We practice our instruments, a lot. We know we can play, but once we get on stage, something changes. It’s no longer practicing, it’s performing.

Performing is a distinct skill. The goal is not to simply recreate what happened in the practice room (“I swear it was better when I was practicing!”). We should think of it as a separate skill to be developed and practiced. By definition, this can only happen in the presence of an audience.

1. Attend performances frequently.

Watch and learn- we don’t always need to be the one on stage. In fact, sometimes we can learn a lot more when we’re in the role of observer, free from the pressures of performance.

Pay attention to the entirety of the performance experience. How did you find out about the event? What kind of music was played? Where was it located? What was the audience like? How did they respond? What did you notice? Take notes on what you liked and disliked about each performance, and you will start to identify your own performance style.

Consider this a part of your study, and attend diverse types of performances. There are often many free community events with live music. Keep a constant eye out for interesting performances.

2. Perform regularly.

The more you get in front of an audience, the less of a big deal it becomes. Perform for your friends or family, and participate in open mic nights, jam sessions, or church services. If every performance you do is a full solo recital or high pressure audition, your mind will believe that performing is always stressful, and audiences are criticizing you.

Having played a weekly church service for over ten years now, I really believe in the importance of frequent, low pressure performances. In church, you have a regular audience that sees you mostly every week, and having an “off” day once in a while isn’t a big deal in the context of years. On top of that, they come from a place of community, not judgement.

3. Diversify your performance experience.

The difficulty of a performance is not in the size of the audience, it’s in the familiarity of the situation (or lack of). In a lot of ways, playing to a larger audience feels less vulnerable. The stage and lights make it a show, and you can’t discern individual faces.

On the other hand, playing for a few people in a small room can feel very intimate and vulnerable.

You may be accustomed to performing in a recital hall and following the customs of a classical music performance. In this case, you might be uncomfortable playing in a restaurant with clinking glasses and conversation competing for attention.

If you are used to being a soloist, you can learn from performing in a more supporting role, and vice versa. Perform on secondary (and tertiary, etc.) instruments. Perform as a speaker, an actor, a dancer, or even as a writer or visual artist.

Expanding your idea of what constitutes a performance can open up unique opportunities you never noticed before.

4. Develop your communication skills.

I’ll say it again: performance is much more than how you play your instrument.

It includes all of this (and more):

-How you present the event before it happens
-How you walk and move on stage
-How you interact with the audience
-Where the event occurs
-The type of event
-How you look and dress

Considering all this, we can improve our performances by developing our communication skills, such as:

-body language
-public speaking
-listening
-writing
-media creation
-developing relationships

5. Create an act (or a few).

If you have an act, you have a performance ready- or at least the concept of it. It could be a specific program of music, an ensemble, or a band. Like a product, you can market and sell it to events, festivals, venues, and organizations.

As the leader of an act, you have control and responsibility for the overall performance experience. You can choose how frequently you perform, where you perform, and the kinds of associations and communities you align with. You will have to become a more thoughtful performer.

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What do you think?

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