Nutcracker Madness
Had enough of the Sugar Plum Fairy yet? Or of having the audience stand up in the middle of a piece (Messiah, of course!)? Feeling overwhelmed by the color red and the singers all around you?
'Tis the season, and for musicians, this means you've got the Nutcracker, the Messiah, and holiday concerts on a repeating loop. And while it's great to be working, the tough schedule makes me want to curl up on the couch, drink eggnog and watch Christmas movies. (I bet I'm not the only one.)
But here's something I'd like to point out—it doesn’t have to be that way!
You can get some good work done on your playing AND soothe your gig-playing soul. January audition season is right around the corner. You may not have time to "shed" audition excerpts, there are some ways to get good work done without adding to your holiday stress.
Here are some ideas:
Take a few minutes to think about tone. Can you make a really beautiful sound? What is your bow doing? Are you consistent in the speed, weight, and placement of the bow? You can do this when warming up on scales, or with a short phrase from a concerto or excerpt. Remember, the point is to concentrate on the sound only.
Spend some calm break time on YouTube! Find some of your favorite artists and pick one thing to focus on. I like to watch how they connect their upbows to downbows. How smooth is that transition? Notice how the sound doesn’t stop. Watch the speed and placement of the bow. Your job is just to notice what they’re doing (and enjoy how beautiful the music is, too!).
Listen to the full symphony of any excerpt you’re working on. You don’t necessarily have to do this with a score or your part in your hand. Simply immerse yourself in the sound of the piece and the composer. I really like this kind of “passive” listening. I feel like I can soak up things that I’m not consciously aware of. But then I find I have a new appreciation and knowledge for the piece when I come back to it later.
Auditions are such big projects that we can't manage them all at once. We have to find ways to improve gradually and consistently. Instead of getting stressed out and panicking that you're too busy right now to improve, look at some new ways to learn (like the ideas above).
Most importantly, take some time for yourself to relax in between all your services. Have some good food and drink and hang with your colleagues. We’re all in this together, and we could all use some love and support at this time of year.
If audition practice doesn't happen, don't beat yourself up. You won't find the key to happiness in the practice room. It usually lies in the situations and the relationships you find when you walk into the "real" world.