Hardback : $88.32
In Mastering the Art of Performance: A Primer for Musicians, Stewart Gordon offers seasoned advice to musicians intent on meeting the challenges of performance. Through real-life examples and pre-performance exercises, this accessible manual gives musicians and other performers practical insights into every aspect of performance. While other books merely identify and describe the problems associated with performance, this book offers detailed suggestions
for solving them. First, Gordon tackles the critical planning and preparatory stages, helping performers to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. The book's easy-to-follow exercises address the
self-doubt and anxiety many musicians contend with, helping them to analyze why they perform, set goals and assess the level of energy needed to achieve them, and develop a performance philosophy. The book also offers techniques that will help musicians deal with some of the classic pitfalls of performance preparation, including repetition and drill, changing bad habits, and developing memory. For the performance itself, Gordon's insights help musicians with pacing and managing
stage fright. For the aftermath, Gordon arms performers with strategies for dealing with criticism and conducting a constructive self-evaluation, equipping them to face the challenges of a lifetime of
performances, including career plateaus and burnout. Gordon draws from more than forty years of experience in front of audiences to offer readers invaluable tips and personal reflections. While aimed primarily at musicians, the book will be useful to anyone facing the pressures of performance, such as actors, dancers, and even public speakers.
In Mastering the Art of Performance: A Primer for Musicians, Stewart Gordon offers seasoned advice to musicians intent on meeting the challenges of performance. Through real-life examples and pre-performance exercises, this accessible manual gives musicians and other performers practical insights into every aspect of performance. While other books merely identify and describe the problems associated with performance, this book offers detailed suggestions
for solving them. First, Gordon tackles the critical planning and preparatory stages, helping performers to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. The book's easy-to-follow exercises address the
self-doubt and anxiety many musicians contend with, helping them to analyze why they perform, set goals and assess the level of energy needed to achieve them, and develop a performance philosophy. The book also offers techniques that will help musicians deal with some of the classic pitfalls of performance preparation, including repetition and drill, changing bad habits, and developing memory. For the performance itself, Gordon's insights help musicians with pacing and managing
stage fright. For the aftermath, Gordon arms performers with strategies for dealing with criticism and conducting a constructive self-evaluation, equipping them to face the challenges of a lifetime of
performances, including career plateaus and burnout. Gordon draws from more than forty years of experience in front of audiences to offer readers invaluable tips and personal reflections. While aimed primarily at musicians, the book will be useful to anyone facing the pressures of performance, such as actors, dancers, and even public speakers.
Prelude: Defining Performance
1: Assessing Yourself, the Performer, Achieving a Positive Mindset
Toward Performance
2: Why We Perform: Forging a Performance Philosophy
3: Physical Support for Performance
4: Conceptualizing and Scheduling Goals
5: Keeping Preparation Fresh and Focused
6: Dealing with Repetition and Drill
7: Techniques to Develop Secure Memorization
8: Insuring Quality
9: Self-Regard at the Time of Performance
10: Managing Stage Fright
11: Dynamics during Performance
12: Evaluation after Performance
13: Performance and Human Interaction
14: The Career Challenge
15: Physical Challenge and Performance
16: Performance Careers in Retrospect
Postlude: Performance and Your Spiritual Life
Selected Bibliography
Index
Stewart Gordon has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a pianist, teacher, editor, composer, and author. His books and video tapes are widely used in university classrooms. His new edition of the thirty-two Beethoven piano sonatas is attracting wide attention for its scholarly research. He is currently a Professor of Keyboard Studies at the Thornton School of Music of the University of Southern California.
Persson (Göteborg Univ.) offers a thoughtful, albeit disturbing,
addition to the continuing discussion regarding the human
condition. Philosophers have maintained since antiquity that reason
is the primary and necessary element of a fulfilled and meaningful
life. This serves to downplay, if not deride, the role of emotions
and other ancillary mental states-what Persson calls the
"para-cognitive" attitudes toward individuality, time and
responsibility.
Rationalism, as strictly construed and practiced, conflicts with
all these aims. Persson contends that philosophy has treated
para-cognitive attitudes as if they can be mapped onto a
naturalistic framework; he
does a laudable job of demonstrating that this is not the case.
Thus one either stays within the rationalist framework expected of
the philosopher (abdicating natural biases toward duty, self, and
time), or (preferably) abdicates one's professional and cultural
bias toward reason. Either option is unsettling.
"This is one of those rare volumes that should occupy an honored
place on the book shelves of every serious student and teacher of
classical music. Beginning with a broad based definition of
performance as an integral part of the human experience, Mastering
the Art of Performance: A Primer for Musicians, goes on to deal
with the psychological, physical, practical, cultural and even
spiritual dilemmas and opportunities familiar to everyone who
aspires
to a high standard of musical performace...The style and
organization of Gordon's book is exemplary because it is astute
without being academic, popular without being insipid, and
practical without being
Philistine."--American Music Teacher
"Within my long musical memory, this is the first knowledgeable
book concerning the many details and challenges that confront
today's performers in their quest for a fulfilling musical life.
