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February though April is the time of year when middle & high school bane students perform at Solo & Ensemble festival. I can look back with fond memories as an 8th grader playing my trumpet for the judge and feeling nervous but excited at the same time! Getting to choose what to play each year was fun, and I continued participating during most of high school. Now as a piano accompanist playing alongside students and coaching them with their solos, I know they can feel a bit stressed this time of year. Whether it's your first time participating, or you've played many times in a row, this post goes over what to expect and how to prepare for a positive experience as a band student or parent.  Source: Photo by Rajesh Kavasseri on Unsplash What is Solo & Ensemble?Solo & Ensemble is a non-competitive event instrumentalists (band students) participate in with the suggestion (and encouragement!) of their band director. It's a Festival where students showcase their skills by playing a piece on their own (a solo), or a piece with a group (an ensemble), in front of an adjudicator (aka judge) who assess their performance. The adjudicators are band directors from other schools or districts that comment on soloists that play their same instrument. Ensembles can be as small as a duet, or as large as a jazz band. The key element is that no one is competing against each other. Each soloist or group gets a rating based on their preparation and overall performance. So, a well presented performance would get a Superior, another that could use a bit more work would be rated as Excellent, and so forth. The rating order from ideal performance to least is Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor/Needs Improvement. If you've come across this post, then you're probably already familiar with band-related events like football games, marching competitions, or last minute band rehearsals at school. Solo & Ensemble is organized in a similar way, with the venue ready for many students and their families to come together in one place. S & E is usually a voluntary event students do, with exceptions for additional elective classes--like jazz band, percussion ensemble, or color guard--where required participation as a potential grade is outlined by the band director.  Source: Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash What are the benefits of S & E? Why PArticipate?Solo & Ensemble (S & E), also called a Music Performance Assessment (MPA), has benefits for students as well as band directors. While different states and school districts have their own missions, here's an example for its purpose outlined from the Florida Bandmasters Association website: (Source: https://fba.flmusiced.org/mpa/mpa-results-and-programs/) Purpose for Band Music Performance Assessments To provide opportunities for students and directors to perform in an environment which provides critical evaluation of its performance by noted experts in the field of band performance, To provide the opportunity for students and directors to perform for their peers in a formal concert setting, To provide a performance opportunity which will serve as a motivational goal for students and directors, To provide an opportunity for students and directors to hear performances of their peers and learn from hearing those performances, and to provide a goal which is so compelling that the preparation for attaining that goal becomes the vehicle for continued growth and to demonstrate students' abilities to apply musical fundamentals and concepts in an ensemble performance setting. Reflecting back on my personal experience as a soloist (trumpet and piano) and playing in small ensembles (brass quintet, trumpet trio), here are more reasons why I think participating in S & E/MPA helps music students personally grow: Students will get to... -Perform a work in front of an audience (judge, friends/family) and receive immediate constructive feedback about their effort, preparation, practice strategies, and musicality of their performance. The judge's advice about improvement can be taken back to the band(class)room, be applied to their own playing, shared with bandmates, and help the instrument section. Performing is a form of public "speaking," which helps build confidence and the ability to adapt to new experiences. -Build independence, self accountability, and time management via learning a new piece, refining it, and getting it ready for performance. Moving through these stages is a process, and students get to experience how they manage it. -Witness the results of their practice and preparation over a set period of time. The rating symbolizes how well they've combined all their skills and suggestions from their band director(s)/private teachers into a finished "product." -Have a unique individual performing experience outside daily band rehearsals and required Fall and Spring band concerts. -Learn how to work with a piano accompanist. Students play alongside another instrumentalist while being the soloist, just like a professional musician does with an orchestra/ensemble/back up band supporting them. If working with their peers in an ensemble, students experience the "group project" aspect they'd explore in an academic class. Approached in an artistic way, students: realize how their own contribution affects the group result, learn their individual music in context with the music of the ensemble, practice teamwork, encouragement, and constructive communication with each other. They get to work with their friends to achieve a common goal: perform well and get a high rating! -Be exposed to solo literature for their instrument, become sensitive to their personal sound as a player, and learn how to create an effective musical performance using the judge's feedback. Playing solos and chamber music aside from their concert band parts opens their ears (and minds!) to different genres, eras of music, and playing technique, which is reinforced in the concert/marching band music they're already playing. -Receive a cool medal (or medals) that they can show off that reflects their achievement if they get a Superior rating! Also, getting a Superior qualifies them to perform at State Solo & Ensemble, where they can perform again, surrounded by other students from around the state that also played at an equally high level.
 Source: Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash Steps for Success! Tips for StudentsStep 1: Remember this isn't a competition against others. The judge is there to encourage you on your musical journey and not criticize. S & E is an event to share how much progress you've made on your piece(s) and for developing your playing abilities. The focus is about how well you've prepared to perform and how you express yourself with your instrument. With ensembles, it's how well you all work together to create a unified sound, and compelling performance. You'll get a mini lesson after you've played, since all judges share their immediate reaction to your performance. Some will coach you through a specific passage they want to hear again, give you a playing tip, or even pull out their own instrument and demonstrate for you! (Chances are, whatever advice your band director has already mentioned in class, they'll be saying it (again!) in a new way.) Step 2: Practice your piece well ahead of time so you'll feel prepared when it comes time to perform! Usually you'll get your piece before Winter Break, or in early January. The piece is "leveled" by difficulty with a grade number. (ex: a Grade 1 piece has much easier rhythms and technique expectations than a Grade 7 piece). The sooner you work on it, the more time you can practice it! You can go through it to see how the melody flows, find challenging sections that'll need more work and notice other passages that are easier to play. Step 3: While learning and practicing your piece, watch YouTube videos and listen to recordings of performances. Seek out different versions of the piece performed by students around your age and professional musicians. Note which performances are the most expressive and accurate sounding while you follow along with the score. This way, you'll get inspiration and have a good idea of what an ideal performance sounds like. If it's early in the learning stages, you may find you don't like the piece so much...this is when you can talk to your band director and you both choose another that you'll like better. Try not to keep switching pieces last minute! Be sure you give yourself enough time to learn the music. Step 4: When watching/listening to performances, notice how the accompaniment (the pianist or orchestra playing with the soloist) sounds together with your part. Since you'll be working with an accompanist, the judge will listen to how well you both play together. If you're playing an ensemble piece, notice how the players communicate with each other through breathing cues, eye contact, and body movement. Whether it's a soloist & pianist, soloist & orchestra, or an ensemble of varied instruments, see how everyone works together to create a unified sound. Step 5: Don't be afraid to ask for help from your band director, private teacher, or accompanist while learning and practicing your music. Be open to constructive comments each will give while in the learning process. The goal is for the piece to be played musically and without much struggle. Know that it won't sound perfect at all in the beginning, and that's normal! As you continue practicing, it'll start to make more sense musically to what the piece sounds like in your ears. There will continue to be spots improve, refine, and sound better. Focus on the process, rather than how quickly you learn everything. Step 6: Practice Performing = Simulate the performance experience. Practicing performing is just like it sounds-creating the conditions and environment just like the day you'll perform. The goal is to playing through the entire piece without stopping...no going back to fix mistakes! Since the music is learned, you should be able to play through the piece with all dynamics, phrasing, correct rhythms and notes with confidence. You can record yourself with your phone, then watch it back with the score to see how well you did. You can play along with a YouTube video as your virtual accompanist. You can give a "mini-concert" and ask your family (and friends) to sit and listen to you. Afterwards, you can ask for their honest feedback to see what else needs polishing up. Step 7: Remember your Instrument, music, extra supplies, and what to wear. Number your measures for the judge. Have your accompanist's information, too! Don't forget your instrument, your music, the original music with measures numbered in pencil for the judge, and any extra supplies you might need. (extra reeds, mouthpieces, valve oil, etc.) Dressing appropriately conveys professionalism. "Stage presence" is a detail judges appreciate, and your presentation helps put attention on the music. While you really don't need to wear a suit or fancy dress, simple examples include: your school's band uniform, a button down shirt with pants, a nice dress, and avoid flip flops or jeans. Be sure you (or your parents) have your accompanists number to text, in case they're running late in other rooms helping other students. Step 8: It's OK to feel nervous. Nerves mean you care and you can turn the adrenaline into excitement! Feeling nervous is normal...even professionals (still) get "butterflies" in their stomach or sweaty palms before playing for audiences. Nerves are just your body's reaction to a new experience. One trick that may help is saying "I'm excited!" rather than "I'm feeling nervous." Just like the anticipation of going to a friends party or being strapped in for that theme park ride give you the same sensations, just turn your mindset around. Use that extra energy into playing your instrument. The judge knows students can feel that way, so take a deep breath before you begin and remember to have fun with the experience.  Source: Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash For Parents/Caregivers:Once your child has decided to enter S & E, this list includes a few reminders for what you (and your mini musician) can expect! The festival is usually held over two days, Friday/Saturday at a local middle or high school. A month or so before, the director gives out a schedule listing the day, time, and room(s) where they'll be performing. As a parent, it helps to: 1. Be Patient. Be an encouraging/supportive "cheerleader" or "coach." Students are learning unfamiliar music for the event and this process takes a while. They likely won't sound great at it when starting out, and you'll get to listen to them practice until it gets better! So, it helps for everyone (you and your child) to remember that practicing isn't supposed to sound good, but it's working through what they don't know yet. It helps to give praise, letting your child know when you hear progress. Comment when you notice they're diligently working through the piece when it feels tough, or that they're sticking to their practice schedule consistency. The random sounds you'll hear will eventually turn into a melody you'll get stuck in your head. Another way to show support is to reserve a dedicated practice space and days/times for their practice. As a band student, they probably already have a home practice schedule. Your child will have one less thing to worry about if they know when and where they can practice at home rather than trying to do so only at school. 2. Give your piano accompanist the music well ahead of time. As accompanists, it's very important to have music in advance to practice and review. There's nothing more stressful than being given music you've never seen before without having worked with the soloist and be expected to perform in less than 24 hours! While this hasn't happened to me (thankfully), I've see last minute e-mails asking for help, when pianists need adequate time to learn their music, too! The student can get the piano part from their band director and pass it along to the accompanist, or the director can send it to the accompanist directly. For most parents, you'll have to reach out to local pianists and compare fees. The best way is to ask for help from your local music teachers association, (Google your city + music teacher's association) or ask the director if they have any recommendations. Most importantly, as soon your child gets their solo music, give the pianist the music right away, at least 2-3+ weeks before the performance date. That way there's enough time for a rehearsal or two, and the pianist doesn't have to rush to learn the music. Note: while there are some experienced pianists who can play new music easily, most accompanists won't be eager to offer their services when music is asked last minute with no rehearsal time; if one does agree, be prepared to possibly pay more since it's a use of their time and energy to perform quickly. Some schools are fortunate to have an accompanist they work with regularly that serves all the students that are participating. 3. Arrive early to give enough time to find the judge's room and allow your child to warm up. Getting to the school at least an hour early helps finding out where to go. Finding parking, checking-in, getting the school map, having time to warm up (usually in the school's cafeteria) and settle nerves are all must do's before performance time. (There's nothing more stressful than rushing to an event and not knowing what to do when you get there!) Each judge has their own (class)room, let the volunteers lead you if you're not sure. 4. Express "Congratulations" for their effort and performing! Acknowledge the band director if you see them or through email afterwards. If you listen in the hallway or sit in to watch their performance, let your child know you appreciate the work they put into preparing. Students can sometimes be harder on themselves than necessary--no matter what happens afterwards, showing your genuine support is what they'll value most. Directors appreciate feedback from parents! Whether it's a wave "hello!" in passing, or a brief chat to let them know how your child did, it helps to express how your experience was so directors can make improvements for next year. Directors will be floating around the school, checking in on their (nervous) students, and solving last minute issues. E-mail them within the week if you can't catch them!  Source: Image by Brenda Geisse from Pixabay Final Thoughts:I hope this post can serve as reminders every year. Solo & Ensemble is meant to be a rewarding experience for students so they can get better at playing their instrument, learn new music, and learn skills of time management, commitment, and collaboration. With the assessment element, judges and directors both want students to have an overall positive experience, which encourages students to keep enjoying band and making music. As with most experiences, the more you participate, the easier the process becomes. Overall, S & E is a festival of music...and any opportunity to play music is a good one!
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Flailing, Flying, or Failing?What Your Body and Imagination Have in CommonDuring my early years of piano lessons, I looked forward to playing in recitals but would always wonder where my teacher would place me in the program. It’d be a surprise to find out how long I'd have to wait! The situation was usually simple enough: all I had to do was play the one piece I’ve been working on for months... One time I performed at a women's luncheon. Mentally, my 10 year old self seemed pretty confident, yet my body wasn’t so sure. My hands shook as I moved around the keys, and my right leg bounced up and down even though I was holding down the sustain pedal. I felt awkward the whole time, but knew I had to keep playing to the end, despite struggling to keep my limbs under control. I managed to get through the piece. The audience clapped. While I heard the applause, I wouldn’t say it felt like a great performance. Mindfulness doesn’t only mean using your thoughts in a certain way. It’s also important to be aware of your body.My body has since “improved” and I don’t shake as much (or at all) when I perform. The shaky luncheon performance came from my inexperience with playing in front of audiences regularly and not understanding how I my body internally reacts to stress. How was I able to stop the shaking since that time? I’ve learned that when my body shakes, it’s because I’m nervous: physically it shows up as sweaty palms, shaking hands, legs, and shallow breathing. Mentally, my mind wanders quickly to random thoughts and isn’t “still” enough to hold onto what’s going on in front of me. There’s usually a sense of feeling unprepared and unsure. I figured that the more I perform, the more I would get used to playing in front of people...so each time my teacher asked if I wanted to play in a recital I said yes (even if I didn’t know what I’d be playing yet!). Now, I make sure I’m as prepared as I can be for any upcoming performance, which includes practicing run-throughs of pieces, and reviewing “trouble spots” to be sure I’m not worried about them in performance. If I can schedule low-stakes, mini recitals in front of family, friends, or colleagues before the “real thing” so much the better to prepare. What Does Your Body and Your Imagination have in Common?Each can tell a Story. Let’s look at what I mean:  Stage presence is a thing. |
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Applying mindfulness to practicing (or in lessons with your teacher) and being present in the moment, means placing attention on what you’re doing, what you’re trying to figure out or accomplish, and not judging yourself about how things are going. You know you’re being mindful when you practice with a focused goal instead of just going through the motions while your mind wanders. (e.g. playing scales quickly without listening to yourself so you can get on to playing your fun piece).
Attention to the moment: “I’m practicing my scales as a warm up for my fingers”
Attention to what you’re doing (setting an Intention): “I’m going to play these scales with a relaxed wrist and add musicality as I crescendo up and decrescendo down.”
Non-judgement: “I played the scales but my wrist wasn’t relaxed.” *With judgement: “I played the scales and my wrist wasn’t relaxed. My arms don’t know how to loosen up. I’m terrible at playing scales!?”
So what’s the best way to practice? = it’s paying attention to what you’re doing.
Just like tip #1, enjoying and engaging in each step of the process of developing piano skills will serve you better than trying to quickly check off all the items in your practice log in one sitting!
Attention to the moment: “I’m practicing my scales as a warm up for my fingers”
Attention to what you’re doing (setting an Intention): “I’m going to play these scales with a relaxed wrist and add musicality as I crescendo up and decrescendo down.”
Non-judgement: “I played the scales but my wrist wasn’t relaxed.” *With judgement: “I played the scales and my wrist wasn’t relaxed. My arms don’t know how to loosen up. I’m terrible at playing scales!?”
So what’s the best way to practice? = it’s paying attention to what you’re doing.
Just like tip #1, enjoying and engaging in each step of the process of developing piano skills will serve you better than trying to quickly check off all the items in your practice log in one sitting!
- Overthinking doesn’t help. Notice “what is” in a present moment and allow yourself to be absorbed in the experience.
I mentioned my overthinking causes “over-analysis-paralysis,” in my first post, and I’m continually taking steps to curb it. So for me, making tea was a breakthrough moment.
In my story, I was aware of how I felt: uncomfortable, a little bit nervous, and the “pit” in my stomach kept growing. I observed my own thoughts and how my mind was racing in the moment: “What if I don’t do it right!” “I wasn’t paying attention to him enough?!”. I felt the silence and uneasiness around the room. So before I allowed my overthinking to get worse, I did something about it. (and ultimately surprised myself!) I accepted how I felt, but set the intention to be curious and step outside of my comfort zone.
