Passion over Perfection

This image has been circulating on Facebook recently. An important truth, but not a new one. Beethoven said that to play a wrong note is insignificant; but to play without passion is inexcusable! We need to keep in mind why we do what we do. It is to create a time and space for us and the audience to taste passion, experience catharsis, and to encounter the sublime.

Students of the performing arts quite naturally attend to being the best player or singer they can be. This is fundamental - our art relies on solid technique, masterful understanding of the music, and memorization so certain we can go on autopilot. Once those fundamentals are in place, it is time to surrender in a sense; to give in to the emotion and flow, without worrying what the result will be.

Time after time I have encouraged singers to go overboard with their acting - to really throw themselves into their character.

It never fails. Their technique actually improves, because they get beyond their critical thinking and use far more body energy.

Instrumentalists can do this as well, by inventing a character for themselves or feeling as if they are dancing with their instrument. 

Please try it the next time you perform. Give yourself permission to think of nothing but expression. Overdo the emotion, the passion, to the point that it might feel silly, campy, or over-the-top. Record yourself, or just ask those attending about the results. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised!