“It’s ok not to be perfect”
Antoine Forterre, CFO at Man Group, playing Bach at his piano lesson.
There really is a strong feeling that there is a piano community within the wider community at Man Group and this is partly the result of having “piano evenings’ two or three times a year. Last week my colleague Rob Brockway and I held a more informal piano workshop (rather than recital) for our students. This was because we wanted the opportunity to discuss Music Performance Anxiety – otherwise known as nerves. Most of us suffer from this, at least at some point in our lives, and we felt that it would be useful to shine a light on the experience.
After a short “body percussion” group warm-up to help people forget about work and relax a little, participants were asked to make a note of how they felt before they played. You can’t deal with a problem unless you identify it, so it’s good to encourage self-reflection and awareness. They were also asked to jot down what they enjoyed about each other’s performances. This was intended to foster a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere, which I think we achieved, and that it helped players to feel less anxious.
There were 15 performers in all, including Rob and myself, playing piano pieces from beginner level to advanced, classical to jazz. Several were playing before an audience for the first time, so were congratulated on having the courage to do this. I think everyone suffered from nerves to some degree and we invited performers to talk about this if they wanted to, while Rob and I offered encouragement and words of advice such as “it’s not all about the notes”! The reason for this is that, although students quite understandably obsess about note accuracy, when it comes to performance it’s good to try to rise above technical detail and concentrate instead on conveying a musical message. Imagining that you’re telling a story or painting a picture through the music can really help to lift it off the page and to inform interpretative choices such as dynamics and phrasing, all of which contributes to communicating the music without overthinking.
Naturally, issues of good preparation came up for discussion. With busy work and family lives, many of the students struggle to find enough time to practise, however committed they are, so best ways to make the most of limited time often need consideration. On the technical side, a helpful tip is to remember to press firmly into the key beds by pretending that they are actually a couple of millimetres lower than you think! Sensing that point of resistance helps to release any tension in the wrist, arms and shoulders. At the same time, listening for a clear, ringing sound from the instrument will give positive and reassuring feedback. Don’t worry about playing too loudly – that’s better than sounding timid!
For a small number of students it seemed as if the added adrenalin of performing actually helped them to raise their game and to come up with something inspired – and certainly to keep going when in a lesson they might have stopped to go back over a passage! The challenge of performing can really push students to reach new heights and it’s always exciting to witness this happening. We always encourage a warm, low-key atmosphere on these occasions and there’s a great sense of mutual support. The determination to play (and play on when things don’t go quite right!) is impressive.
I leave the last word to my colleague Rob Brockway who joined us at Man Group almost a year ago:
“I was so impressed, not only with your musicality across a wide and varied programme, but also with the vulnerability you were all willing to show – first by getting up and playing, then by talking openly about the experience. A culture where people are happy not always to seem pristine and confident is a healthy one, where people can bond and ideas can grow, and it was inspiring for me to see it.”