Easing your nerves: Tip #3

 Snow day for me!!!!! No teaching and no school.  Although I honestly do love both teaching and school....I am so grateful for the extra time to get caught up on life. And what better way to start doing that than writing another entry in my blog!?!  I love my kitties, Milo, Mila, and Max, more than life itself...but having three cats requires a lot of upkeep!! Plus, I have to get caught up on the Bachelor.  That show is definitely my guilty pleasure.  Anyways...this is the third of hopefully around ten entries to help you ease those annoying jitterbugs in your stomach before a performance...aka...nerves!

Tip #3: Be prepared.  

Do yourself a favor and know your performance piece(s) like the back of your hand.  Ok, time out real quick: I don't get why people always say "know something like the back of your hand."  First of all, what side is considered the "back" of your hand? My guess would be the side that isn't the palm....but isn't that debatable?  Second of all, what are you supposed to know about it?  I just don't get it.  Lol.







 But regardless, be prepared.  Practice.  Know your music by memory, even if you are planning on bringing your music up on the stage with you.  The more you know your music, the less you have to worry about.  It's a simple concept, but it would be foolish not to include it as a tip to easing your nerves.  

Til next time
~Givi Girl

Easing your nerves: Tip #2

Tip #2:   Eat honey!!!! 


"Just a spoonful of honey makes the recital nerves go down!" (Mary Poppin's theme incase you didn't catch on.) 

"I want YOU to eat some honey before your recital!"

Eat a spoonful or two of honey an hour or two before your recital. Research has proven that honey is a very useful way of calming those nerves.

Honey can be used to relax the body and the mind. Honey is high in tryptophan and this supplement aids to lessen anxiety and calming the nerves. Also, honey is rich in potassium which relieves stress on the brain and body. Potassium helps get rid of stress hormones in the body and acids to decompress the nervous system.

What are the chances I could find a picture of honey in a violin shaped bottle!? 

Cool stuff, eh?!


Maybe I should be writing a biology blog instead. LoL.  Hopefully this will be an easy tip for you to remember and apply! A cool thing with this one is it not only applies to music recitals...but exams and other scary situations like that, too!






Til next time
~Givi Girl 

Easing your nerves: Tip #1

 Nerves are so annoying and can make your playing go from an A+ to a C.

I've experienced it plenty of times.  Your hands start to sweat....you're shaking....your entire body is tense.....  You begin to envisage the worst.  The piece you're about to play becomes extremely frightening (although you've practiced it perfectly 50 times already.)  You start to ponder what people are going to think of you...all of these eyes are focused on you waiting to make one mistake!! Too much pressure....you're freaking out!!!!!! Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!


Ok, seriously...relax.  


I could write a book on everything I have learned via experience and research to help you out on conquering your nerves before performing.  There are innumerable tips and tricks I can share with you, but that would mean I have to write a book.  Right now I don't have that kind of time, so I will try my best to break it down into "tips" every day for you.  I'm not sure how many tips I will end up with....but my guess is, easily over 10. 



The first tip is actually something I've learned from a musician friend of mine who is also a parent to one of my students.  When my students were playing at our Christmas party event, he overheard one of them complaining about her nerves kicking in (aka stage fright.)  He told her this sentence, and it's stuck in my mind ever since:

"You're already doing more than what the audience is doing....you're going up on stage." 


Think about it.  The majority of the time, I assume you aren't playing in a room full of professional musicians (unless you are a professional or music major, of course.)  You're playing in front of a bunch of people, who I would bet, don't play any instrument.  Therefore, just by having enough guts to walk on that stage and attempt to play something....you are doing more than they could do!!!!!!!!  And they respect you for that!!!!


So, tip #1 is to keep that sentence in mind.  You're already above them, so who are they to judge you for how you play? 


Tip #2 should come tomorrow.  Eat these tips up because they could be your new best friend during performance time!


Til next time
~Givi Girl

PS~I don't know about you but I'm sick of this cold weather!!!!

~








 

Sally's story (a must-read)

It's very rare that someone decides to take on learning an instrument without a few stages of "I want to quit" time.  And sadly, it's even more rare for someone to go straight through with their music education all the way until high school is over. Let's cut to the chase today and begin to examine "Sally's" violin experience:

*Ages 8 or below-Sally is a six-year-old girl who saw a violin player on TV and wanted to be just like that person.  So, she starts violin lessons.  She's extremely enthusiastic.  Her parents are excited and just as, if not more, enthusiastic as Sally is.  The music is all of her favorite songs.  "Twinkle twinkle", "Mary had a Little Lamb", etc.  All is peaches and rainbows!!!!!!!'


Ages 8-12-Sally is now 10, so she has four years of playing under her belt.  The great thing is, coming and going to and from lessons is common routine for her at this point.  And guess what: all of the kids at school are beginning to learn an instrument!  It's the cool thing to do!  Sally's best friend, Kristy, even decides to begin the violin!  To top it off, Sally is four years ahead of her peers since she started early!  It's safe to assume Sally was in a front seat at this point.  Her teacher loves her, her parents are proud, her friends want to be as good as her, and everyone is happy.