After my tea ceremony experience, I'm more conscious that action helps me move through my thought clutter. I'm a better pianist now that I know acting more and thinking less serves me better. I felt really unprepared for the task as soon as I stood up. I got through the "performance" of the ceremony, all the while being present with each next step. Taking a breath helped me refocus. I showed a certain level of courage by stepping up when asked, unprepared. I can take with me the visceral feelings of that evening and apply them to my next performance. If I felt mindly confident because of acting in spite of my overacting mind, I can certainly develop greater confidence and competency after practicing with mindful preparation.
Feeling self-conscious, carrying self-doubt, and mindless chatter keep you “inside your head.” To counteract overthinking, it may require action. Other times it means you don’t take your thoughts personally, and quietly realize your mind tends to go into overdrive when under stress (and that’s a normal reaction). Mindfulness is a reminder to attend to the feelings, sights, and sounds, in the moment, and again, to do so without judgement.
It’s important to note I’ve only touched the surface of exploring mindfulness in all of its history, religious traditions, and symbolism. As mindfulness continues to be promoted in the United States to boost productivity, stress reduction, and is focused more on the science benefits, those formally trained in the practice can provide much deeper insights than what I’ve written here. With this small introduction to mindfulness, I hope you’ll have a fresh perspective with each lesson, new concept, and your next session at the piano. Using Attention, Intention, and having a Attitude of curiosity (open to whatever happens) will definitely transform your piano playing for the better.
What’s one point you can relate to and use the next time you’re at the piano? Back to my first question: do you think playing piano requires a certain level of mental effort alongside the physical?
Do you agree taking action before thinking too much is a good solution?
Leave a comment below or send me a message about this post. I’m interested to hear your thoughts!
What’s one point you can relate to and use the next time you’re at the piano? Back to my first question: do you think playing piano requires a certain level of mental effort alongside the physical?
Do you agree taking action before thinking too much is a good solution?
Leave a comment below or send me a message about this post. I’m interested to hear your thoughts!
If you want more perspectives on mindfulness for musicians and being mindful in daily life, here are more Resources & additional Reading:
A guest blog post from Pianodao.com expanding on the Mindfulness themes: “Is Mindfulness Relevant to Piano Playing?” by Doug Hanvey.
A Way to Amplify (or Weaken) the Effect of Self-Talk on Performance by Noa Kageyama, PhD. of the Bulletproofmusician.
The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart by Madeline Bruser
Getting Started with Mindfulness from Mindful.org
What is Mindfulness? Definition and Benefits (with Psychology)
Classic Zen Story told during the Tea Ceremony: The Samurai and the Tea Master Story
Mindfulness Certification Training offered by iNLP Center
This post is part of a series related to an upcoming Masterclass/Workshop for high school pianists, in collaboration with Lily Music Studio. I’ll be talking about issues many musicians face, like performance anxiety, ways to practice better, and will offer feedback to 4 performers on their pieces. With open discussion, a unique composition activity, and featured local food, this experience aims to be more interactive than the traditional masterclass, allowing for all attendees to participate.
If this sounds exciting to you, register here & join us on June 10th, 2019!
If this sounds exciting to you, register here & join us on June 10th, 2019!
*This short story relates to my original post about Mindfulness in piano playing.
Last month, I attended a traditional Chinese Tea ceremony at the local House of Leaf & Bean organic cafe. The presenter told us he learned the ceremony from his Chinese and Asian colleagues while teaching English in Japan. Sitting among the other attendees and after tasting three cups of black tea he carefully prepared, he said, “Would anyone like to try making this tea?”
He looked around at all of us and patiently waited. Then came the lingering awkward silence. One woman blurted out nervously, “Oh! I’d probably spill it all over the place! I couldn’t do the movements as gracefully as you?!”
He responded with, “Part of the experience of the ceremony is participating, not just observing…” The space of silence continued.
By now, a small knot was forming in my stomach, and his eyes were scanning the faces around him once more, silently signaling someone to take him up on his suggestion. Before I could let the sensation (and silence) grow any larger, I raised my hand and said “I’ll try it!” He thanked me and said, “We’ll switch seats, and you can begin” I got up from my chair and walked behind the small table-I knew I didn’t watch every gesture he made up until that point, but I knew there was no going back. There’d obviously be lots of pouring between containers in silence...
Once seated, all eyes were on me. I playfully said to myself, “I’ll do my best?!” I tentatively grabbed the gaiwan bowl of leaves and then put it down, realizing I had to put water in it. I took the container of hot water and poured it into the bowl of tea leaves, remembering he said something about “enough water to cover the leaves.” (this wasn’t the ‘put the tea bag in water’ like I was used to!). Then I let the leaves sit and the next step escaped me. Not sure what to do next, the teacher said “then you drain the water out,” I awkwardly picked up the gaiwan and saucer with one hand, trying to tilt the lid; it was tricky trying to pick it up while also tilting the lid with one hand. The teacher said, “tilt the lid, and put your thumb on top and your middle finger on the bottom..” I felt myself getting flustered, so I took a deep breath and followed his instructions. I began to feel more comfortable with the gaiwan’s special shape, lifted it, and quickly poured it in the glass with the strainer. Realizing I just performed the first infusion, all that was left was doing it two more times to make enough for everyone. As I repeated the steps, the teacher commented, “Wouldn’t you say it took him some courage to come up and try it?” “It’s like playing a Sonata, isn’t it, John? You’re not going to get all the right notes the first time…!” I smiled and thought it funny he kept referencing music while I felt like a beginner just learning to play all over again.
After 3 pours, I took away the strainer, more mindful of the gestures the teacher used. With cups in front of each person, I carefully poured each some tea...focused on pouring into the cups and not spilling any! Then, the moment of truth-I gestured with my hand for everyone to try. Silently I watched everyone lift the cups to their mouths and take a sip…
The woman in front of me said “This is a good cup!” Then I saw nods and smiles on everyone else’s faces. “Yes!” my mind cheered. I smiled to myself, felt a warm sensation of “I did it!”
