How to Take a New Approach to an Old Piece of Music

If you have been taking auditions for a few years, chances are that you have had to prepare the same two concertos and 10 excerpts many times. Hopefully, you are noticing improvement as the auditions pile up. But a lot of times, we need to fight past the sense of resignation that comes with doing the same thing over and over.

But here’s a chance to ask yourself, “what can I do better this time so I have a better result?” Or, "how can I make this excerpt sound fresh and new after the 1000th time of playing it?"

The answer is ICE.

No, not icicles, or icebergs, or even the kind you put in your drink after a particularly hard practice session. (Although, that's always an option!)

ICE is an acronym for a new take on how to approach an excerpt, especially one that feels old and tired:

I is for imagination and inspiration. Put the instrument aside and just hear the excerpt in your mind. Leaving the technical constraints aside, how would you like this excerpt to sound? Can you come up with some descriptive words? Maybe a story that follows along with the phrasing? Some people think in visual terms: colors, landscapes, or places. Can you find something in this excerpt that inspires you to express a new color or emotion?

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​C is for Curiosity. Start thinking outside the box. Change how you’ve traditionally played this excerpt and see what you could do differently. Maybe change your bowing, or where you take a breath. Maybe a different fingering might help get more clarity. Figure out what would be more expressive at a certain point. What if you were to sing it? Play it like you were a different instrument?

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​E is for Experimentation. I like to experiment with different sounds just for the sake of expanding my color palette. Can I make this softer, feel like velvet, or more heroic and strong? I will improvise for fun and get into the flow of just playing with different colors, dynamics and articulations. Sometimes getting away from specific excerpts can expand the options that we often choose from when playing in certain “styles.” Free yourself to make new and exciting sounds, and then figure out what you can apply to the excerpt.

So before you mindlessly dive head first back into those excerpts for the millionth time, think about how you might make it more interesting for yourself and for the committee! You’ll be amazed at what you find when you take a new look at old stuff.

Happy practicing!