'Performance'...what's it got to do with my singing ??
'Performance' is a word that I find challenging, partly, I suppose, because of it's usage.
In daily news we see the term arise regularly, in connection with car reviews, school exams, hospital treatment, economic policy variations, crime solving rates and so on. Often associated with comparison and the recognition of 'success' or levying penalties for 'failure'.
At work or school our performance is gauged, assessed, compared with others and consequences arise. Even personal relationships don't escape reflections upon one's 'performance'.
Thus, in the website www.businessdictionary.com 'performance' is helpfully defined in terms of 'accomplishment' and 'fulfillment' :
The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy, completeness, cost, and speed. In a contract, performance is deemed to be the fulfillment of an obligation, in a manner that releases the performer from all liabilities under the contract.
Coming from a lifetime of office work this is familiar, except that I now spend a lot of my time and effort trying to acquire skills in the world of the 'performing arts', wishing to give my life more 'balance'.
Is my performance here still to be defined in narrow terms of 'accomplishment' and 'fulfillment' ?
'Performance' in performing arts - is it different?
Wikipedia defines 'performance', in performing arts as generally comprising :
'an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience members often applaud. After a performance, performance measurement sometimes occurs.
Personally, I had no meaningful childhood involvement in 'performing' arts other than in a school boys choir and there was no money for piano lessons for me. We learned to play 'London's Burning' on recorder at school and I tried to teach myself the piano and guitar. The possibility of school tuition arose in terms of several of us vying for access to the 2 available trumpets. The outcome was that I was given two drumsticks as a consolation prize! Those were definitely not the most encouraging of days! I was left to contemplate ethical maxims such as 'quality will out' .. for those 'seen and not heard'.....Hmmmm ;)
Yet I enjoyed the singing and was part of the junior school's Scottish Country Dancing team, so there was a bit of the 'show off' in me. English classes also had 'drama' lessons sometimes and may we never forget the BBC Radio 'Music and Movement' sessions in the school hall. However, in family circles, the stage was not a proper job, neither was dancing... and to an extent I have to agree that in those post-war years of austerity what was important was the ability to hold down a steady job and bring home a regular wage. I ended up as an accountant on the basis that as long as there was money there would be work!
Facets of good performance
Ian Bostridge, tenor
This concert was on 23 January 2014, performing works of John Dowland [1563 - 1626] in the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff, with Fretwork, viols , and Elizabeth Kenny, lute.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute, but was surprised from the beginning.
I expected Ian Bostridge to stand, but he sat throughout, with the other performers seated around him, the music passing around between them all.
The standard of all was so high and the music so enjoyable that it seemed right. I later learned that this was done because of how lute music used to be performed, in a relaxed social context, sharing abilities and enjoyment of the music. For me, they were all as good as each other that night.
In daily news we see the term arise regularly, in connection with car reviews, school exams, hospital treatment, economic policy variations, crime solving rates and so on. Often associated with comparison and the recognition of 'success' or levying penalties for 'failure'.
At work or school our performance is gauged, assessed, compared with others and consequences arise. Even personal relationships don't escape reflections upon one's 'performance'.
Thus, in the website www.businessdictionary.com 'performance' is helpfully defined in terms of 'accomplishment' and 'fulfillment' :
The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy, completeness, cost, and speed. In a contract, performance is deemed to be the fulfillment of an obligation, in a manner that releases the performer from all liabilities under the contract.
Coming from a lifetime of office work this is familiar, except that I now spend a lot of my time and effort trying to acquire skills in the world of the 'performing arts', wishing to give my life more 'balance'.
Is my performance here still to be defined in narrow terms of 'accomplishment' and 'fulfillment' ?
'Performance' in performing arts - is it different?
Wikipedia defines 'performance', in performing arts as generally comprising :
'an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience members often applaud. After a performance, performance measurement sometimes occurs.
Yet I enjoyed the singing and was part of the junior school's Scottish Country Dancing team, so there was a bit of the 'show off' in me. English classes also had 'drama' lessons sometimes and may we never forget the BBC Radio 'Music and Movement' sessions in the school hall. However, in family circles, the stage was not a proper job, neither was dancing... and to an extent I have to agree that in those post-war years of austerity what was important was the ability to hold down a steady job and bring home a regular wage. I ended up as an accountant on the basis that as long as there was money there would be work!
