Got a Busy Holiday Performance Season Ahead? Read This.
Something about the holidays just calls people to music performances. Whether it’s the carols, the symphonies, or the modern classics- everyone comes back to music during the holiday season. And for musicians, that means maybe our biggest concert season of the year.
Schools always host their winter concerts, professional groups put on shows for the public, and even the amateurs get called on by churches, friends, and organizations to bring a little holiday magic to their next event. No matter where the holiday season’s taking you this year, we at Original Breath Builder wanted to give you a few tips to prep for the busy season ahead.
1. Learn how to take good breaks
This may feel like a weird place to start but when things get busy, breaks and rest as too often the first thing to go. We think we’re just too busy for a breather, or we can’t afford some downtime, but not resting actually burns us out faster! And when you’re there to spread cheer, you don’t want to be running on empty.
Take some notes on what really rests you. Maybe it’s listening to music you love, watching your favorite show, or going on a walk. When you’re tired, what kind of rest really revives you? While you’ve got some space to notice and experiment, pay attention to what rests you as a musician.
Some examples of different kinds of rest:
Physical rest: A walk outside, stretching, yoga, going to the gym
Mental rest: Reading a book, watching a good show, listening to a podcast
Emotional rest: Writing in a journal, sitting with your thoughts, meditation, breathwork,
Sensory rest: Sitting in a quiet space, listening to music, a candlelit shower, lighting a candle
A good break usually involves a blend of 2-3 of these types of rest. So try one or two items from each type of rest, and see what makes you more awake and more ready to get back on stage. A really powerful break for you could look like blending sensory, emotional, and physical rest by dancing to fun music or singing in the shower with a relaxing candle. It could also be a walk with a podcast you love, or just sitting in silence for 10-15 minutes to collect your thoughts.
We’re also big fans of rest here, but especially with the busy holiday season comes up- choosing to have those moments of stillness will help you only have more room for joy, cheer, and all the goodness the holidays bring.
2. Prep for the harder work!
Besides resting, it can help you to make time to train and prepare yourself for those longer or more frequent concerts. Especially if you’re a student or an amateur, this may be your busiest and biggest season- with back-to-back performances, larger audiences, and higher expectations. So train for that! Make time to practice more on your instrument, make sure your practice schedule and routine is set, and maybe include some other training methods
Of course, we’re huge fans of the Original Breath Builder- but it’s because we believe it can make a BIG impact on your playing, especially with such a busy season coming up.
If you’re worried about all the performances and the set lists and the audiences and want to do one thing to help yourself get better, this is it. As Brit, a student wind instrument player told us, “The Original Breath Builder is way more helpful than I expected. I used to put so much emphasis on my lips and let my lips do most of the work, they were getting tired quicker and I would wake up with sore and swollen lips. That doesn’t happen anymore. The Original Breath Builder has helped to get rid of the shakiness of notes because I wasn’t able to evenly push air through the horn. I am able to sustain notes longer without wavering or trembling. The Original Breath Builder helps open up my lungs which opens up my tone. Since I’m letting the air do more of the work, it’s easier on my ‘chops’. I’m able to play with a more relaxed feel to it.”
3. Get into the holiday spirit!
Right behind retail workers, musicians may be the biggest candidate for hating holiday music. And we totally get it! If you’re hearing and playing the same songs over and over again every year, it’s so easy to get tired of it. Just tune out, do your set, and get out of there.
But don’t let boredom take all the fun out of your holiday season! Even if you’re in a big performing group, your spirit still matters, and especially if you’re a solo performer or one of a small group- your energy and mood when performing matters so, so much to the audience. They can tell if you’re bored, lethargic, tired, and just over all this- and we don’t want that for you!
So, find some ways to get into the holiday spirit! Even if your actual setlist feels dusty and done, seek out fun and exciting holiday music that inspires you (we promise it exists.) Focus on the parts of Christmas or the holidays that you do enjoy- whether it’s the traditions, the energy, or the little things like twinkling lights and decorations. Let yourself get excited by the holidays, and it’ll pour into your performance- even if you’re doing “Carol of the Bells” or “Canon in D” for the umpteenth time.
And, if you are in charge of the set list, change it up! Don’t be afraid to pick new and reimagined holiday songs if it fits the space and the audience. Don’t let tradition stifle you from having a fun and joyful performance- sometimes your audience wants something new too!
We hope these three tips help you have a merry holiday season as it kicks off!
