ecarroll

Russ,

Thanks for an interesting topic.

The first thing that you should do is not worry about your recital. Look forward to it as a chance to play good music for your friends and don't turn it into a monumental, life-defining, moment.

That said, I suggest that you do your regular series of playing during the week preceeding your concert. Don't hold back, but don't artificially go for everything either. Add a series of daily breathing exercises, for relaxation, to your daily routine, and finish each day (and loud ensemble) with 10 minutes of really soft playing, ie the Charke 1st study in PPP. These 2 things will address the most common problem found in a recital for those unaccustomed to giving them: tension from shallow breathing and lack of response.

Consider taking Saturday off after breathing exercises and a full warm-up. Listen to some music that really turns you on (nothing from your program, please). Take a long walk someplace nice. Lastly, and most importantly, get 8+ hours of sleep on Friday and Saturday night. Your chops (and mental clarity) will thank you for that Sunday morning.

Get dressed, warm up at the hall, and spend 30 minutes before your show in a quiet room by yourself. No socializing. You can do that afterwards. Close your eyes, blow warm air through your horn, and hear yourself playing beautifully. The mind is a powerful thing, Russ. Engage it! Lastly, enjoy playing live music for your friends. Listen deeply, in present time, and they will too.

Easy, isn't it? Fun too.

Best,
EC