Maria JoĆ£o Pires and Memorization
Hello everyone!
Have you caught the latest Tonebase YouTube video? You've probably seen the legendary video of Maria JoĆ£o Pires recovering from the orchestra playing a different concerto than she had been expecting. In this video, that event leads to a discussion with the fantastic Noa Kageyama on memorization, the power of acceptance, and strategies for combating stage fright.
This is one of my favorite videos I've worked on thus far, and I really hope you enjoy it as well!
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This was an excellent video, Robert -- both inspiring and educational. And I had never seen the part where the conductor is encouraging her to go on with the Mozart D minor -- I can't decide whether that reflects more an attitude of faith, hope, and love (which it seems to, and which is moving in itself) or more "sorry, this is the music the orchestra has, and it's what we're playing, with you or without". I wonder if something like this has ever happened where the orchestra shifted gears rather than the soloist...
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Thanks for sharing this! Very inspiring and real.
Knowing how to prepare a piece and really get it in your bones is so important. I was to play the Rhapsody in Blue with our local orchestra and on the dress rehearsal I stopped cold in the middle of the percussive piano solo section. It got away from me and tumbled. I was so thankful it happened in rehearsal and I knew exactly what to do so it didn't happen in performance.
I sat down meditatively and went over every note in my head feeling my hands and the keyboard only in my head. It brought about an ah ha moment and I went on to give two great performances (according to the audience and music critic) and actually enjoyed that section of the piece the most.
Tonebase bringing these artists into our homes is a blessing!