoy sharing my music with others through singing and
performing. I enjoy singing in auditions, concerts, and any
chance I can take.
Music gives me opportunities to perform and show people
what I can do!
Performance Goal 1: Using Visual Cues
Few people make full use of the skeletal structure of the music
on the page. A full reading of the text and familiarity with it is
the first step in allowing your musicianship to come through.
Exercise: Freeing the Eye from Watching the Notes
Watching while looking at every note, then moving to not looking
at the page at all:
Over time, from looking at every note to not looking at the
page and imagining I was Bach, the singing became freer and
easier. There was less pressure, tension, and worry about the
exact notes because I knew them and had looked at every
note before.
Performance Goal 2: Using Physical Cues:
It may be useful to set physical or kinesthetic goals while
performing to provide you with provide yourself with
performance clues.
Using the kinesthetic memory of your body prepares you for
accurate performance.
Exercise: Kinesthetic Preparation
Imagining yourself singing the piece before actually singing it:
I imagined myself singing Simple Gifts and went through the
song kinesthetically, then sang it out loud.
When I came to the same leap that I was having issues with
before, I practiced it kinesthetically and it helped somewhat,
but this seems like something that may be more helpful for
playing an instrument. I could be just doing it wrong.
Performance Goal 3: The Authentic Sound
To play music accurately and effectively, we must know the
goal of the composer.
Performance Goal 4: The Music In Your Head
When you are able to hold the sound and pitch of the music in
your head, playing it often becomes easier.
Exercise: Hearing the Music You Play
Singing Camptown Races without, and then while, hearing it in
your head as you are singing.
This is kind of a confusing concept to me! I tried singing the
song and hearing it in my head, but I feel like thats
something that I always do.
Performance Goal 5: The Meaning of the Music
Try to express the meaning and emotion of the music.
As an actor, this is something that I always try to do. Im sure
its more difficult when playing music rather than singing it.
Performance Goal 6: The Drama in the Music
Try to visualize the story as you play or sing so that you can
express the dramatic elements of it.
The Power of Trust
Exercise: The Barriers to Trust
Which barriers most often come between you and your ability to
trust?
1. I tend to have problems with my self-image
a. I am very concerned with the respect my peers feel for me!
This came up a lot this summer for me.
b. I am concerned about what the audience will think of my
playing.
c. Im not necessarily worried I will be a failure, but I am
worried that I will fail in that moment and people will
believe that that is my best.
2. I often doubt my control over the situation and over my voice.
a. My interpretation is not often my biggest worry in a
performance.
b. I can often play creatively.
c. I am not as uncomfortable taking risks as I once was!
3. I doubt my abilities often.
a. I am often worried that I dont have it musically.