Trial/HSC Preparation (1 Viewer)

[timyates_87]

With HSC Music rapidly approaching whats everyone doing to prepare for the HSC and trials, hours of practise, memorising pieces etc. Whats the norm with Music HSC preparation.

 

[MouNtY]

i'm having massive heart attacks at the moment........i'm a singer, and when i get nervous, i can't do anything but stand there, even if i have spent ages learning the words.....i just freeze as soon as the music starts, i'm normally a really loud kinda guy, but as soon as i get on stage....everything jus goes to hell......so i'm really trying hard to memorise my lyrics, and i'm gonna ask my teacher to give me some time on assembly just to help boost my confidence........

 

[bubz :D]

some time in assembly will definitely help, but you should remember that the exam is only in front of one or two examiners, and not a hall full of people how do you usually do your performance assessments? from year10, my teacher made us perform in front of her, and her only... it was really intimidating the first few times but you get used to it.

nerves happen to everybody. i know it's easy to say and hard to do, but try to focus on the emotions of your song - that's what i did when i performed, and i tried to forget about the examiners. i also took some deep breaths before i sat down at the piano and yeah...

hahah i was so pissed off last year, my teacher gave me a DAY'S notice that i was performing in assembly o__O i remember making a thread in this forum asking for advice... *reminisces* i ended up doing pretty well, only stuffed up the hard part a tiny bit.... so yeah.


to answer the initial question, unless your performance pieces aren't up to scratch i don't think it's necessary for hours of practise i barely practised for a few hours each week... then again i was hardly home i think you should focus a lot on your weaknesses, my weakness was aural and luckily we had heaps of practise in class. if you suck at aural, try and DIY at home, change your radio to some foreign channel, record it and analyse it like you do in class.

when's the hsc aural exam this year? for us, it was on the first day ahhh well, better to get it over and done with

 

[trumpet geek]

a good way to practice is to perform as much as you can. Playing in assemblies are good! And also try to go in as many eistedfods and comps and stuf so you get used to performing. You can do hours of practice a day and stuff up the real thing just cos u get nervous and stuff... so the hsc performance isnt just about how well you can play but also how well you present yourself as a performer.

I go to a performing arts school, and i get to watch heaps of really good players, and i found out that there is a big difference between good players and good performers. Some people just sit there and play amazing stuff and play really well but they are lacking in something.... like they dont really get the audience invovled, and when u watch them play they are too focused on their technical aspects and theyr not really into the music.

REmeber, the hsc markers wont have the score infront of them. If you make a mistake just keep playing as if it didnt happen cos maybe they wont notice! unless your playing some really well known work. Ive seen some people play reall really well up until they split one note and they like full skip the rest of the phrase cos they missed just ONE note!! and they make it really obvious that they made a mistake... arrrghhhh they shoulda just kept playing!!

Anyway i practice a few hours a day, not just on the HSC pieces - i gota work on other stuf as well! Ok im starting to get sick of my hsc pieces already and i cant even play them properly yet!! I played at a school concert last night where all the yr 12 music performers got up and played stuff as a practice for performing, and i recorded myself play. It was good cos i got to listen to my peformance afterwards and criticise it. My intonation has improved slightly, my double and triple tongues are ok, and i need to work on centring all the notes and avoid mispictching and learn how to lip trill!! so yeah.... basically to sum it up my hsc preperation is:

-practice
-record/listen
-perform
-and also watch other players perform (u can learn ALOT from them)

 

[Lexi]

Well, I just concentrate on many different songs ... I play my 3 HSC pieces, and then play other pieces I like - HMS Pinafore for example. My piano teacher says that if you have a video recorder, to tape how you perform. Like run through your whole repetoire in front of a camera, then watch it. You'd be surprised how many little idioisms you do without realising it.

 

[trumpet geek]

Well, I just concentrate on many different songs ... I play my 3 HSC pieces, and then play other pieces I like - HMS Pinafore for example. My piano teacher says that if you have a video recorder, to tape how you perform. Like run through your whole repetoire in front of a camera, then watch it. You'd be surprised how many little idioisms you do without realising it.

yeah thats a good idea - when i watched meself play on the video recording i noticed my posture and stuf. Also i let out my water too much in rests and it gets distracting!

 

[Crikket]

i got some past aural question papers from the library and have been practicing aural listening... it's so bloody hard!
i haven't picked my bass up since my practical exam which was a month ago... i should practice

 

[serenesorrow]

yeah thats a good idea - when i watched meself play on the video recording i noticed my posture and stuf. Also i let out my water too much in rests and it gets distracting!

When watching videos of our band I notice I do certain stances, and tense up during more technical sections.

It's always good to watch yourself to get another perspective of your technique, which you can't see from your own point of view.

 

[D.Larie]

Any tips for pianists? I'm really freaking out.
Like, what should I be thinking when I'm sitting there with the piano, about to begin?
I'm so scared my fingers will slip and make really obvious mistakes.