<<  -- 7 --  Keith Bramich    Being truthful to the music

A core of reliable performance

Putting theory into practice, Chenyin explained a system she has developed for learning her music. 'I wanted to really find out how to be on my best form on stage. I have been trying to discover a core of reliable performance. Most pianists' fingers work well when playing on stage, but people are still worried that they might have a memory slip and stop in the middle of performing. I thought "I have to do something to not feel like that".'

'Most memory slips are caused by the pianist not really knowing every note -- or they might think they do. But when they are nervous, hot or under stress, they forget. I decided that I must know every note as if it was my own name, because even if I'm too nervous to speak, I can still say my name well. So it's a degree of how well one studies, remembering all the notes and working them out like a series of codes made up from different things -- sometimes finger patterns, sometimes the key notes from a chromatic scale. It all depends on how well you study the music.'

'You discover your own code for a complete piece, but mustn't leave out even one bar. If you do this meticulously, completing your code and memorizing two or three times, the music stays in your head very firmly. Revise this before going on stage, and you suddenly have extra confidence. You're really not going to break down, and knowing everything so well gives more freedom to be expressive and to enjoy playing the music.'

Chenyin began using this system in Summer 2001, when she was asked to play at the Presteigne Festival in Wales. All but one of the pieces she played, including a concerto, were new to her. At the same time, she had to prepare a different programme for a Scottish competition beginning only a few days after the Festival ended. 'I had to do something to avoid breaking down. No-one could have coped with so much work, and I was desperate.'

As a member of the audience in Chenyin's Presteigne concerts, I detected no desperation -- only joyful, inspired playing, and a calm technical control. A few days later she won First Prize in the Scottish International Piano Competition. So the new system seemed to work, obviously? 'Oh yes, because I was very nervous in the competition, especially hearing thirty other fantastic pianists. Somehow it seems the younger they are, the more virtuosic, and challenging programmes they offer, and I felt I must show something of my own -- something totally unique. I decided to apply the same technique to all my repertoire, to be freer and confident when I play.'

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