Ages 13-17-Sally realizes the music is getting difficult and requires more practicing.  She's becoming lazier at home and would much rather text, tweet, and talk on the phone.  A lot of her friends at school quitting their instruments, including her best friend, Kristy.  In fact, the only students who seem to not be quitting...we'll just say....are certainly not in the popular group. "Is playing an instrument nerdy?" she begins to ask herself.   She observes the "cool kids" in school are cheerleaders and wished she had pursued that. (The irony of this situation-rather than people cheering for her after a performance, she'd rather be on the sideline cheering for others.)   Sally also has taken an interest to boys...she develops her first crush on this boy in her science class.  He gives her that "butterfly feeling" in her stomach which she's never felt before.  Her violin doesn't give her that!  Now, she begins to wear make-up, hang out at the mall, and the mirror is her new best friend.  Sally can see she's becoming very attractive!  Her violin is pretty much a headache at this point; for the parents and for Sally.   Her mom is sick of reminding her to practice, because half of the time, Sally resists which ultimately causes a battle between the two.  School is more demanding, and in her spare time, Sally has much more important things to do, like paint her nails.  (It's cool to have good nails...it's not really cool to play the violin.)  Her mom contemplates in her head if all of this trouble is worth it.  After all, the lessons are an extra expense and the violin is clearly adding to the family's stress level.  Maybe she should just say "screw it" and let her daughter quit like all of her friends have.

  ***THIS IS WHEN THE PARENTS GIVE IN AND LET THEIR CHILD QUIT OR THEY STAY FIRM. In Sally's case, her parents made her stick with it.***

Ages 18-21-At this point, Sally has a lot of great experiences to put on her resume thanks to her violin playing: community service, orchestra, etc.  What college wouldn't appreciate that?  Sally got into Penn State, the college of her dreams.  She goes to college and decides to major in finance. While visiting home during the holidays and a few weekends, Sally picks up her violin here and there.   Her private lessons are over, so now when she picks it up, it's simply for pleasure purposes.  Things have also cooled down between her mom and her, and Sally actually feels bad for being so difficult.

Ages 21 and over-Sally graduates from college and her violin is home waiting for her.  Every time she talks to someone about it, they are instantly impressed she has that talent. It's almost like she has a super power. "Wow, that is awesome!  I used to play an instrument when I was younger...man I wish I stuck with it" is typically the response she receives.  She begins to reflect back on her life and feels fortunate she never quit.   "Just think, I wanted to quit basically so I had more time to paint my nails."   It's actually "cool" to play violin in the real world, where people appreciate all of your hard work throughout the years to do something they never have completed.   Anyone can have painted nails...but certainly not anyone can play an instrument, let alone, play it beautifully as Sally can. 


 Ironically enough, her old high school crush ran into her and he, too, is impressed.  Who would've thought?!?! Kristy watches Sally play and regrets quitting.  She's thinking of starting up again...and who better to teach her, than Sally?  If only she stuck with it so she didn't have to start from square one again.  Imagine how much further ahead she would've been by now.   


Sally plays for her church during the holidays and she always makes sure to bring her violin for family functions.  She even plays for her work parties.  Everyone is so intrigued by her playing!!   Other times, she plays at home after a long, hectic, day.





















Sally gets married, and her husband loves to listen to her play.  They get blessed with a baby boy.  





  ......The rest is history.


Til next time,
~Givi Girl 

What's YOUR musical New Year's Resolution?

Happyyyyyyy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the big 2-0-1-4!!!!! What did everyone do for NYE??  Mine was awesome!!! A few girl friends and I went to this mansion up on Mount Washington that's known as the "Smart House."  Basically, this house is completely computerized.  It tints the windows with the click of a button, for example.  It was pretty cool!  We got a great view of the city, too.  I think Pittsburgh is so beautiful, and filled with many beautiful violin players (especially my students.)  ;)

Here's a pic of me from New Year's Eve!!!

So this post was actually something my mom does with my students that I thought was a clever idea.  In the beginning of January, she asks them what their "Musical New Year's Resolution" is.  I think it's important to always have goals; never get too comfortable!!!!! Until you're a professional...and even then, only get semi-comfortable. 

Your musical New Year's resolution does not necessarily have to be "I want to play this piece by this time."  Of course it can be, if that's what you want.  It's your resolution, so it's up to you. 

Let me give you some other ideas:

-I want to have better posture. 

-I want to perfect my vibrato. 

-I want to become comfortable with third position.

-I want to get accepted into an orchestra. 

-I want to memorize a certain piece(s).

-I want to visit the symphony more often.

-I want to become more comfortable playing in front of people. (Aka-you want to take advantage of performance opportunities more.)

-I want to compose my own piece.

-I want to never miss a single lesson. 

-I want to learn a second instrument.

-I want to get through the entire book by the time the year's over. (whatever book you're in.)

-I want to read Givi Girl's blog on a regular basis. ;) ;) ;)

Catch my drift?  


Once you choose your musical New Year's resolution, write it down and stick it somewhere you'll often see.  Maybe your refrigerator, for example?  You can obviously do this with your "non-musical New Year's resolutions" as well.  This will reinforce you to stick with it!!!!!!!! Don't start slacking around March...imagine how satisfied you'll feel once you've achieved your goal!!!!!! 


Note: Don't set a goal that is too far of reach.  Aim high, but make it something that's actually attainable.  Don't go overboard!!!!!! There's always future "New Year's Resolution" opportunities. 



This is YOUR year!!!!!!!!!!! Make it count!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Til next time
~Givi Girl