Be Present

I love a good movie, and having 2 young kids has given me a few opportunities to watch some animations recently. When I first heard this quote I thought it was a nice play on words. But after a bit more thought, it really sent through a strong reminder of what we really have control over – the here and now.

I don’t know about you, but I find it so easy to let my mind drift off and start thinking about what I have to do in an hour, a day, a week, or beyond! Sometimes I start reliving the past and go over what I should have done differently in a particular circumstance – “I should have taken a bigger breath for that last phrase”, or “I didn’t have enough lunch today, I’m starving!” Then I tune back into the piece that I’m playing and start thinking “Gee, that part sounds different…like it’s missing something…like it’s missing – MY PART!! AAAAHHHH!!” 😱

Whilst our concentration doesn’t need to be at full capacity for the entire performance (it would be a waste of attentional resources to have the same level of concentration for playing a difficult passage, as it would be for counting bars rest!), there are a few things we can do to guide our attention back to the present. The ability to shift our attention like this during performance will help you save energy for when you really need it – when you’re playing and giving it your all!

When you find yourself zoning out mid-performance, here’s 3 ideas you can use to get your concentration back to the present:

1. Focus on the breath – by bringing your attention back to the breath, you can’t help but be in the moment of each breath cycle. Notice the rhythm and depth of each breath, and feel the air moving in and out of your body. From this point you can then shift your attention back to the music and onto the task at hand.

2. Savour the present moment – Really savour the sounds that you are making from your instrument, and listen intently. Notice the vibrations of the music going through your body. See the facial expressions on the audience members, recognising that they are enjoying the experience. Notice the coming together of a group of people to make beautiful and powerful music.

3. Subdivide – Similar to paying attention to our breath, subdividing brings our attention back to the music in a rhythmical way. Music will always have pulse and flow, so this idea reconnects us back to the underlying driver of the piece. Because we have to switch on our conscious thinking a bit more when subdividing, just a short burst of this will help to get our focus back into gear and onto the task at hand.

One significant benefit of being in the moment is that it lets your worries about the future, and the negative thoughts of the past just melt away. Negative and unhelpful thoughts will pop into our mind from time to time. But if we can acknowledge and accept these thoughts, and let the emotion be there without trying to change, manipulate, or judge the experience, then it will be easier to get back into the present. Accepting and understanding the present as it is, and not how you would like it to be will allow you to be even more present and engaged in the music making process.