The Musician's Way Blog

“A concert may end when the applause fades, but your artistic work and your responsibilities as a performer are far from complete.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 196

As you exit the stage at the end of a performance, how do you typically feel?

Then, when you interact with listeners and coperformers, how do things go?

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Claudio Arrau

“I don’t say that I never feel fear before a performance,
but I have learned to channel it.”
–Claudio Arrau, pianist (The Musician’s Way, p. 162)

Imagine that you’re arriving at a venue 90 minutes before you’ll perform.

You have to set up the stage, check the lighting and sound, confer with technical staff, warm up, and change clothing.

How do you carry out all of those tasks and still prepare to give an inspired show? Continue Reading

“To be on stage is to be in charge.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 179

Take a moment to recall the stage presence of some memorable soloists: Don’t they convey a sense of authenticity and enjoyment?

It may seem that stage presence would be akin to personality – largely inborn. In fact, projecting a commanding presence involves skills that any musician can learn. Continue Reading

“If things get rocky, stay positive and engaged,
and give your audience the best possible experience.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 189

Recall the last time that you were distracted during a performance: How did you cope? Continue Reading

Benny Goodman & Ella Fitzgerald

“People have often said to me, ‘You’re so relaxed when you play.’
Relaxed my elbow. It’s practice.”
–Benny Goodman, clarinetist (The Musician’s Way, p. 199)

It may seem that elite musicians like Benny Goodman excel on stage because of inborn traits.

But despite any genetic factors that might affect our musical potential, the mastery that experts display under pressure actually results from their having amassed specific performance skills. Continue Reading

“Your central tasks are finding inner peace and strength, on the one hand,
and being very well-prepared for your performances, on the other.”
Eric Maisel, author & psychologist (The Musician’s Way, p. 146)

In my previous post, “The 3 Roots of Performance Anxiety,” I classified the causes of stage nerves as personal, task-related, or situational.

Here, I point to ways in which we can address those causes and become joyful, artistic performers. Continue Reading

“I will cast this spell: I know I can open this door and show you something unforgettable and transforming, and I’m determined to take myself there
and to take you with me.”
–Jeffrey Kahane, pianist (The Musician’s Way, p. 177)

When was the last time that you cast a spell from the stage?

If it’s been a while, take heart: I’ve found that nearly all musicians can learn to deliver spellbinding performances, but they first need to build up their stage power.

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“The key to harnessing on-stage energy is to use it for music-making purposes”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 186

Let’s say that you’re walking on stage to begin a performance: Your heart’s beating somewhat fast and your hands feel cool; maybe your mouth turns dry.

Are you eager to launch into your program or worried that things could go awry? Continue Reading

“When you project a centered presence from the stage,
your audience becomes attentive and relaxed.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 180

To make our best music, we performers need to be mentally, physically, and emotionally in sync. In a word: centered.

Then, assuming that we’ve learned our material deeply, we can trust in our preparation and connect with our audiences.

In fact, centered musicians often captivate their listeners from the moment they step on stage because their powerful demeanor generates an expectant energy. Continue Reading

“Masterful performers exhibit ease in all that they do on stage.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 21

There’s no better way for us musicians to make our audiences receptive than to project ease and enjoyment from the stage.

What’s more, by embodying ease, we help dispel any nerves.

To transmit ease, though, we have to not only master our material and be fluent with stage deportment but also draw on the following 6 inner skills.

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