So I'm back and excited to talk about one of my favorite things: Performing!
When I was about 11 years old I started playing the fiddle and whenever my family would drive to my grandparents house in L.A. I would bring my fiddle with me to play for my Grandpa.
My Grandpa was a fiddle player all his life but I only remember seeing him play when I was much younger and he was able to move about.
I still have a hazy but very happy memory of our church hoedown/party he played at. I remember running around along with the other kids 'panning for gold', getting our pictures taken in our fun cowboy outfits, and watching out for the sheriff all while the happy tunes of an old-time fiddle sang in the air. I remember looking up now and then from the activities to watch him. What joy came from his playing! He was able to completely fill the air and somehow transform that church parking lot into the old west! It really was magical to me.
That, my friends, is what it's all about. It is the art of creating an almost tangible feeling or ambiance in the room. It should be almost as if the room or air you breath has changed itself and that the audience, not just you the performer, are now inside the music.
Now, I know this may sound like romantic or imaginative thinking but I cannot emphasize this one thing enough:
We perform WAY below our abilities.
We, as humans, do what we are comfortable with. Plain and simple. We tend to perform near the bottom of our abilities, sometimes reaching 70 or 80%, but not often enough do we feel what it is to be at this 'other' level.
Now I am not saying that I play at this level all the time, or that I don't find it hard to in many circumstances. Of course, some environments can be a kill-joy and quite negative.
But when the music and environment is right there are two things that will take you to that next level.
They are Humility and Love.
"Humility and What?!"
Okay, so stay with me here. I will explain my reasoning to you and hopefully won't get too philosophical. ;)
Much within our lives have a lot to do with relationships. From spouses, to parents and children, to friends, and to neighbors, and so on. (I won't get all 'circle of life' on you, don't worry.) ;) But pretty much within every interaction or communication between two or more people some type of 'relationship' is formed.
So now you step on the stage. You are now entering a new 'relationship'.
And you start playing a song. What is this? Yes, the communication.
If you have discussed 'the arts' with enough people you will have most likely heard the opinion that it is all created for a similar purpose. To communicate something. (I'm sure you could get many a more thoughts on the subject but in truth communication is the fundamental on which everything is born.)
Okay, almost done. I promise. ;)
I have learned that the most important things I need to have in order to grow relationships in my life are humility and love. Another word that I like to use for them is Sincerity.
The audience is there, wanting to hear what I have to share with them. They are willing to hear me out with an open mind. They wouldn't be there otherwise. I feel that sincerity from them and want to reply similarly.
No more am I showing off. I'm not stressed out about having them find out that I'm really not as good as I would like them to believe I am, but I am truly just wanting to give back what they have given me.
Coming upon this understanding I really didn't have much of a problem with stage fright anymore. Sure, I might worry about playing those hard parts without messing up but the actual fear of messing up isn't a problem anymore.
Fear has no place in a great performer. How can we ever learn to trust and care for others if we fill our hearts with fear and doubt in ourselves and others? So, in all honesty skill really has nothing to do with it.
Now I understand. Maybe like Yoda and Skywalker, near every time I would play a tune for my Grandpa back then he would tell me to either "Get hot or go home" with a loving chuckle. Fear has no place in greatness.
(The above is an interview I did in the summer of 2011 in eastern Europe. Enjoy!)
