Reinventing Solo Piano Concert

[Dreamaurora]

Hi guys, I've just completed my full time study and it's time for me to start building my performance career. I have no illusion that the traditional classical piano concerts have limited audience in Singapore. Even most of my students do not go to these concerts unless I personally ask them. I have list down some questions that you might want to answer in my guest to understand what will work in a piano concert in modern day Singapore

1. What kind of program or songs would you like to hear in a piano concert?
2. Do you think a mix of easy listening classical and contemporary music would be more attractive to the casual concertgoers?
3. How long would you like the concert to be? With break or not?
4. How much would you be willing to pay for a piano concert?
5. Would you the pianist to introduce and talk about the songs?
6. Would you like some visual entertainments e.g. video in background, some light shows?

I am personally preparing a concert of song arrangements covering classical songs by Bach and Schubert to more contemporary stuff such as Radiohead, Rodger Hammerstein, and Final Fantasy. Would you be interested in such concert?

 

[Cheez]

Did you just complete your music studies? If yes, you would have learned how to plan for a repertoire, no?

A mix of genre is always dangerous, as it appeals to different audience groups. You need to choose the pieces carefully. Classical span from a great period of time, so you may want to pick the later (romantic) period to match better with contemporary music. But still, you are talking about different target audiences.

If you are talking about solo piano, you already have something against you. Solo pianists don't appeal to the contemporary group.

As for the traditional recital, you are appealing to the classical group - you must be really good to get a crowd for a personal recital. For such groups, you don't need to talk or introduce. The program sheet says most of it.

For the contemporary, you need more than just a solo piano. Keyboards will be better, and backing tracks always help. I always feel telling a little about the piece you are playing adds additional appeal.

If concert is about 1 hour, don't need a break. 1.5 to 2 hours, consider an intermission.

Pianomankris can add to this. He's got more experience.

I'm actually planning a concert myself. But all original pieces, so easier to manage. Although I did consider doing some semi-classical pieces like Warsaw Concerto - easier to "understand" for the contemporary audience. But mainly my own music.

 

[Dreamaurora]

To be honest full time classical study in Singapore did not teach much in planning repertoire. In fact, repertoire taught really only appeals to a niche group of people e.g. most people nowadays don't really have the patience to listen to an entire Beethoven or Mozart sonata. It's a fact that piano students like me have to face that only really big names such as Lang Lang or Murray Perahia can draw people to entirely classical piano concert. That is why I am trying to set myself apart from the hordes of classical pianists that are produced every year by music schools in Singapore and around the world. I want to explore a wider range of repertoire and appeal to a larger group but somehow still not losing my classical style. Some feedback I gather from people I know seems to favor more easy listening stuff in small bites. I also compose and can add my own stuff to my concert.

 

[steviegfc]

hahaha i stopped at grade 8 few yrs back, now's prob lose of my skills, but someday somehow i hope i gonna nail moonlight sonata "all the 3 parts". I dunno, this's jus my perception, to say make it in the scene you have to venture out, cos i feel i mayb having a band's hard enough, playing piano's even harder. When I see Straits time live section, when they do talk abt piano players, they are usually connected to international acts, so u have to have network to gain access to that. You can play contemporary to work out the crowds, but I say the main's still classical. Oh yea you Do have to have charisma too I guess, Lang Lang's gt charisma doin his 'possessed' playin, but jus be urself most importantly.

Btw do you listen to Glenn Gould, he prob the best 20th century piano player imo.

 

[Cheez]

I see. Yes, "bite size" is good. I would say about 5-6 minutes per piece (most of my original piano pieces are around that time - max 7 minutes; orchestral may be longer). Give and take small introductions about the pieces, it would be about 9 minutes between pieces. An hour of performance will consist of about 6-7 pieces excluding encore.

Also, soundtrack pieces are also appealing for the contemporary group. Do your own arrangements - that is also fun. I would be very careful to do my own arrangements of classical pieces though - critics/purists may not be very forgiving... And I would still suggest backing tracks instead of piano solo throughout. Good orchestral arrangements does wonders for the solo piano.

Perhaps we should get all keyboardists together one day to put up with a contemporary recital. Pianomankris can be the guest of honour...

 

[Dreamaurora]

Yes, image and charisma nowadays is actually more important than playing piano itself. This is the reason why Lang Lang is so popular. Too many pianists nowadays look too serious or scared when they play classical piano. Very few actually look comfortable or enjoying themselves when they play classical music from memory, partly also because they don't really love playing on the stage. I know classically trained keyboardists who are really good in playing band but swear they will never have the courage to do a memorised classical performance.