The teacher smiled and said “Very good! Would you like to try it again?” Immediately I said, “No, I’m good!” and I quickly got up and went back to my seat.
While this story may seem trivial- “Why would someone be scared of making tea?!” I demonstrated to myself a bit of mindfulness and wanted to overcome my overthinking mind.
I noticed my usual habit of spiraling thoughts like, “what if I do it 'wrong,' ?" "what will they think as I'm doing this," “I wasn’t paying attention enough to know exactly how he did it” and went for the experience anyway. I chose curiosity over fear. I was paying attention to what I was doing and how I was feeling. I was open to learning and present in the momentary (nerve wracking) experience of making tea.
Classic Zen Story told during the Tea Ceremony: The Samurai and the Tea Master Story
He looked around at all of us and patiently waited. Then came the lingering awkward silence. One woman blurted out nervously, “Oh! I’d probably spill it all over the place! I couldn’t do the movements as gracefully as you?!”
He responded with, “Part of the experience of the ceremony is participating, not just observing…” The space of silence continued.
By now, a small knot was forming in my stomach, and his eyes were scanning the faces around him once more, silently signaling someone to take him up on his suggestion. Before I could let the sensation (and silence) grow any larger, I raised my hand and said “I’ll try it!” He thanked me and said, “We’ll switch seats, and you can begin” I got up from my chair and walked behind the small table-I knew I didn’t watch every gesture he made up until that point, but I knew there was no going back. There’d obviously be lots of pouring between containers in silence...
Once seated, all eyes were on me. I playfully said to myself, “I’ll do my best?!” I tentatively grabbed the gaiwan bowl of leaves and then put it down, realizing I had to put water in it. I took the container of hot water and poured it into the bowl of tea leaves, remembering he said something about “enough water to cover the leaves.” (this wasn’t the ‘put the tea bag in water’ like I was used to!). Then I let the leaves sit and the next step escaped me. Not sure what to do next, the teacher said “then you drain the water out,” I awkwardly picked up the gaiwan and saucer with one hand, trying to tilt the lid; it was tricky trying to pick it up while also tilting the lid with one hand. The teacher said, “tilt the lid, and put your thumb on top and your middle finger on the bottom..” I felt myself getting flustered, so I took a deep breath and followed his instructions. I began to feel more comfortable with the gaiwan’s special shape, lifted it, and quickly poured it in the glass with the strainer. Realizing I just performed the first infusion, all that was left was doing it two more times to make enough for everyone. As I repeated the steps, the teacher commented, “Wouldn’t you say it took him some courage to come up and try it?” “It’s like playing a Sonata, isn’t it, John? You’re not going to get all the right notes the first time…!” I smiled and thought it funny he kept referencing music while I felt like a beginner just learning to play all over again.
After 3 pours, I took away the strainer, more mindful of the gestures the teacher used. With cups in front of each person, I carefully poured each some tea...focused on pouring into the cups and not spilling any! Then, the moment of truth-I gestured with my hand for everyone to try. Silently I watched everyone lift the cups to their mouths and take a sip…
The woman in front of me said “This is a good cup!” Then I saw nods and smiles on everyone else’s faces. “Yes!” my mind cheered. I smiled to myself, felt a warm sensation of “I did it!”
The teacher smiled and said “Very good! Would you like to try it again?” Immediately I said, “No, I’m good!” and I quickly got up and went back to my seat.
While this story may seem trivial- “Why would someone be scared of making tea?!” I demonstrated to myself a bit of mindfulness and wanted to overcome my overthinking mind.
I noticed my usual habit of spiraling thoughts like, “what if I do it 'wrong,' ?" "what will they think as I'm doing this," “I wasn’t paying attention enough to know exactly how he did it” and went for the experience anyway. I chose curiosity over fear. I was paying attention to what I was doing and how I was feeling. I was open to learning and present in the momentary (nerve wracking) experience of making tea.
Classic Zen Story told during the Tea Ceremony: The Samurai and the Tea Master Story
Mindfulness, Mindset & Imagination Series
Musician Mindset Matters: Tell Yourself a Story You’d Like to Read
In different areas of our lives, we all have stories, beliefs, or limitations we tell ourselves that can sometimes prevent us from going after we want. The story, assumptions, regret we have in our minds--these can greatly affect our habits and behaviors. These thoughts can literally stop us in our tracks before we even give something a try.
Time and energy is spent practicing to play our instruments and/or sing to the best of our ability, and as musicians, we’re tasked to share the results of our efforts to audiences. In those instances, there’s opportunity for praise, admiration, and amazement, but also equal opportunity to encounter fear, doubt, judgement, and anxiety.
Time and energy is spent practicing to play our instruments and/or sing to the best of our ability, and as musicians, we’re tasked to share the results of our efforts to audiences. In those instances, there’s opportunity for praise, admiration, and amazement, but also equal opportunity to encounter fear, doubt, judgement, and anxiety.
This post is first in a series related to an upcoming Masterclass/Workshop for local high school pianists, in collaboration with Lily Music Studio. I’ll be talking about issues many musicians face, like performance anxiety, ways to practice better, and will offer feedback to 4 performers on their pieces. With open discussion, a unique composition activity, and featured local food, this experience aims to be more interactive than the traditional masterclass, allowing for all attendees to participate. If this sounds exciting to you, click here to enroll & join us on June 10th, 2019!
Fear of the Unknown: Mindset Matters
Meeting new people, taking a test, learning to play piano, starting a difficult project, public speaking, performing for an audience, playing for an audition…situations with an unknown result usually make a person nervous.
