Here in Kentucky, it’s time for All-County and All-District auditions, and coming up next month is All-State.
One of the things I hear quite a bit from more advanced students are questions about how to plan out your day (or days) when you have an important performance or audition.
While you should (hopefully) be ready to play at your best at all times, if your schedule allows for it, having a go-to plan for days with important performances (recitals, auditions, or other concerts) is a good idea. Otherwise, it’s easy to play too much, or not enough, or be otherwise mentally distracted when you need your focus the most!
In a recent James Boldin blog post, James talks about his normal routine on days when he has a major performance (such as a solo recital). This is a great write-up, with details concerning his normal routine the day before the recital, as well as his general plan for the morning, afternoon, and night of the recital.
While more advanced players may be familiar with some (or all) of his advice, there are few things in there that I hadn’t really considered, and there’s likely to be a lot of new and good information for a high school or younger college player.
If you’ve got an important performance coming up (audition, recital, chamber music concert, etc.) make sure to check out his blog and give some of his advice a try. Like all of this preparation advice, take what works best for you, and discard the rest – the only way you’ll find out what does and doesn’t work is by trying it!
