Welcome to the first instalment of my new blog Rode Rants! This week I wanted to discuss a topic I've been working through over the past year, how to best respond when the stress for an upcoming performance begins to manifest in your preparation. For me, this problem became apparent in the months leading up to my second DM recital here at IU. In addition to simply needing to pass for my degree, I also wanted to meet my own standards and show my committee the improvement I've made since the previous recital in the spring. Naturally, these factors contributed to my stress increasing as the performance date loomed ever closer.
While my initial preparation went well and stayed on track for the performance date, something changed in the two months leading into the recital. Progress appeared to become more stagnate and even my overall playing seemed off. These observations only fueled my stress even more creating a feedback loop. Fortunately, I have access to a large amount of resources at IU including the advice of Joey Tartell. After describing my situation in a lesson, he offered some strategies I feel could help any musician who finds themselves in a similar position.
These included:
1. Always find the time to work on fundamentals.
2. Have clear short and long term goals for each practice session.
3. At the end of each practice session ask yourself, "Did I improve on what I worked on?"
So lets break down what each of these strategies mean:
Always find the time to work on fundamentals:
When faced with preparing a large amount of music, especially when balancing it with the demands of other ensembles / projects, it's not uncommon for people to shorten or drop their daily routine. If you only have so much time available in the day, why not spend it on the repertoire you need to learn. While this choice seems rational, it may actually end up impeding your progress. One of the benefits of working on fundamentals each day is that it helps establish the habit of playing the trumpet well, a requirement most people would agree you need for any successful solo performance. By holding yourself accountable to maintaining your fundamental work, you increase your chances of keeping that level of playing while practicing your recital pieces. Furthermore, it provides you the chance to reset your playing should the practice of difficult passages cause it to falter or fall back on bad habits.
Have clear short and long term goals for each practice session:
While this strategy could apply to practice sessions in general, it becomes incredibly important when preparing for major performances. Each time you enter the practice room, you should know exactly what you will work on and the desired goal for each item. These goals exist in two categories, short term and long term. Short term goals are ones you can achieve within the session itself, such as getting a passage 5 beats faster, applying a lighter articulation to a run in a baroque solo, etc. Long term goals refer to the final product, such as wanting a concerto performance ready before the recital, Keeping both of these targets in mind will help keep you focused while practicing and avoid the temptation to simply run through works and reflect on how it went. It can also provide you objective evidence of your progress and increase your confidence that you are on the path towards success.
At the end of each practice session ask yourself, "Did I improve on what I worked on?":
While this strategy may seem obvious, it represents a major step in not only ensuring you have productive practice sessions but increasing your confidence in the months leading up to important performances. After finishing your goal oriented practice session ask yourself this simple question, "Did I improve on what I worked on?" If the answer is yes, congrats, you're on the path towards success and you just need to keep with it. Even if you are still far from your ultimate long term goal, you can have the security in knowing that continuing this work will get you there. Should you answer no, however, now you have a problem. If working on a passage resulted in no improvement, you need to reassess your approach and do something different. Teachers, colleagues, and friends can all be valuable resources in providing you with new strategies. By asking yourself this question at the end of each session, you not only keep yourself honest but more assured in your preparation.
Everyone has their own ways in dealing and responding to stress. For me, these led to a successful recital in which I accomplished my goals. So steal anything you like and happy practicing!