When performing for a competition, festival, or masterclass, your behavior on stage makes a very big impression. You want to communicate that you’re happy to be there, that you have respect for all of your listeners, and that you are going to have a good time!
Foolproof stage presence:
1) Hand music to monitor, books open, first one layered on tops of others. Margins should always be marked with measure numbers.
2) Walk on stage
3) Smile at judge and audience (2-3 seconds)
4) Bow at 45 degree angle (3 seconds) – hold flute at neck and vertically in front of you
5) Smile at judge again
6) Walk over to piano, face it to tune
7) Tune to low A – Listen to the piano first, really hear it, play your A mezzo forte. Check by rolling very slowly in and out, find the perfect pitch. Play it again – it should be in tune now (at most, one more try). Then do the same with middle A
8) Wait for the judge to look up or nod
9) Stand to the right of the stand, introduce yourself and accompanist (full first and last names), and piece or pieces. “We will play the first movement, allegro moderato, of the Sonata in D Major by Prokofiev, followed by….” Etc.
If you are playing one piece:
1) Finish the piece
2) Wait for 2-3 seconds with flute up, “in character”
3) Then put flute down, step to the side of the stand, and smile.
4) Bow at 45 degree angle for 3 seconds.
5) Smile at audience, 2-3 seconds.
6) Acknowledge accompanist by gesturing with right arm and looking/smiling.
7) Bow w/ accompanist, 45 degree angle.
8) Smile a big beaming smile – HAPPY!
9) If there is no adjudication following, leave stage before accompanist.
10) Pick up music from monitor.