Mise en Place and the Art of Preparation

From left to right: Examples of the French practice of mise en place.

French chefs have a practice of cooking that is known as mise on place. The term literally means “put in place”, and refers to the preparation and organization of ingredients and equipment before you start cooking in order to make the process as efficient as possible.

When it comes to musicians, there is a lot to be learned from this technique.

If you’re a pianist like me, having everything in place means always being prepared. What that means exactly depends on the situation in which you find yourself.  If you are planning a lesson this means that you have the score organized and ready to mark up based on recommendations and suggestions your teacher might make. You should also come prepared with any questions you might have about tempo markings, fingering, technique, and anything you feel will contribute to your performance.  It is also extremely important to have read as much as you can about both the composer and the composition so that you understand the artistic context into which it fits, in order to bring your own unique interpretation to a work.

If you are going to an orchestral rehearsal, preparation should mean having the measures of a score numbered so that you can refer to specific passages with a conductor, or make references to what other instruments might be playing.  Whenever possible, it is an excellent idea to have the work memorized, which will free you from the need to search places in the score you might want to question.

Whether the discussion is about food or music, mise en place is about preparation. It means being ready and mindful of each aspect that might be needed to be considered in order to make a lesson, rehearsal, or performance both effective and rewarding.

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