by Heather Baldwin - October, 2021

True confession: I used to get so nervous before performing in front of people that I’d feel sick for days. Almost everyone who has played in front of an audience knows what I’m talking about: the swooping stomach, the sweaty and shaky fingers, the racing heart. Why the heck would we put ourselves – or our children – through all that? 

Moving toward the end of the year means moving toward recital season. And while some students await performances with eager excitement, others find their anxiety building as the performance nears. If you are hearing phrases like, “I don’t want to play in front of anyone” or “I just want to play for fun and not do the recital,” it might help to step back and think about why public performance is so valuable for music students: 

1. Performance drives intensity and intentionality in practice time. If I had to pick only one reason recitals are valuable, this would be it. When there’s a performance coming up, students get very focused and intentional in their practice time. Driven by the knowledge that they will be performing in front of an audience, they dig in to perfect and memorize their pieces. In the process, something magical happens: they discover a whole new level of excellence and enjoyment in playing music. 

2. Discomfort is a powerful learning tool. An operating board partner at Ramsey Solutions recently opened a communication with these lines: “I hope this week is uncomfortable for you. I hope this week you’ve been pushed to be better. I hope this week you’ve gone outside your comfort zone and it has scared you.” Why? Discomfort strengths us. It’s how we grow and improve. When students learn to push themselves through something hard in one area, they are better equipped to do it in others. Every performance gives students a vital opportunity to step into something uncomfortable – and grow from it.

3. Good performances add inches. I see it again and again, year after year: When students face down their nerves, get up in front of an audience, and perform well, they walk off that stage a little taller. They exude pride and confidence, which overflows into other areas of their lives. They are excited to learn more music and ask with eagerness when the next recital is because they can’t wait to perform again. The “passion follows practice” principle that I discussed in my August blog is powerfully on display after every recital.

4. Music is a performance art. Like theater and dance, music comes alive in front of an audience. While we certainly can derive some satisfaction in playing for ourselves, students will ultimately find that their greatest joy in music comes from sharing it with others. Finance guru Dave Ramsey often says the real power in wealth is not what it can do for you, but what it allows you to do for others through generosity. Music is the same: it’s full power is unleashed only when you give it away.