Williams explains the chordal harmonies of Barrios music, and Rojas relates some history and the origins of Barrios music.

We all know nerves can shatter our performance…Whatever we play in practice is so much harder in public, and many times, I like many others, have felt I have not done myself or the music justice by the way I’ve played after a performance.

A lot has to do with preparation. The need to practice until finger movements become automatic. Which means of course, you have to have much time to practice and prepare. I have felt it is useful to have about a dozen or so pieces that are always “on the back burner” so I can call on them to be ready to play at almost any time. That leaves some room for new pieces that can be slowly developed in practice. BUT, constant repetition of pieces (to the point of playing on auto pilot) can easily lead to going musically stale.

John Williams in an interview said the root of nerves is lack of confidence. An extension of this I feel is negative thoughts, perhaps about oneself, or even the venue where you are asked to play, limited time for preparation ect. Maybe even bad past experience can play on your mind, such as “I hope it’s not like THAT again”…Other common thoughts can include “I am not as good as..” or “I have not practiced enough” or “my technique is flawed”. If you can focus on your most negative thought, you are on the way towards a more positive thought that can work for you, instead of against.

                                                    Self Discovery

One way towards a more confident performance is looking inside ourselves, as opposed to attempting to take on board formulas that claim have helped many other players. Towards this process, try to understand how your inner voice can shape your feelings. Whereas negative thoughts can stimulate fear and self doubt, positive thoughts can create a positive outlook. It is easier to control thoughts than feelings. What we say to ourselves, and how we say it, is a factor in how we will perform under pressure. When musical expression is in synch with our inner soul, it can create an inner strength built on assurance.

                                                  Determine your priorities

It helps to focus on your abilities and how to use them. If you feel a technical weakness, work on it at home, for example,  don’t play something like Recuerdos in public if you feel tremolo is not your strong point.

If practice time is limited before a performance our lives, and therefore playing, can appear out of control. Add an audience to that and panic can set in. Look at your priorities and take some tough choices. Consider the music you want to play and ask yourself if you are expressing it in the way you would like to express it. And not the way maybe others do. Does your technique allow you to do this? If not, maybe make a list of pieces to perform that you have more playing control over.

To overcome nerves, first you need to free yourself of impossible goals, or even hard to attain goals. This need not restrict your aspirations, just leave them to one side, and think of playing in public experience like you do technique, like building blocks. Start building from the bottom upwards.

Try to define what you want out of a performance…You will want to do your best, but “best” is VERY rare, for almost every player. Are you satisfied with a performance that is clean, memorised..I myself try never to “sell myself”. I prefer to attempt to express the music, to express what I feel about it.

                                                   Understand the fear

It’s easy to think beforehand “no one will respect me if I mess it up” or hating the thought of letting composers music down. It can help to discuss it with others, to open up the topic rather than keep it as a secret fear. Eventually, the goal here is to make performance anxiety a part of our musical training, as much a part of how to interpret and phrase. No guide will ever in itself help us to overcome the fear. But to understand the fear, and why it is there,  is maybe the first step towards overcoming it.

A Happy New Year to you all

Lágrima at Piedeloro church from Montse ARDEVOL on Vimeo.

To rediscover one’s love of music and the guitar (or any instrument you happen to play) can be the most enjoyable experience you can have in music. So, if you’ve not played for a while, and take a leaf out of Monts’e book, and “take your guitar out of it’s case”…

Now, where’s mine…Case that is…

 Earlier this month I had the pleasure of attending a recital by Paraguayan virtuoso guitarist Berta Rojas, at Bolton Arts Centre, England. This concert was organised by Manchester Guitar Circle.

The  concert began with a brief performance by Bolton school advanced guitarist ensemble, playing three works. Then Rojas herself took centre stage, resplendent in all black, with a friendly stage manner, yet always conveying an aura of an artist at work.

The first half of her programme featured various composers, first Vincent Lindsey Clark from south England, who’s short piece  ”Laura”,  sparkled with vivacity,  a high melody over  fast moving arpeggio’s. It was good to hear something by Vincent in concert again, and my slight disappointment over the concert having deleted “Five Pictures of Stark” by Vincent from the programme was countered by the delights of Latin American rhythm’s and charm in the following works.

“Pasaje Abierto” by Costa Rican composer Edin Solis features two movements, Preludio and Danza, the latter’s opening section reminiscent of the second movement from Brower’s El Decameron Negro, (the Escape of the Lovers From the Valley of Echo’s)

Berta followed this with a three movement work by Quique Sinesi, “Cancion Hacia Vos”, “Alta Paz”, and “Cielo Abierto”. This charming set from Argentina I have never heard before, the first movement dedicated to the composers son. Engaging melodies and challenging rhythms, featuring tambora effects on the guitar.

Then followed two pieces by Korean composer Byeong Woo Lee. The tender “Mother” followed by “Run”, again both pieces I was hearing for the first time, but after this I am keen to hear more.

To round off the first half of the programme, Berta played two pieces from Brazil by Egberto Gismondi “Frevo” and the very rhythmical “Baiao Malandro”, with again Tambora playing a significant role in the piece, the wood of the guitar being tapped at different points, against a left hand hammer on chord effects.

Agustin Barrios Mangore

The rest  of the concert was dedicated to the works of her compatriot Agustin Barrios, who’s works, she tells us, she enjoys playing very much. I don’t think anyone plays Barrios better than Rojas. Not simply because she has an affinity with the legendary Paraguayan guitar master, and has the natural rhythm and idiomatic approach to his music. There must be something in the soul of the performer and composer that creates such a beautiful harmony, making Barrios and Rojas combination such an irresistible force in the music world. Rojas is able to bring out the composers charm, humour and pathos in such a way that, if Barrios himself is looking down, surely he will be very happy to realise his music has such a sympathetic medium of expression.

“Una Limonsna Por El Amor De Dios” tremolo was the opening, a soulful, serene reading given by Rojas, the final notes dying away followed by a long, reverential silence from the audience.

Then came two dances, “Jha Che VAlle” and “Danza Paraguaya”, both joyful celebrations of the composers homeland.

“Vals opus 8 no’s 3 and 4″ came next, almost mandatory for a Barrios recital these two, strangely played in reverse order here, Vals Brilliante before Romantica.

Two brilliant concert studies, the first the famous one in A major, followed by another virtuoso “Symphonic Allegro” are technical challenges not for the faint hearted, dispatched with aplomb by Rojas.

Finally, the famous “La Catedral” (Cathederal) brought this memorable concert to a close, all three movements played, the plaintive, Chopinesque prelude extremely touching. One encore,  the Bossa Nova styled “Choro Da Saudade” the first time I’ve heard Rojas play this one, but the piece was given a peerless interpretation, again followed by a long, awed silence from the audience, before a long round of applause.

A very enjoyable concert experience, one I hope to take in next year if the performer returns to England again. She will be very welcome, of this I am certain.