Can you remember the last time you tried something new?
A bigger question is: What did you think to yourself before you tried it?
Your Mindset is a set of beliefs which influence how you think of, interpret, and respond to something in a given context. Your attitude, frame of mind, inclination, mental outlook, and perspective revolve around a certain way of seeing things. You attitude to new experiences can change over time, depending on your own past experiences and feelings around an event. In Performance Success: Performing your Best Under Pressure, Dr. Don Green describes “Mental Outlook” as:
“What you think is what you get. What you project for yourself has everything to do with how things will ultimately unfold. Your mental outlook is your mind-set leading up to and during performances. It’s your current belief about your talent and abilities, how you talk to yourself while performing--especially when things are not going well--and how you expect your performance to turn out” (Green 46).
Carol Dweck, psychologist and author of the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, says, “Mindsets are beliefs—beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities.” She makes a distinction between fixed mindset and growth mindset. Her research concludes those with a growth mindset generally believe their basic qualities can be developed with dedicated effort, working through the difficulties of mastering those qualities, and knowing there’s always room for improvement. However, those with a fixed mindset think their traits of intelligence, and talent can’t be changed much. Blessed with talent, they may think that’s enough to succeed.
Can you remember the last time you tried something new?
A bigger question is: What did you think to yourself before you tried it?
Your Mindset is a set of beliefs which influence how you think of, interpret, and respond to something in a given context. Your attitude, frame of mind, inclination, mental outlook, and perspective revolve around a certain way of seeing things. You attitude to new experiences can change over time, depending on your own past experiences and feelings around an event. In Performance Success: Performing your Best Under Pressure, Dr. Don Green describes “Mental Outlook” as:
“What you think is what you get. What you project for yourself has everything to do with how things will ultimately unfold. Your mental outlook is your mind-set leading up to and during performances. It’s your current belief about your talent and abilities, how you talk to yourself while performing--especially when things are not going well--and how you expect your performance to turn out” (Green 46).
Carol Dweck, psychologist and author of the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, says, “Mindsets are beliefs—beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities.” She makes a distinction between fixed mindset and growth mindset. Her research concludes those with a growth mindset generally believe their basic qualities can be developed with dedicated effort, working through the difficulties of mastering those qualities, and knowing there’s always room for improvement. However, those with a fixed mindset think their traits of intelligence, and talent can’t be changed much. Blessed with talent, they may think that’s enough to succeed.
Why is Mindset Important?
Knowing your mindset is important since it filters how you feel. Your state of mind, personal story you make for yourself, your attitude, influence your behavior in many ways. Your mental approach to any situation makes a difference.
Whether practicing for a recital, keeping cool when talking to someone you like, to studying for a test, your mental monologue impacts the outcome. If you intend to do well, you probably will. If you think it’s just not worth the time, your enthusiasm has already left. There’s always the choice in changing the stories we tell ourselves, to increase the chances for the outcome we’d prefer.
Whether practicing for a recital, keeping cool when talking to someone you like, to studying for a test, your mental monologue impacts the outcome. If you intend to do well, you probably will. If you think it’s just not worth the time, your enthusiasm has already left. There’s always the choice in changing the stories we tell ourselves, to increase the chances for the outcome we’d prefer.
What’s your Story?
Usually, when someone new finds out I’m a musician/piano teacher, their initial reaction is surprise with a smile, “That’s so cool!” immediately followed by phrases like:
In lessons after a certain point, students eventually tell me:
“This piece looks hard!” or “I’m not so sure how to do this...”
The younger ones creatively express their uneasiness with a grunt, shaking their head, or a tongue stuck out in frustration while they play through new material..
When the idea of writing a blog came up, I had my own reservations, too. Stories I told myself:
Those I spoke with already felt that learning piano is really difficult and they could “never” do what I do. Some still feel the sting of having ‘given up’ and believe it’s too late to even consider learning again. Some students have already decided the page looks “too hard” when they haven’t even played a note.
For myself, I’ve accepted I’m an overthinker (more on that next time), so this process of mentally going back and forth about writing lasted almost a week. I’m great at thinking up all possibilities, imagining the good, “bad,” and “what-if’s” scenarios. However, while I’m a great “idea machine,” what I tend to overlook is: Actually doing the things that I keep thinking and talking to myself about?! With indecision nagging at my brain I finally changed my attitude from, “A Blog? Why? Who will care?” to “I’ll try this and see what happens...” leaving the outcome open rather than expecting failure before I start.
- “I wish I could play the piano [an instrument]! I could never do what you do!”
- “I don’t have any musical talent at all...”
- “I wish I didn’t quit piano as a kid” or “My parents made me take piano lessons and I didn’t like them...and now I wish I kept going”
In lessons after a certain point, students eventually tell me:
“This piece looks hard!” or “I’m not so sure how to do this...”
The younger ones creatively express their uneasiness with a grunt, shaking their head, or a tongue stuck out in frustration while they play through new material..
When the idea of writing a blog came up, I had my own reservations, too. Stories I told myself:
- It seems lots of people have blogs, so who would want to read mine?
- If I were to write a blog, what would I write about? Would it be interesting enough?
- Seth Godin told me this was a good idea, so I guess I should give it a go…?
- It’s hard for me to condense my thoughts into something short. I wonder why people don’t like to read so much these days...
- I wonder who is going to read this...who’s my audience? What am I trying to say?
- Blogging takes time...this’ll be another thing to add to my schedule...
Those I spoke with already felt that learning piano is really difficult and they could “never” do what I do. Some still feel the sting of having ‘given up’ and believe it’s too late to even consider learning again. Some students have already decided the page looks “too hard” when they haven’t even played a note.
