Nervous About Upcoming Piano Competition!?

Question

I've been on stage many times before for spelling bees and such but tonight I have a piano competition.

I'm really nervous because I was thrust into this by my teacher and now I'm past the point of no return. I know my song, I know it well, I just don't have the accuracy. Some parts I slow down, or mess up on, and I'm just really nervous about tonight.

What can I do to calm myself? I would keep practicing but I can play it perfectly on the keyboard, I just need practice on a grand piano, which I don't have.

Someone, offer help, please!

Answer 1

How about a comment from someone who has no ability to play at all! Here's my thoughts.

You obviously have talent for if not you wouldn't be in the position of playing in a competition that you are today. I would love to have this kind of talent. My sister has a natural ability with the piano as does my best friend (male). Me, I'm left to only wish I could play. The reason I point this out is that this talent you have been given is a gift that is limited to a very select few. As someone with out this talent I say to embrace it with your full heart.

My second point is this. Since you have this talent you need to ask youself is this something that enjoy doing? If not, reconsider your competition entry. If so, then don't play for the competition sake but play for yourself. Revel in the fact that you have a gift that so few have. Enjoy the music that you make and not 'stress out' over the notes that you play. Listen to the music and put those feelings into the playing of it. Remember that if people wanted to hear an exact replication of the music as it was written they could code it into an electronic piano (midi) and it would be perfect. Music is meant to be interpreted by the player and that's what the listeners really want. If you play with feeling and love and understanding of the great God given talent that you have been blessed with.. then the venue that you are playing in won't matter to you.

The next time you sit down to play... don't play the notes... play the music... play the feelings... play what your heart tells you to play. I bet you'll find yourself worring less about a competition and enjoying more the making of your interpration of the music.

Then.. when you play the competition and you play it like you feel it... it won't matter what some 'judge' decides for it will be your creation. I would also bet that when the judge sees the love, the joy and the feelings you put into the music... you'll get the best scores.

Remember to transpose the music in your heart to the music you produce and it won't matter if its done on a keyboard or a grand piano... it will be magnificant!

Good luck!

Answer 2

To be perfectly honest, not much can be done if you have the concert tonight. All the nice things these people here are telling you won't make an ounce of difference tonight, I am afraid to say. Because how you have prepared the piece is already ingrained in your muscle memories and thinking that someone's encouragement is going to make you improve within hours is just being foolish. It's your decision if you want to just drive yourself nuts with these nervous thoughts. Most people get nervous on stage it's just that some can use the nervous energy to their benefit instead of letting the nerves ruin their performance. If you are able to get to the location and at least get a feel of the piano, then do it. if not, then just read the music very carefully a few times before the concert. Even if you mess up, it's not the end of the world, and trust me you will be make mistakes no matter how prepared you think you are. Give your best and enjoy the performance, because if you don't, neither would the judges!!

Answer 3

See if there is anyway you can go practice on the piano you will be preforming on. If it is at a church go by there after school and ask the people in the office if you can try it out. If not you can always go to a piano store and "try out" a new piano. It would be good practice playing in public. Some have piano's in a practice room you could use.

What ever you do, at the recital, just KEEP PLAYING. Even if you play the same phrase again and again. Fake it. Most time only your teacher will know. You can do it!

Answer 4

ohh congratulations! i used to have this crazy piano teacher who gave me a competition every month or so! remember you are playing it perfectly on the keyboard, picture yourself doing well on the grand piano and take deep breaths, what i've found most helpful is just pretend you are having a piano lesson or practicing the piano at home, perhaps if you get there early they'll let you practice on their grand piano. you must be very good to be in a competition and you're doing it perfectly on a keyboard!! don't worry you will be amazing!!! hope this helped good luck

Answer 5

This may sound like a joke but it's not. I've done this myself many times and it works. As soon as you get on stage do the dumbest thing you can think of. The, after you've made a fool of yourself, you can't do anything to embaress yourself any further, and you are no longer nervous about making a fool of yourself.

Answer 6

okay boy, calm down. Seriously, sit down, and take some deep breaths. You've obviously worked very hard. There's not much more you can do. So don't try. Try to have fun. The judges will enjoy listening to you more if you're having fun than if you're not, yanno? When you have fun, you put passion into the music. Best of luck, and try to calm down :) Remember that it's not the end of the world. And the next your teacher tries to thrust you into something, don't let him/her do it unless YOU feel up to it and want to do it.

Answer 7

Try to think about the piece itself, and the hand motions you have to make throughout the piece. If you find parts difficult, then play them over, and pick at it until you get it nearly perfect. The more you think about that, the less you'll think about fear.

Relax, also. The worst thing you can do is be tense while playing.

Answer 8

always remember this and u dont take tension next time
"what u gave,u have what u spent, u had , what u left or lost u lost by not giving it". just prepare for it dont think what happen next. u know one thing that "fortune favors the bold " thats all.