Facets of good performance
I can only look back and smile, since many, many years later, here I am taking ABRSM singing and theory grades, singing in the chorus at a music festival and on stage in a musical last year, attending drama classes in recent weeks and now entering a local performing arts competition, singing as a tenor...for 'fun'!
Hardly 'what went wrong' but 'what am I putting right' and... with this article in mind... how to 'perform' better now??
So.., for several months I have been keeping notes of 'good performance' that I have encountered, in the hope that it will shape and inform me when I 'perform'. It is, naturally enough, my own selection and therefore subjective.
I am a little shocked how long this blog has taken to reach the keyboard! :
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World , June 2013
A wonderful variety of competitors and styles. Jamie Barton , mezzo soprano won both the Song prize and the main competition. And I mention her in this context for one very good reason, namely her smile. Every recital, if the context of the song allowed, was preceded with a confident, outgoing, warm,inviting smile that linked her with the audience.
Despite the competition nerves, the smile supported her. No apology for being there, the stage was set...
Steven Hough , concert pianist
I follow ' @houghhough ' on Twitter. In addition to being a wonderful concert pianist he is, for me, a fascinating writer and always challenging, full of knowledge, insight, amusing and thoughtful... thankfully not all at the same time.
His blog entry in the Daily Telegraph caught my eye in October 2013 entitled The practice of practising.
I would recommend you consider reading it in full, but what did it say to me?
1. Practice rarely makes perfect. But its process [personal fitness, muscle memory, relentlessly working through detail, repetition, working up speed ] hugely improves your chances of giving a good performance under pressure.
2. Develop clear vision, not aggression in performance. The mind must be fit, able to concentrate and relax, be flexible and wise. Seek improvement but also be kind to yourself when none comes or ,
[ in my own words], 'the wheels fall off!'.
I wish life had taught me the latter about 50 years ago, but at least I am aware of it now! Is this a hidden character building benefit of music making?
Portuguese concert pianist Maria Joao Pires
So.., for several months I have been keeping notes of 'good performance' that I have encountered, in the hope that it will shape and inform me when I 'perform'. It is, naturally enough, my own selection and therefore subjective.
I am a little shocked how long this blog has taken to reach the keyboard! :
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World , June 2013
A wonderful variety of competitors and styles. Jamie Barton , mezzo soprano won both the Song prize and the main competition. And I mention her in this context for one very good reason, namely her smile. Every recital, if the context of the song allowed, was preceded with a confident, outgoing, warm,inviting smile that linked her with the audience.
Despite the competition nerves, the smile supported her. No apology for being there, the stage was set...
Steven Hough , concert pianist
I follow ' @houghhough ' on Twitter. In addition to being a wonderful concert pianist he is, for me, a fascinating writer and always challenging, full of knowledge, insight, amusing and thoughtful... thankfully not all at the same time.
His blog entry in the Daily Telegraph caught my eye in October 2013 entitled The practice of practising.
I would recommend you consider reading it in full, but what did it say to me?
1. Practice rarely makes perfect. But its process [personal fitness, muscle memory, relentlessly working through detail, repetition, working up speed ] hugely improves your chances of giving a good performance under pressure.
2. Develop clear vision, not aggression in performance. The mind must be fit, able to concentrate and relax, be flexible and wise. Seek improvement but also be kind to yourself when none comes or ,
[ in my own words], 'the wheels fall off!'.
I wish life had taught me the latter about 50 years ago, but at least I am aware of it now! Is this a hidden character building benefit of music making?
Portuguese concert pianist Maria Joao Pires
I had never heard of this fascinating lady - who apparently had a loving childhood but a subsequent career heavily influenced by the fascist regime in her home country - until I found myself listening to the opening few minutes of a broadcast in January 2014 on BBC Radio 3, when she was interviewed by Tom Service.
The Music Matters interview of 18/01/2014 is still available online.
I made many notes but the main one that spoke for me was,[again in my words],
Competition is about fight and struggle. If one performs to win, one equally wishes someone to lose. This is the wrong mentality/philosophy for musical art and human relationships with the audience.
Music is not for the 'show-off' or for our own gratification. Music should interact in the community with a view to creating new ideas and contributing to change.