For myself, I’ve accepted I’m an overthinker (more on that next time), so this process of mentally going back and forth about writing lasted almost a week. I’m great at thinking up all possibilities, imagining the good, “bad,” and “what-if’s” scenarios. However, while I’m a great “idea machine,” what I tend to overlook is: Actually doing the things that I keep thinking and talking to myself about?! With indecision nagging at my brain I finally changed my attitude from, “A Blog? Why? Who will care?” to “I’ll try this and see what happens...” leaving the outcome open rather than expecting failure before I start.
Reframe your Brain: Your Mindset about _____ Matters
How do you talk to yourself when faced with new challenges? What memories, thoughts, or feelings come up when something unexpected shows up in your life? What do you believe about yourself? Is the story you tell yourself completely true?
You’re the Narrator: Change Your Story
Just like how different pianists interpret a piece, there's usually more than one way to re-examine your thoughts. To change negative self-talk or worried thinking patterns into more positive directions, here are some suggestions to encourage seeing situations differently:
Change a limiting story into a positive one.
Notice what you say to yourself: Is it helpful? Is there a way to rephrase it and still be realistic? When I performed in local competitions while in middle school, I used to think, ”What will the audience think of my playing? What if I make a mistake? What if the judges don’t like my playing?”
As I got older, I turned the fear about them to, “I’m sharing my efforts with others. I’ve prepared and practiced, so what I need to do now is play. They just want to hear piano music. If I mess up, I just need to keep going. After all, it’s not easy to perform so I don’t need to be so hard on myself.”
Now, my focus is more on what I’m doing for others (sharing the music, serving the listeners something to enjoy) rather than what others can do (or think) about me.
“The studio recital is coming up in 2 weeks and I don’t think I’ll memorize the piece in time!?”
“I know I want to memorize the piece, so I’ll try to aim for that. I can Google ways on how to memorize a piece quickly. What were some of things my teacher said that can help me? I’ll ask at the next lesson. Meanwhile, I can try to memorize a small section each day before the next lesson and see how far I can get. I’ll try this and see what happens At least I can play it well enough with the music! Next time, I’ll remember to prepare memorizing earlier.”
The fear of “I don’t think I can do it at all” turns into “Well, I’ve made it this far playing with music. There are a few things I can do to try to memorize it...but if not, I'll try to prepare better next time.”
As I got older, I turned the fear about them to, “I’m sharing my efforts with others. I’ve prepared and practiced, so what I need to do now is play. They just want to hear piano music. If I mess up, I just need to keep going. After all, it’s not easy to perform so I don’t need to be so hard on myself.”
Now, my focus is more on what I’m doing for others (sharing the music, serving the listeners something to enjoy) rather than what others can do (or think) about me.
“The studio recital is coming up in 2 weeks and I don’t think I’ll memorize the piece in time!?”
“I know I want to memorize the piece, so I’ll try to aim for that. I can Google ways on how to memorize a piece quickly. What were some of things my teacher said that can help me? I’ll ask at the next lesson. Meanwhile, I can try to memorize a small section each day before the next lesson and see how far I can get. I’ll try this and see what happens At least I can play it well enough with the music! Next time, I’ll remember to prepare memorizing earlier.”
The fear of “I don’t think I can do it at all” turns into “Well, I’ve made it this far playing with music. There are a few things I can do to try to memorize it...but if not, I'll try to prepare better next time.”
See a challenge or new situation as an experiment.
Find small ways to “test” your mindset
Relearning a piece from my past, I thought, “Bringing back this Rachmaninoff piece is tough. It has so many fast 16th note passages and I think it sounds sloppy when I try play it up to tempo.”
Experiment: What happens if record myself and see if it really sounds so bad? Being an outside listener, what good and improvements would I notice?
I recorded my playing with my phone and listened back. It wasn’t as sloppy as I thought, but it still needed cleaning up in certain sections. I tried slower practice, isolated the trickier passages with hands separate work, then worked the piece gradually up to speed to help get it back under my fingers better.
“It’s hard to meet new people. I’m afraid to introduce myself to this person and I wonder what they’ll think of me”
Experiment: I’m still hesitant to talk to him/her, but let me see if I can get their attention by waving, making eye contact, or smiling at them. Next time I see them, I can try for a wave + saying “Hi!”
Relearning a piece from my past, I thought, “Bringing back this Rachmaninoff piece is tough. It has so many fast 16th note passages and I think it sounds sloppy when I try play it up to tempo.”
Experiment: What happens if record myself and see if it really sounds so bad? Being an outside listener, what good and improvements would I notice?
I recorded my playing with my phone and listened back. It wasn’t as sloppy as I thought, but it still needed cleaning up in certain sections. I tried slower practice, isolated the trickier passages with hands separate work, then worked the piece gradually up to speed to help get it back under my fingers better.
“It’s hard to meet new people. I’m afraid to introduce myself to this person and I wonder what they’ll think of me”
Experiment: I’m still hesitant to talk to him/her, but let me see if I can get their attention by waving, making eye contact, or smiling at them. Next time I see them, I can try for a wave + saying “Hi!”
Change your language.
Instead of saying “I’m nervous,” say, “I’m excited!”
Your body physically reacts the same way in high pressure situations (faster heartbeat, shallow breathing...etc.) You can use your extra energy to your advantage. Telling your brain you’re ready to do something fun rather than run away will add intensity to whatever you’re about to do.
Think with the end in mind, then work backwards.
SMART Goals encourage Action*. Taking steps to solve a problem helps break an unhealthy mindset.
1. Write down a goal/outcome you have. What exactly do you want to accomplish? (and Why?)
2. What steps, habits, and/or positive affirmations will help you move towards the goal?
3. Remind yourself: What kind of mindset will you need to help you accomplish that goal? What’s the benefit of completing this goal and why?
