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One discussion I have often with students is how much to warm-up, in particular before a major performance or recital. Over in my horn articles website there used to be an article called “Audition Central.” [UPDATE: A version of this text is in my Orchestra 101 book.] In it I offered this advice for auditions.
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 sift 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.
Translating this over for recitals or juries, the idea would be to not over play or under play the day before or the day of the performance. You want to keep the big picture in mind, that of your chops feeling great. If you warm up too little that day and play too little the previous day you will feel a bit like someone punched your chops in the face when you really get going, but if you warm-up too much you will have expended yourself before it counts and will run out of gas. Make it a project to figure out how to get your chops to feel just right on demand for important performances, and keep in control of your situation. It will pay off.
