by Katy Carnaggio
PERFORMANCE REMINDER: Nobody’s coming to see a perfectly resonant, in-tune G…they are coming to see you! The same quirks and qualities that endear you to your friends can also captivate an audience. If the pressure to “get it right” in your final moments of prep becomes overwhelming, try this:
- pick 3 of your favorite personal characteristics
- ask a friend to give you 3 more
- bring this list to your repertoire
Are you funny? Turn your appoggiaturas into inside jokes. Thoughtful? Let the rests breathe like they’ve just said something profound. Empathetic? Explore how your instrument wants to vibrate and how it interacts with surrounding objects in the room; even the ceiling has its own sound and resonance.
With added depth to your music, focus to your practice, and authenticity to your performance, you can’t go wrong by leading with your best qualities!
