: SWEDISH GIANTS BEHIND ME
Chris Johnson, left, and Edvin Chramer, the Swedish chefs at Elilai, had a souvenir photo with Roberto Hernandez, resident musician of Palau Royal Resort and keyboard teacher of Chris. Both of them stand at more than 6 feet. Chris performed “Let It Be” and “Imagine” as a sort of farewell party to Edvin and to overcome stage fright.
ONEf the factors that striving musicians need to overcome is the stage fright.
When performing/playing a musical instrument, some are uncomfortable, nervous and committing lots of mistakes even in front of their friends and relatives.
I had one teen-age student 35 years ago that whenever his younger brother is watching behind him, he’s uncomfortable and always asks him to go farther and not behind him.
When I was just learning to play the guitar, the first instrumental piece that I’ve memorized is “Forbidden Games”. One afternoon, my father asked me to play that song in front of him and his 3 friends.
My fingers and hands are trembling while I’m playing. It’s my first time playing in front of that “many’ people. Months later, I’m performing with my third cousin Loving Dionisio in front of hundreds of people and I’m not nervous anymore.
The ultimate way to overcome stage fright is… YOU MUST BE ABLE TO PLAY THOSE SONGS/PIECES THAT YOU’LL BE PLAYING WITHOUT MISTAKES.
That is to practice over and over again. When you feel you can play a piece/song even with your eyes closed, the stage fright will be overcome even overnight.
I have been teaching Chris Johnson, chef at Elilai, for more than a month and I’ve set a date for him to be my guest performer at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort on Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 (his day off).
Two weeks prior to his guest performance, I’ve taught him the “motto” of every performer – “THE SHOW MUST GO ON!” It means even if you make mistakes while performing, you must carry on and keep in rhythm with the tempo and wait for the part that he knows.
Don’t be bothered about mistakes. We’re all humans and commits mistakes especially in the early part of learning.
His guest performance is also a sort of farewell party for his friends and co-employee at Elilai, Edvin Chramer, who left Palau after one year contract and proceeded to Taiwan for a week and stay for a month in USA.
While Chris is performing the Beatles’ song “Let It Be”, I saw his left hand trembling. I can see myself in him when I played guitar in front of my father’s friends.
In his 2nd song “Imagine”, THE SHOW MUST GO ON mentality instills in his mind when instead of 24 for style, he pressed 66 instead.
When the style was played, it played the “Pop Samba” instead of 8 beat. He didn’t panic but instead make the small crowd laughing by swinging his body to the beat until it goes back to normal style and tempo.
He’s overcome the stage fright overnight and it’s time now for serious learning. He learned the 1982 song “When I’m Gone” by Albert Hammond in just an hour – a song that he’s never heard before! GREAT POTENTIAL!Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9-10
Volume 22
Issue 17
February 28, 2013
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