Mastering the Art of Performance is an essential book for every
musician who aspires to be skilled in the complexities of a musical
career. With fascinating and thought-provoking experiences, Stewart
Gordon has presented a valuable and astute message for all
dedicated performers."--Earl Wild, pianist
"Have you always wanted to avoid performance pitfalls? This
detailed, comprehensive, and erudite book is written by an
experienced performer and teacher who wants to help you do just
that. Every musician and teacher should have it in easy reach; I
recommend it."--Marni Nixon, soprano, actress, educator
"Here is solid and proven advice for all who are interested in
performance, from a sterling musician who is well-known to the
musical world. Get this book, follow its advice, and your life as a
performer will be happier and enhanced immeasurably!"--Maurice
Hinson, Senior Professor of Piano, School of Church Music and
Worship, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville,
Kentucky
"In Mastering the Art of Performance, Stewart Gordon brilliantly
addresses all the challenges we face before, during, and after a
concert performance. The solutions in this book offer extraordinary
tools that should uplift, enrich, and offer great confidence to all
who wish to transcend and command the stage!"--Norman Krieger,
concert pianist
"Stewart Gordon, one of America's premiere concert pianists and
teachers, has compressed decades of artistic and pedagogical wisdom
into this concise, clear, and significant book, which addresses
universal challenges encountered by all performers who strive
towards ownership of their musical art. This book is a treasure
trove of wise counsel that will find its place in my teaching
studio forthwith."--George I. Shirley, The Joseph Edgar Maddy
Distinguished
University Professor of Music (Voice), and Director, Vocal Arts
Division, School of Music, The University of Michigan
"This is one of those rare volumes that should occupy an honored
place on the book shelves of every serious student and teacher of
classical music. Beginning with a broad based definition of
performance as an integral part of the human experience, Mastering
the Art of Performance: A Primer for Musicians, goes on to deal
with the psychological, physical, practical, cultural and even
spiritual dilemmas and opportunities familiar to everyone who
aspires
to a high standard of musical performace...The style and
organization of Gordon's book is exemplary because it is astute
without being academic, popular without being insipid, and
practical without being
Philistine."--American Music Teacher
"Within my long musical memory, this is the first knowledgeable
book concerning the many details and challenges that confront
today's performers in their quest for a fulfilling musical life.
Mastering the Art of Performance is an essential book for every
musician who aspires to be skilled in the complexities of a musical
career. With fascinating and thought-provoking experiences, Stewart
Gordon has presented a valuable and astute message for all
dedicated performers."--Earl Wild, pianist
"Have you always wanted to avoid performance pitfalls? This
detailed, comprehensive, and erudite book is written by an
experienced performer and teacher who wants to help you do just
that. Every musician and teacher should have it in easy reach; I
recommend it."--Marni Nixon, soprano, actress, educator
"Here is solid and proven advice for all who are interested in
performance, from a sterling musician who is well-known to the
musical world. Get this book, follow its advice, and your life as a
performer will be happier and enhanced immeasurably!"--Maurice
Hinson, Senior Professor of Piano, School of Church Music and
Worship, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville,
Kentucky
"In Mastering the Art of Performance, Stewart Gordon brilliantly
addresses all the challenges we face before, during, and after a
concert performance. The solutions in this book offer extraordinary
tools that should uplift, enrich, and offer great confidence to all
who wish to transcend and command the stage!"--Norman Krieger,
concert pianist
"Stewart Gordon, one of America's premiere concert pianists and
teachers, has compressed decades of artistic and pedagogical wisdom
into this concise, clear, and significant book, which addresses
universal challenges encountered by all performers who strive
towards ownership of their musical art. This book is a treasure
trove of wise counsel that will find its place in my teaching
studio forthwith."--George I. Shirley, The Joseph Edgar Maddy
Distinguished
University Professor of Music (Voice), and Director, Vocal Arts
Division, School of Music, The University of Michigan
Persson (Göteborg Univ.) offers a thoughtful, albeit disturbing,
addition to the continuing discussion regarding the human
condition. Philosophers have maintained since antiquity that reason
is the primary and necessary element of a fulfilled and meaningful
life. This serves to downplay, if not deride, the role of emotions
and other ancillary mental states-what Persson calls the
"para-cognitive" attitudes toward individuality, time and
responsibility.
Rationalism, as strictly construed and practiced, conflicts with
all these aims. Persson contends that philosophy has treated
para-cognitive attitudes as if they can be mapped onto a
naturalistic framework; he
does a laudable job of demonstrating that this is not the case.
Thus one either stays within the rationalist framework expected of
the philosopher (abdicating natural biases toward duty, self, and
time), or (preferably) abdicates one's professional and cultural
bias toward reason. Either option is unsettling.
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