Glenn Gould is unique and very interesting to listen to, I would not go far as saying hes the greatest pianist in 20th century, I feel there are others more deserving pianists such as Sviatoslav Richter, Arthur Rubinstein, Martha Argerich, Earl Wild, Mikhail Pletnev, Murray Perahia, etc. I respect Gould for his very personal approach in his playing, but I feel he often sacrifice the aesthetic of the music e.g. his recording of Mozart Piano Sonatas. For someone who is equally unique but much more tasteful in his playing I recommend Ivo Pogorelich.

 

[Dreamaurora]

I see. Yes, "bite size" is good. I would say about 5-6 minutes per piece (most of my original piano pieces are around that time - max 7 minutes; orchestral may be longer). Give and take small introductions about the pieces, it would be about 9 minutes between pieces. An hour of performance will consist of about 6-7 pieces excluding encore.

Also, soundtrack pieces are also appealing for the contemporary group. Do your own arrangements - that is also fun. I would be very careful to do my own arrangements of classical pieces though - critics/purists may not be very forgiving... And I would still suggest backing tracks instead of piano solo throughout. Good orchestral arrangements does wonders for the solo piano.

Perhaps we should get all keyboardists together one day to put up with a contemporary recital. Pianomankris can be the guest of honour...

I am actually an avid chamber musician also and I love playing piano trios. Although I am proficient in electronic music, I still prefer the sound of acoustic instruments played live and I think most audiences do as evidenced by the popularities of video game concerts lately. So I will branch off into chamber music as well (most classical pianists do) but focusing on more accessible repertoire e.g. movie theme arrangements. You are actually quite right that most people attention span does not last beyond 7 minutes for each piece, that is why I feel playing an entire sonata or set of pieces will not endear me to casual music listeners.

Actually I do not understand why nowadays classical music concerts are so formal and...draggy. If you ever read accounts of piano concerts in 19th century they are far from it. Pianists like Liszt were treated like superstars and they played popular stuff like operatic potpourris and they freely mingled with the audience.

 

[steviegfc]

hahaha tts wad i like abt him, technically speakin hes not the best but he put his own spin on I cant help but fall in love (i like crazy ppl) hahahaha looks like u know ur stuff, thnx for listing those players, now I have a lot of homework to do !!! hahahahaha

do you have any sample or video of ur playing, would love to hear u play hahaha

 

[lester_music]

I guess singaporean are all too busy for strict classical music...hehe...

when i was younger, i used to go classical concerts and its so hard to find kakis here in Singapore, most of the time I go alone...and the audience is indeed limited..always not full house....

worse still, sometimes the audience do not even knows about concert rules, clapping between movements, the conductor was taken by surprise when applause was between movements..hehe...

I guess its the mentality here, singaporean are just too practical & realistic, going for a classical concert? Unless its free...hehe....even if free, many go with not really listening but to pass time and worse some to sleep.....

Not too discourage, but I think unless you can come out with something poppish, or else it is hard to appeal to a big audience...and about charisma, I think most artiste need to have that, whether you are a rock star or a concert pianist...


just my thoughts...

 

[Cheez]

Most contemporary audiences may not appreciate sonatas. I still think the later composers with a twist will add something different - to ease the non-classical initiated into classical. Perhaps some Debussy with a twist? With a new orchestral arrangement back-drop (or smaller...chamber if you like) may add a different colour to it.

I remember in my secondary school days when the "Hit on Classics" series came out. Terrible indeed! But it did something - my rock group classmates started to take interest in classical music as popular classical pieces are played with a monotonous (and terrible) drum-set background... We don't have to make it that bad, but with some good orchestration and a little creativity, we can transform standard classical into something "different". What about that?

 

[Dreamaurora]

Most contemporary audiences may not appreciate sonatas. I still think the later composers with a twist will add something different - to ease the non-classical initiated into classical. Perhaps some Debussy with a twist? With a new orchestral arrangement back-drop (or smaller...chamber if you like) may add a different colour to it.

I remember in my secondary school days when the "Hit on Classics" series came out. Terrible indeed! But it did something - my rock group classmates started to take interest in classical music as popular classical pieces are played with a monotonous (and terrible) drum-set background... We don't have to make it that bad, but with some good orchestration and a little creativity, we can transform standard classical into something "different". What about that?

Quite a few pianists have actually done this. You can check out Asuka Matsumoto's CD Piano Espressivo, there was an interesting arrangement of Mozart's Turkish March in the CD, though I think purist may find that particular version revolting. If you like jazz, you can check out Jacques Loussier's reimagining of standard classical pieces. I particularly like his jazz reworking of Chopin's Nocturnes. And then there's also Gabriela Montero and her solo improvisations CD (check out her Bach and Beyond CD). I always admire Joe Hisaishi's abilities to compose contemporary pieces that do not cheapen out like say Richard Claydermann. All piano lovers should really check out his Piano Stories CDs.

