Priorities in Performance

Priorities in Performance

     "When you're performing in front of people, your first responsibility is to the audience, then to the composer."  This quote is one of Bennett's Tenets a blog by Travis Bennett.  I'd like to take the opportunity to disagree somewhat and in so doing, kick-start a blog of my own.  I feel Mr. Bennett's thoughts on performing to be restrictive old school thinking, at least in how it reads.  Each musical performance is a piece of a puzzle which neither begins or ends in a box.  A less limiting approach to performance and preparation would be to simply dedicate each performance to you, your ideas, concepts and what you want to express.  The audience and composer are simply along for the ride.  The audience comes to hear what you have to say.  It may be your music or the interpretations of music composed by someone else. 

I feel (it goes without saying) there should be thoughtful consideration for both the audience and composer in your performance and your preparation.  It is important to make wise choices of what you'll be performing but sometimes you need to take a chance and push yourself.  Perhaps you will fail but you will never fail completely.  Someone will benefit from your attempts and in the end, it will probably be you who prospers most.  A worst case scenario might be simply a hard lesson learned.  If one day you establish yourself as a performer you in turn will have established an audience.