Yesterday was my first lesson with my piano teacher after playing the concert during Thanksgiving week. We ended up having a sort of philosophical discussion about performing and why we as musicians perform for other people. Not focused on the fact that performing has incredible benefits to overall playing and mastery of music, but beyond thatā€¦. What are we doing when we play for someone else? Showing them our musical skills? Sharing our love of music in general? Sharing our love of a particular piece? Trying to create an emotional/musical experience for the other person?

We got into this discussion because I pointed out that when I played in the recital conducted by the music school, I pay to participate. Itā€™s only $20 so itā€™s barely any money, but the point is, itā€™s very much an extension of my lessons, and participating in that is, IMO, very much a learning or pedagogical experience. And the audience is composed of other performers, who are almost all children, and their parents. Thereā€™s no one in the audience who isnā€™t connected to one of the performers.

But when I played at the concert, itā€™s not like that at all. The audience was composed almost completely of people not connected to any of the performers. And they were all there to hear music.

And, I did not pay to participate (although unlike a professional, I also did not receive pay for playing ā€” thank goodness! šŸ˜…

So I felt that my intentions, my goals, at the that concert naturally were quite different than at the school recital. And I think I felt some responsibility toward the audience that I didnā€™t feel at the school recital. And I think thatā€™s ok, btw. It doesnā€™t have to be ā€pressure to perform.ā€ But I donā€™t think itā€™s appropriate to ignore the difference in the two events.

Thatā€™s neither good nor bad, itā€™s just differentā€¦

As we discussed this, I was also reflecting on the fact that two days after the concert, on Thanksgiving Day, after feeding my guests, I played for them (my concert program plus one additional piece). And after having fed them, we were all very relaxed and it was a completely pressure free environment. My performance was soooo much better, which is due to a whole set of factors, like it being my piano, the audience smaller, less formal etc. But after the fact I also felt like, part of it was maybe having to do with those expectations. My guests were there because I invited them to dinner, not because of a promised musical experience.

And it occurred to me that maybe one way to think about it is that performing is like cooking for someone. Thereā€™s the base function ā€” prepare and offer nutrients so we donā€™t die, and make sure we following food safety so we donā€™t kill the guests šŸ˜ƒ
But when we cook a big meal (like thanksgiving or other special occasion) we are providing a culinary experience. We want the guests to enjoy the food and be able to share in that experience, and the totality of it is much more about the experience, and the gift of that experience, than it is about nutrition or food safety.

So maybe performing is more like that, giving someone else a musical experience ā€¦

Anyway it was interesting to discuss this with my teacher, who is currently completing two doctoral degrees, one in piano and one in harpsichord, and who plays and performs at an incredibly high level.

So apologies for the long post, but, what are your thoughts on this? Why do you perform for others?

    P.S. I agonized about whether to put this in this subforum or in the Learnerā€™s Lounge, but I put it here because my interest in this discussion is not so much on performance as learning, or on learning to performā€¦ but rather on maybe the philosophy of musical performance ā€¦

    ShiroKuro Lovely post. I have been in similar situations this year, playing for our piano group and playing in a fund raising concert to an audience who have paid to attend. Indeed on Saturday 7th Dec I am doing another fund raising concert in which I am covering( at the last minute) for another player's absence.

    At the first fund raiser in June I was surprised that I didn't feel much different to times I play for the piano group. Nervousness was still there but I remember concentrating very much on the sheet music which I had selected because it was relatively easy to read and play.

    I guess there are two things I try to achieve; firstly to entertain and secondly to share my interpretation of the music with whoever wants to listen. In this concert on the coming Saturday I also want the music to say Merry Christmas.

        keff firstly to entertain and secondly to share my interpretation of the music

        It's interesting to me that "sharing my interpretation" didn't come up in my own descriptions...

        Maybe think of it that way might actually help me relax a bit more and focus on the music rather than being distracted by all the pressures of performing.

        Good luck on Saturday, let us know how it goes!

            ShiroKuro Good luck on Saturday, let us know how it goes!

