Don’t Break the Scale This Fall

Our teachers are some of the best, but everyone has a bad day or experience.    We asked LIYH teachers about their worst performance experience and failures and here’s what they said.

“My band was opening for one of my favorite groups, kind of one of our bigger gigs.   We didn’t have monitors set up so we couldn’t hear each other very well.   The bass player and I ended up in 2 different parts of the song.” — Patrick Arthur, Atlanta

“My worst performance experience was a jury I did my second year in college.   I hadn’t prepared well for it and I totally messed up the piece.   It taught me never to get cocky, and always come prepared” — Tess Van Laanen, Denver

“My biggest musical failure was quitting marching band at the University of South Florida.   Even though I was accepted, I was so intimidated because I had never marched before and didn’t know how, when everyone else already did.    I left within the first week and wonder what would have happened if I had stayed.”  — Tori Valerio, Orlando“I flew across the country with my cello only to realize once I arrived at my destination that I forgot to pack my bow in the case.”   — Carol Anne Bosco, Washington D.C.

“I was playing a gig in Virginia with my band.    On one of the tunes on our list, I forgot to retune my guitar and ended up botching the song completely.”  — Ben Sacks – Washington D.C.

“I came to a show with a cheap wire stand full of music that I didn’t ‘really practice.    Halfway through the second song, a wind gust blew through the outdoor venue causing my stand to fall and my music to go everywhere.   One part of me wanted to stop playing and run away, but I kept singing and the nicest man picked all the papers up for me while my drummer and bass player never missed a beat.”   — Jessica Holloway,  Denver

“Playing a pop ensemble during my freshman year in college, my nervousness to be on stage completely controlled the performance.   After many more gigs since then, I’ve realized that the experience of getting out there and playing in front of people as often as possible is the best cure for stage anxiety.   Persistence and a healthy sense of humor work wonders!”  — Olivia Shaw, Denver

“In elementary school, after a performance, my mom asked me if I could play any of the songs because she could tell I was ‘faking’ my bowing throughout the entire concert.   Hearing those comments from my mother (who didn’t play an instrument), I was mortified.   Needless to say that NEVER happened again.”  — Vera Nji, Miami

“When I was in high school, I sang the National Anthem at a gymnastics tournament and mixed up the verses.    When I realized I had messed up, I stopped singing, apologized to the crowd and then finished singing the song.”  — Megan Sanchez, Washington D.C.

“I was accompanying a soloist and all my music fell off the music rack.   Somehow I managed to keep going and bring the song to some kind of a close.   The soloist followed me, instead of the other way around!”  — Denise Miersma, Seattle