Nervous About Your Music Exam? - Music Performance
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Date: 2022-03-28
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Comments and reviews: 10
Carl
Good advice all around. I think my most nervous encounter was my first -jury- for voice in college. I knew all my music inside and out, but singing for just 4 professors (whom I knew) was far scarier than singing a solo for a large audience of (mostly) strangers. One thing which I discovered to be quite irritatingly true was that choirs that I was conducting would tend to become rather complacent when performing music that they knew well. Their performance would be great as far dynamics, intonation, and blending were concerned. But, when singing a piece Acapella (and ONLY then), the pitch would tend to drift downward up to a full half-step between their first note and the last note of the piece. There are a number of tricks I can employ when it happens during a rehearsal (such as having them stand on one foot or hold a book with one hand out in front of them as they sing), but during a performance, those devices look a bit silly. What I found to be absolutely effective (every single time WITHOUT fail) was to start the piece a half step sharp (without telling them that's what I was doing). Because they're now having to work a tiny bit harder to sing each note, they end up singing the whole piece from start to finish without ever falling below pitch. It's uncanny how well this one trick works and it's a tremendous confidence booster when a choir discovers that they can sing an entire piece acapella without falling flat.
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Good advice all around. I think my most nervous encounter was my first -jury- for voice in college. I knew all my music inside and out, but singing for just 4 professors (whom I knew) was far scarier than singing a solo for a large audience of (mostly) strangers. One thing which I discovered to be quite irritatingly true was that choirs that I was conducting would tend to become rather complacent when performing music that they knew well. Their performance would be great as far dynamics, intonation, and blending were concerned. But, when singing a piece Acapella (and ONLY then), the pitch would tend to drift downward up to a full half-step between their first note and the last note of the piece. There are a number of tricks I can employ when it happens during a rehearsal (such as having them stand on one foot or hold a book with one hand out in front of them as they sing), but during a performance, those devices look a bit silly. What I found to be absolutely effective (every single time WITHOUT fail) was to start the piece a half step sharp (without telling them that's what I was doing). Because they're now having to work a tiny bit harder to sing each note, they end up singing the whole piece from start to finish without ever falling below pitch. It's uncanny how well this one trick works and it's a tremendous confidence booster when a choir discovers that they can sing an entire piece acapella without falling flat.
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Peter
Thank you for tackling this subject, Gareth, which is a difficult one.
I haven't done an ABRSM exam since I was a schoolboy 60 years ago, but I have enrolled in a number of masterclasses where, if anything, the stresses you identify are more extreme! Everyone seems to play better than I can!
But I empathise with your comment about practising performance, and there is one thing that may be worth passing on:-
We have recently down-sized from a house which had a music room to one where my harpsichords are on a landing gallery. I play away, and my wife may come up and casually hear me play, and I have got used to that and no longer feel stressed by having an audience. So an open environment for playing may be a help with nerves.
Secondly, I take a beta blocker for another very minor problem. I don't think they help me with nerves (or at all!)
Lastly, my experience as a yachtsman is that it is always those who are most nervous who are sick. That builds on the first point - familiarity breeds self-confidence.
Great video...they all are!
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Thank you for tackling this subject, Gareth, which is a difficult one.
I haven't done an ABRSM exam since I was a schoolboy 60 years ago, but I have enrolled in a number of masterclasses where, if anything, the stresses you identify are more extreme! Everyone seems to play better than I can!
But I empathise with your comment about practising performance, and there is one thing that may be worth passing on:-
We have recently down-sized from a house which had a music room to one where my harpsichords are on a landing gallery. I play away, and my wife may come up and casually hear me play, and I have got used to that and no longer feel stressed by having an audience. So an open environment for playing may be a help with nerves.
Secondly, I take a beta blocker for another very minor problem. I don't think they help me with nerves (or at all!)
Lastly, my experience as a yachtsman is that it is always those who are most nervous who are sick. That builds on the first point - familiarity breeds self-confidence.
Great video...they all are!
reply
Stephen
Hi Gareth,
I found this video really helpful - one idea that really spoke to me is to focus on the audience and their reason for being there (to enjoy the music performance) - to take away a self centred perspective and look (mentally) outward - to express . That word, express, reminds me of a comment someone made to me; live to express, not impress. Fear can come because we are worried if our performance will impress. Overcoming that thought and saying to oneself -how can I fully express the joys I have in playing this music, so those listening hear what I hear in this music-, is helpful to me.
