Dear Friends,

I hope this email finds you well. I recently had an amazing experience in Greece, and I shared some highlights in a blog post about it, which you can find here.​

During the trip, six of my students from the US joined me at the festival. On the day of their final performance, one of them earnestly asked me: "Dr. Boyd, do you still get nervous when you perform?"

This question made me smile because it reminded me that nervousness isn't just the domain of students or less experienced pianists; even seasoned professionals like me experience it. I believe performance anxiety is natural for 99% of people. Rather than trying to suppress it, I find it helpful to expect it, and then coexist with it when it arises.

I didn't perform a faculty recital at this festival due to a temporary bout of tennis elbow. However, I did unexpectedly experience nervousness in a different context: giving a public masterclass in front of the students and faculty there.

A masterclass is an event where a student plays and then a teacher teaches that student in front of an audience. Liszt is credited with popularizing this format, and it assumes that the teacher will have things to say that everyone in the room can benefit from hearing.

The morning of the masterclass, I was actually a little surprised to notice that I felt nervous! I've taught many masterclasses in my life, but still, these questions were going through my head:

• What if I can’t think of anything to say to the student?
• What if the student doesn’t find any of my suggestions helpful?
• What if I can’t find the right words to express myself?
• What if I embarrass myself in front of everyone here?

That last question - fear of embarrassment - seemed to be at the core of my nervousness.

I've heard sociologists argue that this fear of judgment is hard-wired into our psyche from ancient times when survival depended on staying with the group. You didn't want to be cast out by the community, and so you had to get along with people and fit in. This led to us being very sensitive to what other people think of us.

On the morning of the masterclass, did I feel nervous? Yes. Did I teach the masterclass anyway? Yes, I did. I taught the student (who played beautifully, by the way!) while still feeling nervous inside. I allowed space for the nerves to exist without giving the feeling undue energy or attention. I acknowledged to myself that I was nervous, and that it was completely understandable, because I was in Greece, teaching in front of a group of people I mostly didn't know. I felt nervous, but I didn't let it hinder me.

So, I tell my students, "Being nervous is normal. Expect it and prepare as best as you can. Embrace the nerves as part of the experience, and don't try to make them vanish. Remember, nothing has gone wrong. There is no lion trying to eat you!" 🦁🎹😂

Even as a professor and a professional pianistl, I can assure you that the nerves never completely disappear. It's a shared human experience, and that's okay.

Now I'm curious: how do you handle nerves when performing in public? Do you experience them too? Feel free to hit reply and share your stories with me - I'd love to hear from you.

Wishing you a fantastic week - and Happy Practicing! 🎹

-Kate

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Quote of the Week:

"Cultivate solitude and quiet and a few sincere friends, rather than mob merriment, noise and thousands of nodding acquaintances."

- William Powell, actor

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Today’s Practice Tip - Intermittent Repetition! 🎼

This week I have been doing a lot of intermittent repetition in my own practice. This is especially helpful to me when learning new music and memorizing music, both of which I am doing a lot of at the moment.

Intermittent repetition involves practicing sections in spaced out intervals, allowing your brain to absorb and process information more effectively. This method helps reinforce muscle memory and aids in learning complex passages efficiently, and it helps prevent you from falling into mindless repetitions.

This week's exercise:

Divide a piece you are learning into short sections, numbering (or lettering) from the end. Then, play the last section 6 times. Practice something else for 5 minutes, then come back to that same segment and play it 6 times again, followed by another 5-minute break. Do this a total of 3-5 times with that segment (until it feels quite secure at the first repetition after the break), and then repeat the process with each segment of the piece, working your way backward from the end.

As you get to know the piece better, the intervals between repetitions can get longer. Also: you can interleave sections so that you're learning a different spot during the 5-minute rest period.

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🎧 My Favorite Recording This Week:

André Watts Plays Liszt

Last week we lost a giant in the classical piano world. André Watts, the great American pianist, passed away at the age of 77.

About 12 years ago, Mr. Watts gave a masterclass to my students at Butler University, which was profoundly moving for everyone who had the chance to observe the class or play for him. One of the things I most remember about that class was his extensive knowledge of the repertoire and how quickly he was able to help each student he was working with. He also talked to my students about careers in music and shared his thoughts on what it would take to succeed as a concert pianist today.

Last week when I was teaching in Greece, many of the students attending the festival played works by Franz Liszt. André Watts first came to fame through his performance of Liszt's Concerto No. 1 with Leonard Bernstein, and went on to record many of Liszt's works. While perusing his many recordings, I gravitated toward his album of Liszt's Paganini Etudes, B Minor Piano Sonata, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13, and the Transcendental Etude No. 10.

I particularly love his recording of La Campanella, the third of the Transcendental Etudes. It starts off with such beauty and clarity and reaches such an exciting and climactic conclusion it's incredibly cathartic to listen to!

I have created a Spotify playlist for my newsletter recommendations: you can listen to this album (and my other July recommendations) here!​

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🎥 My latest YouTube videos:

This week's video: SIGHT READING at the PIANO 🎹: Don't Make These 4 Mistakes! In this video I go over the 4 top mistakes I see students make when they sightread at the piano, using the acronym RICE: Rhythm, Intervals, Continuity, and Ease.

If you'd like to have a copy of my piano sightreading checklist, you can access the PDF by clicking here.

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Upcoming Dates and Events:

July 26-29: National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, Schaumberg, Illinois. Are you attending? Make sure to say hi if you see me around - I'd love to see you!

August 23: First day of classes at Butler University! The fall semester begins!

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