We are in the middle of a great summer of sport. While my best sporting days are over, it is interesting to learn more about the practise and training of elite athletes and what it takes to perform well. I always feel there is much to be gained from other walks of life and hearing about focusing attention on getting the best starts (avoiding false starts), finishing well, transitions (as in baton changes) and controlling nerves that strike a chord with ensemble playing. It’s often small tweaks that can make a big difference.
The sporting world has realised the importance of opening up on what it takes to deliver dazzling performances which the musical world is also waking up too. Good musical performances don’t just happen but are built on hours of practise and rehearsal and should be shared more. Some guitarists have been posting content about their daily routines for a while now (175) Ana Vidovic’s Daily Routine With The Classical Guitar – YouTube which are a great resource to learn from.
Three months ago, Alexandra Whittingham posted a video about looking over a new piece that she was scheduled to perform on stage in a matter of weeks (Attempting to learn a new piece in 20 minutes (youtube.com)). While this might seem a bit gimmicky, she presents an all too human example of something we all go through and all credit to her for sharing the angst of working under time pressure. Over the past year Alexandra has started posting duets with other guitarists including Stephanie Jones Helping Hands by Sérgio Assad | Whittingham-Jones Duo (youtube.com). How good would it be to start seeing videos of duos or ensemble practice sessions to share insights into the process.