Polishing Pieces

What does it mean to polish your piece?

After learning notes and bowing, we of course start bringing in dynamics, articulation, vibrato, tone, color, and other forms of artistic expression. But what are other aspects of having your piece performance-ready?

Explore one’s memorization of the piece.

Listen to the accompaniment part and prepare for how it is going to sound when you are in rehearsals. Find your introduction cue and rehearse it.

What is your intention is in sharing this piece. What it is that you want to communicate to your audience.

Check out the performance space, if possible. If not, get there early to claim the space and find comfort there.

Consider your projection -some performers like to project to the farthest corner of the room with their bodies and instruments.

If possible, take a video of yourself playing and listen to yourself. Ask yourself what you would like to add to your rendition.

Listen to recordings of your piece in the dark while laying comfortably on the floor. Visualize yourself playing the piece as you listen.

Visualize yourself playing the piece even when you are not listening to a recording of it. Mark the spots you want to pay particular attention to.

Get in the mindset of performance: Mentally walk yourself through the entire performance situation. What will it feel like to be there? How you will feel waiting for your turn? Visualize yourself playing every part of the piece. Visualize yourself ending the piece and bowing and walking off the stage. You are creating a story for yourself about how it is going to go. Make it fun and positive, or serious and grounding -the story is yours to make!