Tips
Essential Advice for Speakers
- Prepare early to avoid last minute panic
- Book several piano accompaniment rehearsals well before the performance
- Perform a run through to family and friends
- Organise to arrive in good time
- Bring a water bottle to the venue – drink lots of water in the days before
- Stand against a wall to ensure upright posture
- Subtle knee bends relax tension. Unwind shoulder tension with “turtle” shrugs
- Take slow deep breaths – before playing, at cadences, between movements. Breathe, breathe, breathe!
- Forgive yourself occasional mistakes, a squeak or wobbly bow. Play out with a big beautiful sound, exaggerate dynamics
- Enjoy your music – and so will your listeners!
Essential Advice for Musicians
- Prepare early to avoid last minute panic
- Book several piano accompaniment rehearsals well before the performance
- Perform a run through to family and friends
- Organise to arrive in good time
- Bring a water bottle to the venue – drink lots of water in the days before
- Stand against a wall to ensure upright posture
- Subtle knee bends relax tension. Unwind shoulder tension with “turtle” shrugs
- Take slow deep breaths – before playing, at cadences, between movements. Breathe, breathe, breathe!
- Forgive yourself occasional mistakes, a squeak or wobbly bow. Play out with a big beautiful sound, exaggerate dynamics
- Enjoy your music – and so will your listeners!
Links
Essential Advice for Parents of Young Musicians
How to ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD’S PRACTICE
Qn. “We lead busy lives! The teacher wants daily practice – how much is enough?”
A. Like food, music needs regular input. Aim for 6 times per week. As a rough guide:
Small children: 10-15 minutes daily.
Teenagers: around 30 minutes. Allow pressured Year 12 students space to juggle demands.
Qn. How to enforce when they slacken?
A. Bribery is better than bludgeon! Suggest:
- “Practice what you CAN’T play instead of what you CAN.”
- “Practice in bite-sized bits”
- “Set GOALS – short-term and do-able, (a concert or exam).
- Help them schedule a regular time.
- Check the lesson notebook each week
Qn. “Should I sit in on lessons?”
A. Some children respond better to the teacher one-to-one but discuss with both.
Qn. “I’m not a musician, how can I help?”
A. Your interest helps!
- Praise works wonders! Don’t comment if early sounds are crude.
- Suggest (but don’t force) they play to family and friends.
- Take them to concerts, buy recordings, expose them to a variety of music.
- Keep instruments in good working order
- * Buy the best equipment your budget allows
More tips in Practice is a Dirty Word by Ruth Bonetti.
Music Book Information Buy Them
“It’s frustrating! We parents pay for an instrument and tuition. The child shows talent but then drops out! I hope this book helps now my daughter’s lost interest – but I wish I’d had it in the start-up package.”
– Stephen Oddy, Bardon, Qld
“I’ve read your book ˆPractice is a Dirty Word’ over and over to help with my daughter’s flute practice. It’s so empowering – she’s won several competitions.”
– Robyn Hamlon, Toowoomba, Qld.
HELP YOUR CHILD’S PERFORMANCE of Words/Music
Encourage them to:
- Prepare early to avoid last minute panic.
- Book several piano accompaniment rehearsals well before the performance.
- Suggest a run through to family and friends.
- Help them organise to arrive in good time.
- Take a water bottle to the venue.
- Take slow deep breaths
- Stand against a wall to ensure upright posture. Subtle knee bends relax tension.
- Be positive and reassuring. “Just do your best. Some nerves are normal!”
- But don’t overload with advice; give them space to prepare and focus.
- A few mistakes in performance don’t spell doom. Tell them you’re proud – whatever happens.
More tips in Confident Music Performance, and in Don’t Freak Out – Speak Out
Buy Them
Browse & buy Ruth’s eBooks on Amazon
FREE E-ZINES FOR MUSICIANS AND SPEAKERS
Articles for Musicians
- Pointers for Productive Rehearsal with Accompanists
- How to Conquer the Shakes – Without Beta Blockers
- Tips to Choose a Musical Instrument
- Have Orchestra, Will Travel
- Clarinet Embouchure Repairs: A Saga of Crumpled Chins, Collapsed Jaws and Buckled Lips
- Why Practise Scales?
- Why Students are in a Fog over Scales
- Fix Errors and stumbles
- Harness parent power (currently unavailable)
- Tips to combat self sabotage (currently unavailable)
- Fixing technical slump (currently unavailable)
- To motivate students first understand (currently unavailable)
- Assertive Lines for problem parents (currently unavailable)
Articles for Speakers
- Media Interviews; How To Communicate With Confidence (currently unavailable)
- 5 Easy Tips For Your Confident Networking ‘Infomercial’ (currently unavailable)
- Tips for a Confident Wedding Speech
- Women Speak Out – With Confident Voices
- How to Make a Powerful First Impression
- Countdown to Presentation (currently unavailable)
- Simple Preparations For Confident Parent-Teacher Meetings (currently unavailable)
- Tips to speak under pressure (currently unavailable)
- Tips for presentation body language (currently unavailable)
- Warm listeners with a musical voice (currently unavailable)
- And the winner is… (currently unavailable)
- Tip to defreeze body and brain (currently unavailable)
Email Newsletter Subscription
Tips for Teachers — ‘Music Educators’ Energiser’ practical, empowering tips. Email Ruth to sign up
Tips for Speakers —’Crisp Confidence’ practical, empowering tips. Email Ruth to sign up
Tips for Musicians —’Performance Power’ to help musicians optimise their skills in performance but many aspects are relevant for speakers. Email Ruth to sign up