Planning a Recital Program—Part 1 of 3

It’s very easy to think that planning a concert is simply about choosing repertoire one feels confident playing. For me though there are any number of preliminary steps that need to take place long before I choose the final pieces for a program.

When I receive an invitation to perform, the first thing I take into consideration is the performance space itself. Two of the most important aspects to me are the venue first, and then the piano.

I consider the ceiling of the venue, whether it's made of wood or stone, the reverberation of the sound, the audience's clothing (which absorbs sound, but it's different in summer and winter), the weather, humidity, the atmosphere, whether the piano is well-tuned or not, and what the unique characteristics of the piano itself are. I can't choose the venue or piano, but when I rehearse, I think about what I can do to give the best performance possible under those conditions.

Take for example the Liszt “Campanella”.  Imagine trying to play such a delicate piece, where the dynamics build and build from its very beginning, in a room where the sound might not travel past the first few rows. If the sound cannot travel well, the entire point of the piece will be lost, and the audience will not get to fully experience the brilliance of Liszt and his genius as a composer.

The space is important.  The atmosphere of the room is important.  The time of year is important.  A concert is not just a performance.  To play a concert is to share messages created by the composers.  The notes being played are not just notes, but words.  My job is to make sure that the message is as clear as possible, and that whatever that message is, the audience is able to hear every syllable. 

Tell me, how do you plan for your performances?  Please let me know in the Comments. Thanks!

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