Anyway, I am in the process of preparing proper video recordings of my playing. I have of course acquired some recordings throughout the years, but none are good enough I feel to reflect myself professionally yet. Nonetheless, these are some samples, although I am not particularly proud of their qualities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zthWKLYYMk&feature=related

http://www.box.net/shared/538cbalc0r

 

[steviegfc]

yea joe hisashi's good,

I had a listen to both your piece, 1st was an arrangement by you I believe, it's quite contemporary from the sounds of it, like some Japanese drama song theme, its quite good, I can never compose a song like this in a million years, having struggle composing baba black sheep alrdy haha jus kiddin.


2nd song I am not sure whether it's composed by you, but it definitely sounds more classical, and it sounds good and skilledfully played.


But I have got to say this and plz ignore my comments if you find my comments irrevelant, technically you are good, but I have yet to see the 'feel' in it, if I see you in a concert, it would probably be just one of those good players I have seen all my life, not exceptional, work on your 'feel' a bit and It could be like your trademark to really identity which makes people thinks, argggh "that is you" and not some typical good players.


Oh yea, just listened your second "romance no.2" too, from the looks from it, it seems like you have no problem doing contemporary songs and compose a tune to strike a popular tune anyone, bcos I really like your tune short and sweet, are you influenced by Japn music, I see big influences there.


Thnx for posting your music! I appreciate it very much, and yea as you can see I am a poor critic, anyway keep playing, I know you are going to make it one day, don stop the dream.

 

[pf]

Hi, this might sound shallow...but here goes...

would you be doing some musician showmanship kinda tricks in your solo concert?

 

[Cheez]

would you be doing some musician showmanship kinda tricks in your solo concert?

Do you mean juggling? Or playing with facing away from the piano with hands behind your back? :-D Actually, for the latter, I've seen that in jazz concerts. Also duets when people switch places from left to right. Really quite fun...

 

[pf]

Heheh...yeah, that sort of stuff.

Or playing cello and doing "limbo rock" like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBLOvrFFFww

I'm a shallow audience. :mrgreen:

btw, threadsetter...if you don't do tricks, then having a party on stage will do too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaMd7vQ22jM

I would be interested if you jazz up classical pieces like the Swingin' Bach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyvL4Cexj1w

But I probably won't go to your concert if you're just gonna play Final Fantasy. There are many youtubers who do great jobs at that.

 

[z_z]

I will go to your concert if you play all the Satie pieces...including vexations!

Vexations would be a very interesting interactive event...

 

[Dreamaurora]

[QUOTE=steviegfc

I understand what you mean, that is why I am trying to find my unique identity. For classical playing most people will not be able to differentiate even between good and bad playing. Even professional musicians find it hard to identify performers just by blind listening alone. I think what you are trying to say is I need to build a unique 'package' in my performing, which really is more than just playing alone. Take for example, Lang Lang, he was perfectly capable of refined playing, but he was famous because of his outrageous facial expressions and exaggerated interpretations. There are a lot more excellent pianists in the world who I think play better than Lang Lang, but the fact is they simply do not have that 'package' that Lang Lang has. Put it simply, image and marketing is really what define the 'feel'.

By the way, the second piece is Scriabin's Left Hand Nocturne Op 9 No 2. You should really check out his sonatas if you are interested in such stuff. I do not mind doing some fun stuffs in concert. Oh by the way, you should watch Joanna Macgregor (the woman with the dreadlocks) tomorrow in Esplanade if you are free, I think she is one of the most exciting pianists in the world today.

 

[steviegfc]

Yea even Beethoven and Mozart (even Vang Gogh) get their deserved fame years later than their death. Nowadays, it is all about marketing I guess, even you have got sublime playing skills. But whatever happens, just be comfortable with yourself, dont sell yourself just for the sake of it, like don't imitate "lang Lang" jus bcos u want some more attention, most important thing is to be comfortable with who you are. If you want to be really really good, even if theres few audience, so be it, just be who you are. Though what I really meant was the feel of the playing, not the image hahaha.

A friend once told me, when you are playing music, you are not playing the notes and chords or towkays, always rmb you are playing music, notes are jus guidelines.

Haha, haven got the chance to see the woman in dreadlock myself but did check her out on youtube, seems gd stuff, I am working night shift, but you enjoy it yourself!

 

[DoubleBlade]

Do you mean juggling? Or playing with facing away from the piano with hands behind your back? :-D Actually, for the latter, I've seen that in jazz concerts. Also duets when people switch places from left to right. Really quite fun...

Aiyah just grow some long hair and do the windmill headbanging technique while playing. That's what I do on the keyboard at gigs performances. =p

 

[pf]

Please refer to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffqQ_OhcRE 3:25 onwards for a demostration of the windmill headbanding technique.