            Some of my piano group colleagues and I took part in a Salvation Army Christmas concert this afternoon and made a lovely musical contribution. Our programme was a little shorter than intended because one pianist was unavailable due too illness and another decided not to travel because of a storm affecting our part of the UK. The notable pieces played exceptionally well were a Bach Chorale, a piece by Rameau, Leroy Anderson's Belle of the Ball and Sleigh Ride in a duet arrangement. Also Silent Night in a light jazz style.

            I played the medley submitted to the Holiday recital thread but I decided to change the arrangement of _We wish you a Merry _Christmas_to a version written by the piano group member who couldn't attend because of the storm. I had just one week to learn the new arrangement so I think I stumbled a few times but managed to keep it going and then settled myself down for the second and third tunes. It all went by in a blur but hopefully I got away with it. To make up for the time not used by absent piano group colleagues I read my favourite two pages from Dickens Christmas Carol to round off the Piano group's contribution.

              @keff sounds like a wonderful program! And great job adapting the the unexpected absences!

              Was there a big audience?

              • keff replied to this.

                ShiroKuro Was there a big audience?

                At least 40, perhaps 50 in the first half when parents were present with very young children.

                PS I will put this newer jazz style arrangement of _We Wish _You... in the Holiday recital thread__

                    keff At least 40, perhaps 50 in the first half when parents were present with very young children.

                    Nice!
                    Iā€™ll look forward to hearing your arrangement!

                      Itā€™s also helpful, and important, to consider why an audience member comes to a performance. It may be a famous player or program, or a notable event or holiday, or just the desire to enjoy the audience experience.

                      If they explicitly came for your particular performance, you have a motivated audience and your internal purposes are more in play. If they came for an event which coincidentally has a piano element, then I think the discussion must expand to their reasons for participation. Iā€™ll enjoy considering that aspect.

                      I really like your comparison with cooking for others. It also includes why someone may not wish to perform for others at all, becoming a better to cook to enhance their own meals and experience. A dinner party is such a different thing. Thanks for the topic.

                      Perpetual Beginner, Yamaha P115

                        ShiroKuro It's interesting to me that "sharing my interpretation" didn't come up in my own descriptions...

                        Maybe think of it that way might actually help me relax a bit more and focus on the music rather than being distracted by all the pressures of performing.

                        I've seen the advice to think of sharing music vs. hoping not to mess up as being helpful in calming performance nerves.
                        I haven't quite got the knack of it yet. I end up with a hybrid "I hope I don't mess up while I'm sharing this piece that I love".

                          macuaig Itā€™s also helpful, and important, to consider why an audience member comes to a performance.

                          Excellent point!!

                          macuaig If they explicitly came for your particular performance

                          This is the easy sort, because if they came for my performance, they are friends, and that reduces the pressure significantly.

                          If they came for "good music" and expect a professional-level performance, that might make me a little nervous, to say the least!

                              It might be better in another thread, but another concept might be "why perform WITH others". Have you ever performed with a group? As a for instance, have you played with an ensemble of other instruments?

                              In my case, I play with a trio, piano-bass-drums. The drums keep me honest about timing. The bass makes me pay attention to chord structures that may or may not be what I intend and adjusting on the fly is sometimes a requirement. And if I miss a note or notes, I HAVE to keep going, it's not optional. Also, it makes one concentrate in ways they wouldn't otherwise as it can lock you in to a timing you may not be comfortable with (too fast or even too slow), and also introduces a lot of background noise that can be distracting.

                              Might be a different subject, but it's what came to mind when I was reading the posts. It could be an ensemble. It could be a band. It could be another player either on the same set of piano keys or another player at another piano at the same time. It could be a vocalist singing with you. Lots of possible dynamics.

                                Bellyman "why perform WITH others"

                                To me, the answer to this is quite different from the question of performing for others.

                                I used to play regularly with a violinist, and before that a cellist. After I moved, I hard a hard time finding musician friends but now I have a cello friend.

