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I had taken an intro piano course in 9th grade. I remember my first year of piano, 15 years old, I was basically seen as the prodigy of the class. Within the first couple of months, I had dragged my way through Joplin's The Entertainer pretty much note for note. My sight reading skills were non-existent, but my folder was stuffed to the brim with ragtime pieces well beyond my ability, not to mention I didn't know much theory so memorization was difficult. I just saw notes and memorized the motions.

Well eventually I had a recital at my school and with my palms sweaty and heart thumping, I greeted the audience and sat down ready to begin. Firstly, I had trouble identiying exactly where to begin haha, but some how I did. I started off steady, but then my arms began to tremble and they went out of sync. I survived for about 5 seconds until BOOM, it's as if everything went blank. Where am I, what am I doing here? What happened to all that stuff I learned? I must have attempted to start over about 3 more times until I laughed in embarrasment and walked back behind the stage.

Eventually, I gained more confidence and at the end of the year, performed the Maple Leaf Rag as the finale to the gold recital.

Glad you recovered from it as you did!

I had something sort of like that when I started performing after a while away from it. I had scheduled some recitals, and at the first one, as soon as I got out there I was shaking, and it wouldn't stop. I didn't really embarrass myself, except that obviously I couldn't have been playing too great but it was just so unpleasant..... So, while I was up there, I knew that I was going to cancel the rest of the concerts -- that was a no-brainer; the only question was if I'd come back out for the 2nd half of this one. But then, as soon as I got backstage for intermission, somehow the tension went away, maybe because I had survived .....I laughed it off (literally) and was fine for the rest of the concert and for the other ones.

"Most embarrassing moment" was something else, actually 4 moments of the same thing over and over again, a few years ago. I kept putting this Scarlatti sonata on my programs, even though it wasn't going well. I just couldn't believe that I couldn't really play it, even though it was clear that I couldn't really. It wasn't like having my pants down or anything like that but the piece stuck out like a sore thumb, and I'm sure I didn't look very smart keeping on playing it.

Oh boy. I have too many...I guess the worst would be one time when I was asked to play for some local youth honors recital type thing (oh why did they pick me?). I was playing "The Girl With the Flaxen Hair", and I got totally lost. I stopped and asked if I could start over, right in the middle of my performance . Meh. However, I have performed the heck out of that piece since, and now I can sit down and play it for you at the drop of a hat. But seriously, I can't count the times that happened to me in my early years of piano performing.

I was in the middle of accompanying a violin sonata, and suddenly I had to sneeze. So what could I do? I turned to the page turner and did what I had to, without missing a beat. They both gave me the most shocked look for a second, then went on with the job at hand.

You sneezed on your page turner??!

Very unusual.
Why does that never happen?
I have a theory.

I'm guessing it's because of the adrenalin pouring through our systems. Adrenalin (same as epinephrine) is just about the strongest antihistamine there is -- and antihistamines prevent that kind of thing (coughing too).

I'd have to guess that you weren't very nervous or hyped up for that concert.

Well...not a performance and not involving me... but my good friend's mother went up to the rail to take Communion when suddenly the elastic on her panties broke. They sank to her ankles - in front of the entire congregation. She calmly stepped out of them, stuffed them into her handbag and went back to her seat.

(sorry)

ROFL. I love it, especially "without missing a beat." Haha,

He didn't miss a beat because he wasn't hyped up or nervous.

I remember the second time I performed. I had decided to play Un Sospiro and Chopin Etude Op.10 No.1. Well the Liszt was ok, like anything of my first year it was sloppy, but by the third chord of the etude I had a memory lapse so I faked 99% of the piece and somehow I was able to find the Cmajor chord to end it on. I have no idea why I decided to program such a piece

My most embarrassing moment was during an organ competition. I played my piece which was roughly 8 mins long - and as always - about halfway through the piece my right leg began to shake from nerves. For some reason that's always the way my nerves showed themselves in performance I got through the piece - even though I was sure my shaking leg was resulting in horrible mess ups in the pedal sections.

I bowed to the audience and went to walk off stage and down the stairs - and my legs gave way and I fell down the stairs and landed on my backside right in front of the judges.

(Just kidding. The thread is great.)

I'm just thankful my sister had stopped videotaping it just after I bowed - otherwise I'm sure that by now she would have sent the clip to Australia's Funniest home videos

.....and we're all thankful that (presumably) you didn't get hurt....

My jaw dropped to the floor, wow! You win LimeF, nothing could top that for embarrassment and sheer drama.

Very sorry you couldn't post a link to video of it though...hehe

I've never been known for my class and elegance - lol

I was a page turner for my college piano professor who was doing a fab two piano duet with another prof. He had a terrible habit of bobbing his head throughout the performance. This time I mistook his head bob for an indication to turn the page...I was wrong, and he struggled through several measures before recovering his pace. I'll never forget the silence and the glaring look he gave me.

He never asked me to turn pages again, thankfully.

I was playing a digital for some fast Sondheim song(can't remember the name ...it was almost like a patter song) a group of faculty was going to perform. I didn't realize that when the piano had been moved towards the center of the stage the plug had been pulled out. So I started the intro and nothing came out...everyone had a good laugh.