PRE-CONCERT RITUALS

The Art of Keeping my CREATIVELY NOURISHED is as important as Practicing and Reed Making AND YET PROBABLY THE MOST OVERLOOKED. Next Week I have Four Performances- all OUT OF TOWN and FANTASTICALLY this is the NEW NORMAL! I’ve witnessed the BURN OUT in others- Artists I consider more talented than myself and more expressive that lost their MOJO because of a Lack of SELF-CARE!

1. DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF: 
For me this is a FACE MASK. I love the Glam Glow Masks. The Blue One (pictured above) is the THIRSTYMUD- Hydrating Version. I have naturally dry skin and this helps so much!

It smells fantastic, like honey and almonds. Afterwards my skin looks Refreshed. I’ve even fallen asleep in it and had great results the next morning! It’s Fool Proof!

2. KEEPING MY IDENTITY: 
The professional orchestral world is a place of NO PERFUME, NO OSTENTATIOUS JEWELRY, and DEMURE FASHION. For a girl that likes BOLD statements this can feel confining. It’s like taking the feather away from Dumbo. All those Girlie-Bits are my GLAM-O-FLAGE.

BUT- It also has requirements of Hosiery. Lucky for me at my last gig, I ran into a representative of www.MyLoveableLegs.com while killing some time at Barnes and Noble. And by the end of the week I had a supply of Hosiery that is Distinctive. Me. And Still Within the Rules!

The Universe knows and Takes Care- Answering MY Needs!

Awh- Worry! AKA Pre Concert Jitters!

“WORRY is the MISUSE of IMAGINATION!”- Dan Zandra 

As Artists we are supposed to be CREATIVE, IMAGINATIVE AND DREAMY- maybe that is why we excel at worry. I find BREATHING and staying in the RIGHT NOW are the easiest way to combat this.

What better way to remind yourself to breathe deep than FRESH FLOWERS?!? I walk by and Inhale Deeply and the World Disappears for a Fleeting Moment. They are also beautiful and remind me of the Magic in Life.

4. MENTAL FOCUS: 
BAH! THE LAST MINUTE PHONE CALL or LEARN THE FULL OPERA IN FOUR DAYS. How to strategically do this- because I obviously can’t practice the whole part and feel comfortable on a level of comparison with those who have known their programming for a year and had their parts for at least a month.

I SIT DOWN WITH A RECORDING, DO MY NAILS, AND COUNT THROUGH THE SCORE. It may seem odd but wet nails mean I can’t go off and do something else- distract myself from reading through it. IT FORCES ME TO SIT STILL AND DO THE WORK.

If you have any Pre-Concert Rituals- I’d love to hear them. I Find It INSPIRING!