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Hi Gareth,
I found this video really helpful - one idea that really spoke to me is to focus on the audience and their reason for being there (to enjoy the music performance) - to take away a self centred perspective and look (mentally) outward - to express . That word, express, reminds me of a comment someone made to me; live to express, not impress. Fear can come because we are worried if our performance will impress. Overcoming that thought and saying to oneself -how can I fully express the joys I have in playing this music, so those listening hear what I hear in this music-, is helpful to me.
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superblonde
Seems to me the academic environment re-enforces these problems, especially through negative-feedback psychology, not resolves them. 'Jury performances' are a horrible method of instuction. Instructors continually pushing performance material which is beyond student skill level, especially within limited schedule to performance date, only so that the instructor can attempt to satisfy their own ego by forcing a student to attempt a 'more difficult piece than the other instructors' performers.'
Big symptom - sudden inability to hear properly. Which is destructive for a musician.
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Seems to me the academic environment re-enforces these problems, especially through negative-feedback psychology, not resolves them. 'Jury performances' are a horrible method of instuction. Instructors continually pushing performance material which is beyond student skill level, especially within limited schedule to performance date, only so that the instructor can attempt to satisfy their own ego by forcing a student to attempt a 'more difficult piece than the other instructors' performers.'
Big symptom - sudden inability to hear properly. Which is destructive for a musician.
reply
Bagpuss
Totally bolloxed up my Grade 2 practical exam due to nerves. Had practiced my 3 pieces ad nauseum beforehand and was able to play them pretty proficiently, but wheels totally fell off during the exam and I couldn-t reattach them. I think the problem is that you tend to rely on muscle memory too much as opposed to sight reading when the pressure is off and then when the pressure is on this is the first thing to go pear shaped. Not sure what the solution is apart from immersing yourself in pressure situations beforehand?
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Totally bolloxed up my Grade 2 practical exam due to nerves. Had practiced my 3 pieces ad nauseum beforehand and was able to play them pretty proficiently, but wheels totally fell off during the exam and I couldn-t reattach them. I think the problem is that you tend to rely on muscle memory too much as opposed to sight reading when the pressure is off and then when the pressure is on this is the first thing to go pear shaped. Not sure what the solution is apart from immersing yourself in pressure situations beforehand?
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carole
I agree. Must confront fears and do what one fears. Preparation for auditions taught me that I had to go in not fearing any of the excerpts. If I feared one, th n I did not have it prepared enough. Since then my problems have been less. Carole Trombonist Composer
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I agree. Must confront fears and do what one fears. Preparation for auditions taught me that I had to go in not fearing any of the excerpts. If I feared one, th n I did not have it prepared enough. Since then my problems have been less. Carole Trombonist Composer
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Kevin
I think that practicing -performing- with friends/family like you recommended and just exposing yourself to more and more performance settings really takes the edge off of nerves the most. The shaking, sweating and fast pulse have gotten so much better with time -
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I think that practicing -performing- with friends/family like you recommended and just exposing yourself to more and more performance settings really takes the edge off of nerves the most. The shaking, sweating and fast pulse have gotten so much better with time -
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Fifth
Over the years of performing I've noticed - if I'm not nervous before a performance, the performance isn't as good as when I am nervous. If I'm too relaxed, then I dont put any emphasis/expression on the pieces I'm playing. I guess I'd call it - nerve tuning --
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Over the years of performing I've noticed - if I'm not nervous before a performance, the performance isn't as good as when I am nervous. If I'm too relaxed, then I dont put any emphasis/expression on the pieces I'm playing. I guess I'd call it - nerve tuning --
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John
honestly the word -Exam- has such stressful connotations that I personally refer to it as the full -examination- or just say -the day they check if I'm good at piano-, it takes like 80% of the stress off the actual examination.
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honestly the word -Exam- has such stressful connotations that I personally refer to it as the full -examination- or just say -the day they check if I'm good at piano-, it takes like 80% of the stress off the actual examination.
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TheHipSurgeon
Impending doom. That-s what I felt when I did G8 a couple of years ago! Your tips will hopefully get me through the resit later this year. I really enjoyed the online lesson that we had a few weeks ago Gareth.
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Impending doom. That-s what I felt when I did G8 a couple of years ago! Your tips will hopefully get me through the resit later this year. I really enjoyed the online lesson that we had a few weeks ago Gareth.
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