Confidence

In studio class this week the topic of confidence came up. One of the longer original articles that used to be in Horn Articles Online was an article on audition taking. In it I wrote of my personal routine that I used for preparation for auditions, which may be adapted to preparation for any major performance.

In the weeks before an audition I would cycle through the solo and the excerpts alphabetically, focusing somewhat on the spots I expected to most likely be asked but not ignoring anything, aiming for three practice or performance sessions a day. I viewed this time as a period when I was in training, like an athlete, and I tried to also exercise and get plenty of sleep. Recording myself was also a must; I wanted to know what my tendencies were and I was very aware to try not to do them. Instead of mock auditions (something I do certainly recommend) I personally relied before auditions on lessons with several teachers, gaining from this varied, honest feedback on what I was working on. Playing the same excerpts for three or four teachers can be very helpful, if one already has them ready to bring to a fine polish.

Two days before the audition was always my last regular practice day. By that point my feeling is one simply knows the music as well as one ever will. The next day I would shift gears and do things I enjoyed. I have long been interested in the hobby of model railroading; I saved model railroad magazines to read that day and during breaks at the audition. The day before an audition I would not practice more than an hour, just warm up well and touch spots. It is a rest day, and I did not want to overplay–the goal is lots of chops the next day. Get plenty of rest. If you see long lost friends at the hotel, set up a time to talk with them after the audition. And don’t practice Ein Heldenleben in the parking garage! Resting is a part of being in training.

The day of the audition I would do no more playing than needed to warm up well before the first round, hopefully with no long gap of time between warming up and playing the first round. I felt that when I followed this basic method I would have lots of chops that day when they were needed. For me careful preparation and knowing I have plenty of chops helps a great deal in relation to confidence and nerves. In contrast, if one gets little rest and then overplays the day of an audition, warming up furiously for three hours the morning of an audition, one simply won’t have chops and as a result will certainly have plenty of reason to feel nervous.

Be ready to “zone out” quietly when waiting to play in spite of the folks practicing furiously next door and sounding great. So often these players peak in the practice room. The idea is to set up your day to peak on the stage. Relax when you can relax and go for it when it counts.

What I found was that this type of preparation did give me confidence, as plenty of chops is a good thing! If you have overplayed it is almost like you already have two strikes against you, everything, especially accuracy, will suffer. Figure out what you need to do to feel at peak on stage, it is a critical skill for performers.