Ian Bostridge, tenor
This concert was on 23 January 2014, performing works of John Dowland [1563 - 1626] in the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff, with Fretwork, viols , and Elizabeth Kenny, lute.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute, but was surprised from the beginning.
I expected Ian Bostridge to stand, but he sat throughout, with the other performers seated around him, the music passing around between them all.
The standard of all was so high and the music so enjoyable that it seemed right. I later learned that this was done because of how lute music used to be performed, in a relaxed social context, sharing abilities and enjoyment of the music. For me, they were all as good as each other that night.
Andreas Scholl, German countertenor
Seeing this wonderful, gifted singer was a part of my wife's Christmas Present to me,
On 29 January 2014 we went to the Town Hall, Birmingham to hear him sing Vivaldi and Pergolesi , with the Academy of Ancient Music.
His voice is in a league of its own, as far as my judgement goes, and best listened to than commented on by me. Hear him singing some of the music from that evening on the following link:
Vivaldi, Stabat Mater, RV621
His presence on stage was , I thought, quite relaxed, and not dominating the audience. He used his body to emphasize and bring out emotions and feelings. I recall him sometimes taking a stride forward or using his arms, below chest level, but always in a conservative, controlled way, never affecting the way he sang.
Effective but used sparingly.
If you enjoyed the first example, you may will probably also love the following performance, recorded two days earlier with Klara Ek, soprano, in France :
Pergolesi, Stabat Mater
Seeing this wonderful, gifted singer was a part of my wife's Christmas Present to me,
On 29 January 2014 we went to the Town Hall, Birmingham to hear him sing Vivaldi and Pergolesi , with the Academy of Ancient Music.
His voice is in a league of its own, as far as my judgement goes, and best listened to than commented on by me. Hear him singing some of the music from that evening on the following link:
Vivaldi, Stabat Mater, RV621
His presence on stage was , I thought, quite relaxed, and not dominating the audience. He used his body to emphasize and bring out emotions and feelings. I recall him sometimes taking a stride forward or using his arms, below chest level, but always in a conservative, controlled way, never affecting the way he sang.
Effective but used sparingly.
If you enjoyed the first example, you may will probably also love the following performance, recorded two days earlier with Klara Ek, soprano, in France :
Pergolesi, Stabat Mater
Iestyn Davies, countertenor
On Twitter, I saw reference to a recent 'candid interview' of him by Limelight Magazine, conducted by telephone and entitled The rise and rise of Iestyn Davies
Again, read it if you wish. It's a fascinating article about the progress of his singing life to date and ends :
“Every person is different...and you should never be jealous of anyone else or worry about competition. It’s daft, because you are winning the competition of your own life – if you see what I mean.”
So what have I learned??
I appreciate that others will have their own way of coming to terms with expression of their artform alongside and normally in support of their lifestyle and responsibilities .
For me, I have to learn to look at 'performance' differently. No longer is it about 'me' but about what others hear.
An artform practised diligently and thoroughly, shared warmly with the audience, hopefully enriching their lives as well as my own. Not demanding to be first or punishing myself for falling short of my idea of 'perfection', but to strive to improve alongside others, allowing my voice to speak for me.
Since I shall never be 'young' again, this is probably my only 'chance' to learn a better way of 'performing', but this seems achievable and rewarding!
Thank you for reading this blog.
Again, read it if you wish. It's a fascinating article about the progress of his singing life to date and ends :
“Every person is different...and you should never be jealous of anyone else or worry about competition. It’s daft, because you are winning the competition of your own life – if you see what I mean.”
So what have I learned??
I appreciate that others will have their own way of coming to terms with expression of their artform alongside and normally in support of their lifestyle and responsibilities .
For me, I have to learn to look at 'performance' differently. No longer is it about 'me' but about what others hear.
An artform practised diligently and thoroughly, shared warmly with the audience, hopefully enriching their lives as well as my own. Not demanding to be first or punishing myself for falling short of my idea of 'perfection', but to strive to improve alongside others, allowing my voice to speak for me.
Since I shall never be 'young' again, this is probably my only 'chance' to learn a better way of 'performing', but this seems achievable and rewarding!
Thank you for reading this blog.
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