Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Just before you begin a performance, how do you settle yourself?

How do you handle nerves? How do you make sure that first few notes come out exactly how you want them to!??! What do all the great pianists do?

First, I overconcern myself with the bench so that it takes my mind off anything else. I randomly push the music stand back or forward.

Then I go through the following in my imagination: I a man-to-man with the composer I'm about to play. I sort of pretend that I've played the opening wrong, and the composer stops me, and explains to me what to do. And then I try again (this time actually playing the piano). The beginning is all about honouring the composer to me.

I'm usually most nervous before I go onstage, but when I sit down it all evaporates. I guess it's the anticipation.

Try to stay active the day you have to play - go for a walk or do something physical so that you can spend your energy throughout the day instead of it all being bottled up. I also find it helpful to eat lots of fruit and drink water/Gatorade.

In a scientific basis... before a big "intellectual fight", you eat pure protein for optimum amount of concentration... I haven't done this but I'm just sharing possible effects of foods in exagerating human creativity... I now believe that foods do exagerrate our creativity and/or mental state...

Anyway... I'm always mad backstage... I kick and puch (lightly) rock-hard walls... I cuss... I say "these critics are people too, they fart, they commit mistakes, etc"... Then I think music! Just plain music... I will sink down to the music during the first bars of my music then everything will just come out - from the literature to what I learned from the piece to my human instincts..


I also performed feeling excited... but that's very RELATIVE... It always depends on my mood... I wish I knew how to do that always...

oh... and one more thing... I always try to show that I love to play the piano when I'm on stage...

I trust in all those practice hours I put in and just hope that I could pull off at least 80% of my best. Before I perform, I do anything to keep my mind off the music like walking around or just reading something not related to music. One of my best piano performances was shortly after a bicycle race.

I couldn't tell you on piano. But with karate, I just competed so much that it was "another day at the office." You just do what you do, and whatever happens, happens.

Relax, settle down. Check shoulder muscles. Test out pedal. Silent prayer.

get high.

(i know i don't but i thought it'd be funny if someone complained about this post too)

Well, I don't really play formally in public so I can't give a very precise answer, can I.

Actually, I do play occasionally in social circumstances, usually at parties. If I see a piano sitting there looking lonely -- and at decent sized parties the piano usually drinks alone -- I sidle up to the beast and pet it a little. Then I sit down and toss out a come on line like "those are mighty fine looking keys you've got there."

Let's start this over.

Actually, I do play occasionally in social circumstances .... It's amazing how pianos seem to exert an almost magnetic repulsion at most parties unless they are small affairs where everybody knows everybody. I do tend to play in these circumstances because they are so unthreatening to me. I don't have to do any elaborate relaxation regimen, especially after a couple glasses of wine. I do sit for a moment to gather my thoughts and then I begin something very familiar. I find that most people are very receptive to having someone freely play at social gatherings like this.

the first part sounds kinda dirty... but kinda hot too.. props to you piano dad!

My former instructor told me that when she plays at a casual gig, she plays the first song for HER, and then she's relaxed and loosened up enough to play for everyone else, the rest of the evening.

I'm finding that if I play for myself, and I play to please my ear, then I don't fixate on the audience, and really, I think that when we perform for others, whether it's public speaking, singing, or playing an instrument, we get a self-defeatist loop running in our head, that everyone is sitting on the edge of their seat, just waiting for us to botch it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The reality is that everyone, (or nearly everyone) wants to hear/see us succeed, and most often, are envious of the fact that we are able to play the piano and do it for the enjoyment of others.

Personally, I check my shoulders and hands and release all tension, adjust the bench, check the pedal, and start out with something smooth and easy.

The best thing I do to calm myself is to visualize just myself and the piano. When I'm actually playing the music, I never think about anything except the music, so before I get out there all I can think about is playing all by myself on the stage, and this helps me calm down immensely.

Oh yeah, and I always get a drink of water within 3 minutes of when I start (superstition i guess, or maybe I just get really thirsty).

I picture a fence or ring around me and the piano. The listeners are not allowed to come inside. I am safe in my ring.

I think that's not a pretty good method of settling as it isolates you from your audience, thus making you more inaccessible to it.

Dear MP...Your approach...This is how I was taught... Thank you and I enjoyed your post... My first clsssical teacher,with a master's in music....piano... taught me your concept... She told me ."It is all about the music, not me , or you...when we perform...She continued to say " Pretend you are playing the composition to please the composer..." You are correct to take the forus from us and onto the the composer when we are performing at the piano... I so appreciate your sharing with us...Sandy B

Doesn't this appear very strange to the audience??

i focus on the beginning lines.. pay special attention to allow them to set the tone.. I practice them away from the piano, in my car for instance.

My biggest problem is that i am too, way too excitable, which helps me play with passion and adrenaline but it does not enable me to measuredly lay out the structure or set the tempo or mood. i find if i nail the beginning - everything is a piece of cake. ... just knowing that i am perfectly ready to start is far more comforting than any ritual i might have employed previously.

i of course have learned this the hard way.. knowing a piece perfectly buy not really knowing how to start it confidently. i just play at at church usually solo piece a week so the venue is not too demanding.