The Bach Tuba Project: 10 Reminders for Learning Amidst the Pressure to “Perform”
It’s that time of year again: the promise of summer is drawing to a close, and the deadlines, emails, auditions, competitions, rehearsals and performances are beginning to accumulate at a slowly accelerating pace you know will only get faster in the coming weeks. And naturally, with that acceleration comes some excitement – and some anxiety. How will we get this all done? And is it possible to avoid the dreaded “burn out” that can often appear in these moments?
In an effort to consider this topic myself, I’ve offered a few ideas below for both teachers and students alike. This topic ties into the past several weeks of teaching as I work with students with lofty aspirations, lots of talent, lots of ambition, and lots of time commitments. And that includes myself! The stress is familiar, and I would be sincerely interested to know what my fellow colleagues (both students and teachers alike) do in these moments to “keep moving forward.”
Gentle Reminders for Optimal Progress and Performance
Fall back on your fundamentals. Routine is key – in my opinion – and continuing to make time for your fundamentals routine not only ensures a well-rounded diet of practicing, but creates structure and reinforces all of the good work you’ve already done.
Create lists. Whereas we typically understand why lists are beneficial, this study presents a unique perspective by suggesting that the satisfaction we get from “checking things off” a list can help us “detach” from our work once the day is over and promote a healthier work-life balance. I first discovered this study in a post by psychologist Noa Kageyama, which offers a few simple, actionable strategies for maintaining order and balance in your practice – and life.
Record early in your practice sessions and in small sections (where possible). It’s easy to put off recording until the end of our practice session. We want to hear our progress, right? However, we’re frequently tired – both mentally and physically – and rarely playing our best at the end of a long practice session. Instead, think of recording as a tool to begin your practice sessions. Record, listen back, fix. Moreover, try recording in smaller sections – even a few measures at a time. This can help isolate and focus what you’re trying to address, and hear more immediate results.
Rotate what you practice. This past week, Ally wrote an excellent post on the value of “interweaving” in practicing and I highly recommend you check it out on our Instagram page (@BachTubaProject). The idea with interweaving is that you are continually switching between topics and/or repertoire, thereby keeping a more continual rotation of work-in-progress as a means to help “keep things fresh.” As both a student and teacher, I have found this concept immensely helpful in getting work done and keeping anxiety at bay (modestly).
Don’t waste your willpower. This is something a former teacher used to say frequently, especially before performances. I took it as carte blanche to indulge in tasty treats before big performances, but now I view it more as a gentle reminder that we are only human, and should keep that in mind when planning our preparation (yes, we should plan our preparation). One of the best pieces of advice Andrew Hitz (tubist and pedagogue extraordinaire) gave to my students at Appalachian State University several years ago was to show up to every gig, rehearsal, show, etc. like a professional. And part of that responsibility is knowing what it takes for you to perform your best.
Don’t worry too much about tomorrow. As I reminded a student (and likely myself) this past week, worrying is a chore in and of itself, and one that can become all-consuming if left unchecked. That being said, thinking about the future (and setting goals) is an important task, so I make this point carefully and realistically.
Find your best playing every day. This isn’t saying that you should sound amazing during your entire practice session – probably not. But you should be able to “find” your best playing every day and know what it takes to get there. Is it long tones? Double tonguing? Études? Some combination? Knowing how to access the best part of your playing is crucial to performance success, in my opinion – and something that should be practiced in and of itself.
Listen to music in your practice sessions. This is a mistake I have made as both a teacher and student. It’s easy to get sidetracked and confused by the question “what do I want this to sound like?” When that happens, turn on a recording. And to be clear, it doesn’t have to be an exact recording of the piece you’re working on. This summer, we’ve found great inspiration in watching videos of cellists, listening to Finnish bass guitarists, pianists, and more.
Take breaks. Early and often (within reason)! An analogy: as tubists, when we breathe, our bodies more efficiently take in air when we are not nearing a complete deficit. Which is to say that our bodies work more efficiently under more optimal circumstances. Not an earth-shattering revelation, but perhaps a concept that we could apply to our practice as well?
You are accountable, but not alone. Music can be isolating – especially in the moments leading up to big performances, auditions, etc. To some degree, that isolation is necessary. You have to spend a significant amount of time practicing in order to play at the highest possible level. That being said, it’s important to remember that there are many resources available to help you along your way: colleagues, peers, teachers, friends, family, recordings, podcasts, books…the list goes on.
This is surely an incomplete list and merely the beginning of some ideas to be explored further, but I do hope they might serve as important reminders as we look down the lens of another academic year to come. I look forward to learning more from my peers, colleagues and students in these regards and wish you all much success in the months to come!
P.S.: On the importance of taking breaks, I took a break last week and enjoyed a vacation to the West Coast to visit family, travel with my mother and compete in my third half marathon of the year, the Napa to Sonoma Valley Half Marathon. Below are a few pictures!
