Mastering the Art of Performance

Master teacher Stewart Gordon offers advice for musicians on conquering the demands of performance. It spans all aspects of the performance process from the planning and preparatory stages, through the actual performance, evaluation, and cultivation of a life devoted to performance.

Stewart Gordon has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a pianist, teacher, editor, composer, and author. His books and video tapes are widely used in university classrooms. His new edition of the thirty-two Beethoven piano sonatas is attracting wide attention for its scholarly research. He is currently a Professor of Keyboard Studies at the Thornton School of Music of the University of Southern California.

Prelude: Defining Performance
1: Assessing Yourself, the Performer, Achieving a Positive Mindset Toward Performance
2.: Why We Perform: Forging a Performance Philosophy
3.: Physical Support for Performance
4.: Conceptualizing and Scheduling Goals
5.: Keeping Preparation Fresh and Focused
6.: Dealing with Repetition and Drill
7.: Techniques to Develop Secure Memorization
8.: Insuring Quality
9.: Self-Regard at the Time of Performance
10.: Managing Stage Fright
11.: Dynamics during Performance
12.: Evaluation after Performance
13.: Performance and Human Interaction
14.: The Career Challenge
15.: Physical Challenge and Performance
16.: Performance Careers in Retrospect
Postlude: Performance and Your Spiritual Life
Selected Bibliography
Index