performance tips

Recently I was asked by an excellent trumpet player about how I know when a showpiece (technically demanding) is ready for performance on stage. And how long does it take me to prepare a new piece of music.

Here are his questions:

You say it takes 5 years of “visiting’ a tune before it’s ready to perform. How do you know when you are ready before simply playing it for a live audience? Do you make yourself play the piece 5 or 10 times in a row or do you “just know”?

Here is my response:


It ( the time to prepare) varies greatly. As for the piece I mentioned, (a classical show piece called Etincelles) , about the 5 years, it's just because I do not practice that piece enough; and when I started it, it was a bit of a stretch for my technique. I think you are ready when you are ready. Whether that is a month or 5 years. But here's how to know for absolutely sure.

I know when I am ready, because I mentally compare it with something easy for me and I check the mental attitude. If it feels as "comfortable" when anticipating playing it for someone, as it does to play, say, "Beauty and the Beast" - one of my strongest tunes - then I know I am ready. You know that you cannot make a mistake. You know that any outside interruption couldn't make any difference. If you made a small error - that's life! - you wouldn't care anymore than you would if you stumbled on a word when you were introducing the piece. It's just a stumble. It doesn't generate any uncomfortable feelings. NONE. You know it that well. It's like riding a bike - which, come to think of it, I could never do well. Well, then, if I were I, I wouldn't ride a bike onstage until I could ride it as well as I play the song, e.g. All I Ask of You. You just know it. You couldn't get so flustered that you forgot how to button your shirt, could you?

It just has to "feel" easy. You know that I enjoy sleight of hand magic. There's an old saying in magic: "Never perform your hardest trick". You wait until it is just one of your repertoire. You're always working on something more difficult. No one but you knows whether it was hard or not, they just know they enjoyed it. That's way truer in magic than in music, because the actual work is always hidden. In magic, you often weigh how much work it's going to take to get how much result. Some of my easiest-to-perform magic effects get the most wonderful response.

So the deal is, don't make yourself uncomfortable. If you really want to play the tune by a certain deadline, then practice your butt off. But DON"T perform an impressive tune it before it's ready. I've done it and I felt stupid. (Since I am used to feeling stupid in front of a crowd, it wasn't so bad, but it could really adversely affect a man of lesser inner strength than that of which I boast). So DO play it for your friends about a hundred times - whenever you get the chance. Before you perform for strangers.