1. End goal: I want to finish writing a blog post about the importance of a positive mindset before the end of April.
2. I wrote down all the possible ideas of what I could write about. I blocked off 30 minutes each day dedicated to writing. A deadline of April 22nd helped me stay focused. “This post will offer practical guidance for students about being aware of their thoughts which can affect their behavior. I aim to offer simple suggestions to help students gain confidence when thinking about their music studies. They can apply these principles in their daily lives, too."
3. I’ve completed writing assignments and essays before. This shouldn’t be too hard. This is a chance to see how I can write something short, make it helpful and relevant to students for the masterclass.
*(This is my very first blog post so I'm trying to take my own advice, here!)
2. What steps, habits, and/or positive affirmations will help you move towards the goal?
3. Remind yourself: What kind of mindset will you need to help you accomplish that goal? What’s the benefit of completing this goal and why?
1. End goal: I want to finish writing a blog post about the importance of a positive mindset before the end of April.
2. I wrote down all the possible ideas of what I could write about. I blocked off 30 minutes each day dedicated to writing. A deadline of April 22nd helped me stay focused. “This post will offer practical guidance for students about being aware of their thoughts which can affect their behavior. I aim to offer simple suggestions to help students gain confidence when thinking about their music studies. They can apply these principles in their daily lives, too."
3. I’ve completed writing assignments and essays before. This shouldn’t be too hard. This is a chance to see how I can write something short, make it helpful and relevant to students for the masterclass.
*(This is my very first blog post so I'm trying to take my own advice, here!)
Observe what you pay attention to. Who you spend time with & what you consume influences how you think.
Be aware of what content and people you surround yourself with. From our phones, social media, 24/7 news, family, & friends, it’s likely your mind is pulled in different directions. Your health (get enough sleep?), the food you eat (how do you feel after having caffeine?), to media (are you done scrolling yet?) are only a few things that can help or hinder how you function. There’s a mix of everything, so I suggest focusing more on the good. Look to personal role models, musicians, motivational books, friends, other students going after similar goals, or advice to nudge you into a better head space. Realistically, we can't always choose who we're with or what obligations we must do every second of the day; so consider your environment and respectfully communicate your needs when working through an important project.
Two good friends and I agreed to have monthly check in’s to update each other about our lives and professional goals; this new accountability system has been both helpful and inspiring for me.
Two good friends and I agreed to have monthly check in’s to update each other about our lives and professional goals; this new accountability system has been both helpful and inspiring for me.
Final Note: Perspective to Ponder
Thoughts are always with us no matter what. Even when some events are out of our personal control, at least we can make an effort to choose how we think about an experience. I’m not suggesting everything will be easy if you purely think positive thoughts, while ignoring feelings of fear, nervousness, and the reality of setbacks. When facing something unfamiliar we can’t eliminate or avoid negative feelings completely. Life has it's ups and downs. It's not going to be easy all the time. What I encourage is having a practical optimism in your approach to difficult situations. There should be intention to how you’d like to feel, along with taking small steps toward making the feeling possible. Practicing more will likely lead to feeling more prepared for recitals. Telling yourself you put in effort is better than beating yourself up that you didn’t do enough. Most importantly, Action is key, not just changing thinking alone. So #DotheWork can be translated to:
"Confidence (practical, optimistic mindset) + Consistency (in actions) = Proficiency.
And I get it...easier said (or rather, read) than done. Just remember, it’s totally normal to feel anxious about the unknown...like, how is Game of Thrones going to end? To feel comfortable and safe, we’d all prefer things to be predictable.
Our minds can always come up with endless reasons, excuses, or concerns before we attempt something different than we’re used to. But feeling uncomfortable is okay, so long as we remind ourselves that thinking too much can hold us back. We can learn to motivate ourselves to do what we can with what we have in the moment. Finally, don’t take yourself so seriously and have fun being awkward while trying! Overall, believe you are capable. All that’s left is trying your best, knowing any mistakes you make will teach you what you need to know moving forward.
Just try and see what happens. You may surprise yourself with a new story to tell!
In my next post, I’ll discuss what ingredients will help develop a more optimistic mindset
and how making tea helped me overcome my habit of overthinking...!
Thanks for reading and comment below if you found anything here helpful!
For now, I’ll leave you with a final thought from Carol Dweck’s site:
“You can see how the belief that cherished qualities can be developed creates a passion for learning. Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”
(https://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/whatdoesthismeanforme/index.html)
"Confidence (practical, optimistic mindset) + Consistency (in actions) = Proficiency.
And I get it...easier said (or rather, read) than done. Just remember, it’s totally normal to feel anxious about the unknown...like, how is Game of Thrones going to end? To feel comfortable and safe, we’d all prefer things to be predictable.
Our minds can always come up with endless reasons, excuses, or concerns before we attempt something different than we’re used to. But feeling uncomfortable is okay, so long as we remind ourselves that thinking too much can hold us back. We can learn to motivate ourselves to do what we can with what we have in the moment. Finally, don’t take yourself so seriously and have fun being awkward while trying! Overall, believe you are capable. All that’s left is trying your best, knowing any mistakes you make will teach you what you need to know moving forward.
Just try and see what happens. You may surprise yourself with a new story to tell!
In my next post, I’ll discuss what ingredients will help develop a more optimistic mindset
and how making tea helped me overcome my habit of overthinking...!
Thanks for reading and comment below if you found anything here helpful!
For now, I’ll leave you with a final thought from Carol Dweck’s site:
“You can see how the belief that cherished qualities can be developed creates a passion for learning. Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”
(https://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/whatdoesthismeanforme/index.html)