                                To me, playing with someone else has the benefits you mentioned, in terms becoming a better musician through being part of a musical ensemble, the social aspect of sharing music with other, and also the chance to play music that I can't play on my own.

                                All of these are truly wonderful to experience.

                                But to my original question: if I'm playing solo music, I don't have to perform it to enjoy it. I can play it on my own, for myself.

                                The same could be said of an ensemble. You could just play with your friends, or you and your friends could perform for others.

                                So that's where the question is. Why perform?

                                šŸ™‚

                                    ShiroKuro But to my original question: if I'm playing solo music, I don't have to perform it to enjoy it. I can play it on my own, for myself.

                                    Indeed, I do play sometimes just for my own enjoyment. Something typical of late is to fire up Pianoteq and turn the reverb up way too high and play something "dreamy". I can mentally wander off in my own little world, any direction I wanna go. šŸ™‚

                                    P.S., didn't mean to hijack the thread. I had just had my coffee and my brain was quite busy. LOL!!

                                      No, no, hijack away!! šŸ™‚

                                      I think I'll be thinking about this for a long time... šŸ™‚

                                      A friend asked me about her daughterā€™s art teacher who told her if she doesnā€™t have an explanation for the point of view of her excellent drawings, they are not art. Iā€™d consider this a clumsy way of trying to teach, but I could see a possible intent.

                                      Art vs illustration. Art can be well executed - and demonstrate an underlying message. Illustration may just be an exercise in skillfully rendering imagery, just for the sake of the execution.

                                      Relating to music performance? Does musical art have to negotiate with others, or is the development of personal competencies a valid pursuit of its own? Iā€™d say of course it is, and performing for others is a different exercise entirely. Again, very similar to cooking for oneself vs holding a dinner party. They are separate activities that of course would inform each other, but are not required of the same person.

                                      Iā€™ve known people who perform publicly frequently enough that they no longer desire to play alone. They can be two different activities.

                                      Perpetual Beginner, Yamaha P115

                                        Pallas My teacher says we make art to connect with other people

                                        Ooh, I like that!

                                        Re playing for people ā€œwho might judge,ā€ I started to feel at some point that other musicians generally make the most sympathetic audience.

                                            macuaig performing for others is a different exercise entirely

                                            Yes, performing is its own animal, IMO anyway!

                                              ShiroKuro So that's where the question is. Why perform?

                                              The best reason I can come up with is if you can answer yes to the question of will your performance provide pleasure to the person hearing it (and if you have any interest in pleasing other people, which not everyone does). Thus it's the performer's own self assessment of their playing, and of the listener's expectations, that determines whether to perform or not.

                                              Some people express belief in a "need" or "duty" to perform, but I'm not one of them. I play for myself. I can read a book or watch a movie for my own personal pleasure. Same with piano. At the same time, if someone want to perform, go for it! It's a big tent. There's room for both approaches.

                                                  Stub Some people express belief in a "need" or "duty" to perform, but I'm not one of them

                                                  Right... this is super interesting, because I would not have described myself as someone who has a "need" to perform, and certainly I don't feel a duty.... I'm not good enough for that! šŸ˜›

                                                  But, I am very motivated to perform... I just can't quite articulate why. Certainly there's a pedagogical benefit, i.e., I learn a lot and my playing benefits from performing. But I don't think that's really why, it's more just like a nice side benefit rather than a core reason.

                                                  I guess some of it is because of the reasons I suggested at the beginning of this thread

                                                  What are we doing when we play for someone else? Showing them our musical skills? Sharing our love of music in general? Sharing our love of a particular piece? Trying to create an emotional/musical experience for the other person?

                                                  But I feel like there's something else, that I just haven't articulated yet...

                                                  So maybe another part of it is what you said,

                                                  if you can answer yes to the question of will your performance provide pleasure to the person hearing it (and if you have any interest in pleasing other people, which not everyone does). Thus it's the performer's own self assessment of their playing, and of the listener's expectations, that determines whether to perform or not.

                                                  Maybe it's like why we do anything for other people, we hope it makes them happy, and we feel good doing something for others?