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Posted on Thursday Feb 4 9:34:00 GMT 2010
“The slow and patient acquisition of the skills needed to play an instrument; the almost inexpressible pleasure of doing, creating, playing: this is what makes amateur music-making so precious to the people who are lucky enough to be able do it. And the good news? It's never too late to start.”
The Guardian, 18 Jan 2010
Playing together…
Anyone that has played their instrument with others has had, in my view, a taste of one of life’s richest experiences. So, I was delighted to read in the Guardian a couple of weeks ago a really good feature on the subject, written by chief arts writer Charlotte Higgins. What made it interesting was that Charlotte wrote it from her own viewpoint, having recently returned to playing her instrument in adulthood, and is enjoying chamber music and other group playing.
Those starting lessons rarely cite the desire to play with others as a reason to playing an instrument; although some may have a vague idea of one day ‘being in a band’. For many though, once discovered, it becomes the whole point and purpose.
So, if you haven’t tried it already, I strongly urge you to give it a try. You won’t regret it.
Where can I play?
Before you start thinking, ‘that’s all very well but I’m not good enough’, then think again. There are opportunities for everyone. To mention but a few:
~ Join with like-minded friends for a play through some duets or trios
~ The Nottingham Choral Trust (NCT) Music for Everyone programme runs ‘Blow the Dust Off Your Instrument’ playdays are suitable for adults of all abilities and run twice a year, and ‘Bandwise’ for younger players
~ Our very own Saxophone Day which will run in Kinoulton Village Hall on 26th June 2010. Find out more.
It’s official – music is good for you!
A recent article in Journal of Applied Arts and Health has published findings on the benefits of choral singing. Among the benefits are that it:
- Involves deep controlled breathing which counteracts anxiety
- Creates feelings of wellbeing and happiness, counteracting feelings of sadness and depression
- Involves concentration which blocks preoccupation with sources of worry
- Can offer social support and friendship
- Provides education and learning which keeps the mind active
- Can involve a regular commitment, motivating people to be physically active
What are your thoughts and experiences? Do you know of other opportunities for group playing?Feel free to add comments below.
Posted on Wednesday Dec 9 0:00:00 GMT 2009
Musicians know only too well the mix of emotions that can accompany a performance. Have you ever wondered why it is that as rational human beings we experience these feelings, which can seem disproportionate to the amount of risk we face – after all, what’s the worst that can happen? Or why some people seem more able to cope, and more importantly – how? What enables a seasoned performer to consistently deliver an immaculate performance to an audience? Are these people different, or immune to the fears us mere mortals experience?
This is a really important subject for musicians at every level as the fear of performing, to however small an audience, can be a real barrier to success.
Thanks to everyone that partipated in the discussion on 8th December 09, the notes from that session are now available to download.
In summary:
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Prepare well by making sure you have ironed out any technical difficulties well in advance.
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Expect to feel nervous - it is normal for most people so accept it, knowing you can still perform well
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When performing, remember that mistakes are irrelevant (and inevitable). Be in charge and your audience will trust you.
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In moments of doubt, remind yourself why you love music and playing your instrument, it will reconnect you to your reasons for doing it!
There are lots of tips and resources available, but there are some more resources here. All books are available from Amazon.
Further reading:
Keeping Your Nerve - Confidence Boosting Strategies for Musicians and Performers
Katie Jones, Faber Music
A great little pocket-sized book, only £2.95
Confident Music Performance - Face the Fear of Facing an Audience
Ruth Bonetti, Words and Music
Once you get beyond the slightly off-putting cover (featuring a naked man with a saxophone!) this is a very practical guide written by an experienced musician.
Performance Strategies for Musicians
David Buswell, Virtuoso Coaching
A self-help handbook using NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and visualisation techniques, which can be extremely effective in creating a positive state of mind and harnessing energy
Tuning In - Practical Psychology for Musicians who are Teaching, Learning and Performing
Lucinda Mackworth-Young, MMM Publications
Practical with an emphasis on helping you understand why you feel the way you do, and techniques for managing nerves
Barry Green and Timothy Gallwey, Pan
Timothy Gallwey's 'Inner Game of Tennis' is a seminal book on sports psychology, focussing on techniques to harness your own instinctive abililty, and silence destructive inner voices. In this book these tried and tested techniques are applied to music performance.
ABRSM advice to exam candidates
Posted on Tuesday Jul 14 0:00:00 BST 2009
In this inspirational video, Evelyn Glennie presents her thoughts on musical interpretation, listening and playing music.
She is extremely eloquent, passionate and compelling in the way she puts her ideas across. Well worth a listen/watch!
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