It's All About Performance

As the week here at Chautauqua has worn on, I find myself being somewhat resentful of the emphasis on this little performance at 4:00 this afternoon. The whole week has been devoted to perfecting 2 pieces, leaving little time just to sit down with various people and read through music. Although there have been some wonderful moments in cabin #13, its walls are way too familiar with the Bolling Suite and the Bach sonata that are on the program this afternoon.

But then I realized that we live in a world of performance. We are constantly setting goals, making ourselves jump through smaller and smaller hoops, raising the bar. Why is it that we have become so obsessed with proving that we can do things?

Instead of practicing myself silly like I did yesterday, I decided to take a very different approach to getting ready for the hour of reckoning. I’m getting a massage at 12 noon. St. Elmo’s Spa could only offer me a half hour. But that will just have to do. I know what a calming effect massage has on my body, so this is the best antidote to nerves I can imagine.

I hope our recital goes well. If not, I hope I have the good sense not to dwell on the mistakes. I mean, really, there’s no grade, no degree in performance, just a small gathering of friends and family to hear what we’ve been doing all week. How can that possibly be intimidating? Sounds like a good line, yes?

P.S. My massage with Maurizio was 30 minutes of deep-tissue nirvana!