Performing Holiday music has always been an issue for me. It seems that I wait until it's almost to late to learn a song and polish it up for big get together.
This year is no exception. I've been playing around with more improvisation that anything else. I'll likely try to share some of those experiments with you in the coming weeks. For the next couple of weeks I'll be traveling on business and not get a lot of time to play or practice.
So what can I do to make the holiday request to spin a tune on the old piano worth while.
Holiday Music Study Options
Holiday Music Option 1
Of course I could pull out some stuff I've done in the past and start working on it. Because I like the jazzy stuff this becomes a little problematic.
Most of what I like to play is really fairly difficult to learn in just a couple of days. Usually taking more like 6 to 8 weeks to polish up to performance standard. Darn all those extended chord arrangements anyway!
So I'm probably not going to get that stuff out. But I've got that feeling it'd be fun to dig in and start playing.
Holiday Music Option 2
Pick some favorites that are easy to learn and don't take much time play well. Now this is going to be based on several factors of current time, current skill level, and current physical dexterity.
When traveling a lot, you lose that ability to keep your fingers in the groove. That stiffness slows down your flow. However, you can do a few scales, broken chords, and arpeggios to loosen up.
It's a matter of finding two or three arrangements that have a little pizzazz to them, but not overly complicated and digging in with the focused attention to each phrase.
This is possible, but based on that travel schedule still going to be a bit of an issue.
Holiday Music Option 3
Find some easy but pleasing tunes that are easy to sight read and play. This one is probably doable for the family gathering. Picking some classics that the family loves and knocking through them.
After all it's the family, you don't see them often and they just want to hear something. Probably not a lot really care what you play only that you do play. Hopefully they be grateful for what ever you do.
Holiday Music Next Year
Next year I'm going to set a reminder in the calendar about 3 months ahead of time. I'll pick a couple of really jazzed up pieces to play. I'll add in a couple of the nice arrangements of some classics as well. Check out Sheet Music Plus for some really great holiday arrangements.
I'll produce a success sheet which will be my road map to performance. That way I will not only impress the relatives, I'll have also satisfied my own need for moving my music journey forward.
What's your approach this year?