Stage Presence in Western Classical Music Performance

Stage presence is the performer’s connection with audience in a way that makes them want to watch and listen to the performance. It is more than the performer’s ability to recite musical lines, sing or play the right notes. Rather, it is the ability to connect with the audience, to immerse them in the story being told and to touch their heart with the sound of music. Everything a performer does: stage attire, confidence on stage and body language; affects his relationship with the audience. Taken in this way, musical skills are not the only things which come into play.

Just because what an artist plays on stage is musically good, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a live performance of that music will make a good show. Knowing what works musically…. and knowing what works on stage are two different things.

A good stage presence can be a defining factor in the success of a performance. A performer with good stage presence, from audience point of view looks confident. The performer should also feel calm, unhurried, friendly and open. Performers with good stage presence are also unafraid to be vulnerable in creating honest, authentic performances. They invite others to experience their story and hopefully to empower and inspire them.

Poor stage presence could be disastrous. A performer who dressed sloppily, projecting stage fright and displaying minimal engagement with listeners, may send clumsy signals that spark disinterest within the audience. A performer with poor stage presence, from audience point of view, looks uncomfortable on stage. The display of small hesitant movements such as timidly scanning the audience instead of having a confident eye contact may diminish a performer’s overall stage presence. In addition, performers who play their instruments and look down at the floor may results in their audience losing interest after a while. Although the audience may be listening to the music, they tend to lose interest because they do not feel connected with the performer.

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The three major factors that contribute to the quality of stage presence: dress code, physical expression and gestures, and stage fright. A performer’s dress code can be defined as a visual code that conveys messages of intention and attitude through the style of dress to the audience. Black concert dress is the generally acceptable dress code for classical music performance. It is perceived as classy and professional within the social norm in comparison to jeans or nightclubbing dress. However, famous musicians opposing the norm of concert dress code can be seen today. According to various news reports, the gifted young pianist, Yuja Wang caused a controversy for wearing a red mini dress while performing Rachmaninoff’s ‘Third Concerto’ at the Hollywood Bowl on August 2, 2011. In a time of rapid change in music and society, people are generally becoming more open minded. Therefore, the question arises on the ‘increased openness’ extending to the area of concert attire is really acceptable.

The second major factor, physical expression and gesture is also a component of stage presence. Physical expression and gesture can be defined as the implementation of a sort of body choreography, which includes one kind of intentional movement. This movement is what some researchers have appointed as body language. Body languages are used during performance to express emotions of the music, to communicate with the co-performers as well as audience, and even to show virtuosity. A prominent example is Lang Lang, a popular Chinese concert pianist who is well known for exaggerating his physical expression and gesture in performance. During a performance of Chopin’s ‘Grande Valse Briliante in E-flat major’, Lang Lang “evokes the jovial mood of the music by extending his arms, nodding his head, closing his eyes, and raising his eyebrows”. While many famous pianists are recognized for their impeccable techniques and musicality, Lang Lang gains success from his bold physical expression and gestures. He uses body language to help audiences in visualization and interpretation of the pieces, opening a way for them to have a deeper appreciation for classical music.

The third major factor that contributes to stage presence is stage fright. Stage fright is the term used when describing anxiety and blocked artistic expression. Stage fright has been a common problem among both amateur and professional musicians. Many greatest musicians had struggled to deal with stage fright such as Chopin and Jonas Kaufmann. Chopin, a famous composer and pianist confessed that he was intimidated by his concert audience. On the other hand, Jonas Kaufmann, a professional German singer is reported that his “voice deserted him” during his performance of Wagner’s ‘Parsifal’ in year 2015. Based on these examples, it shows that talent and fame do not guarantee comfort and security on stage. Regardless of how well prepared or experienced a person might be, there is still a level of uncertainty on what will happen during performance on stage. Therefore, mental preparation on this is as crucial as repertoire preparation. Many professionals have been taking practical steps such as sports, counselling, psychotherapy and yoga to cope with stage fright.

Performance is an integral part of life for those who aspire to become professional musicians. Be it auditions, juries, recitals or concerts. Our goal as a performer is none other than to give a good show. Although the other musical aspects of performance such as techniques, musicality and memorization are important, the art of stage presence should not be neglected. Hence, it is vital for musicians of all levels to realize about proper stage presence and apply it from time to time.

References

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