Page 26 - How to Shine on Stage

(dimensions of performance, the Alexander Technique, skills for success-
ful psychological preparation for performance).

1.3.3 Requirements for Successful Musical Performance
Onstage success is the result of optimal technical and interpretive prepa-
ration as well as emotional and social competence, key predictors of a
masterful performance. Success in music performance, as elsewhere, is
24 a process. Not only does an individual gradually learn what influences
the success of their performance, but they also learn to experience and
evaluate success. They progressively develop performance monitoring
mechanisms.
It matters how the individual arrives on stage, how they make con-
How to Shine on Stage performance, how they manage the excitement on stage, and how they
tact with the audience, how they interact with the audience during the
compose themselves moments before they begin to play.
Kohut (1992) identifies the following conditions for successful musi-
cal performance:
1. It requires a sufficient amount of quality practice to be fully pre-
pared to perform and to be confident in one’s abilities.
2. It is beneficial to perform often, since experience is the only real
teacher.
3. If you make a mistake, don’t regard it as a catastrophe and don’t
panic. If you feel your performance delivery is better than you ex-
pected, do not let that feeling sway you. In both cases, your emotion-
al reactions can affect your attention. That is usually when noticea-
ble flaws occur.
4. Always give your all. Your goal should be the optimal performance
of the music piece.
5. If your performance was not a success, recognize that this is unrelat-
ed to your value as a human being.
6. Do not expect too much too soon.
7. Avoid excessive pressure, which causes high levels of anxiety, as this
can cause lasting consequences in terms of negative self-image and
low self-esteem.
8. Focus on your own performance and do not compare yourself to
others.
9. Act in accordance with the belief that every performance is an op-
portunity to train and improve your performance skills.