One Last NYSSMA Checklist

NYSSMA is right around the corner! Here are a few last minute tips and suggestions to help you get the best possible score.

1. Scales: By this time you should have all your scales memorized up to speed with appropriate octaves. If not, get on it - losing points on a scale is the worst thing to do at NYSSMA, considering it's an easier task.

2. Your piece: Is your piece performance ready yet? Usually as a rule of thumb, I like to make sure that my students are performance ready at least two weeks before NYSSMA. Learning or even fine tuning material a week or two before NYSSMA can be very stressful and unsettling. If you're not done learning your piece put some extra practice time in!

3. Sight-reading: By now, most of you work with your teachers in lessons for sight-reading once a week. This is helpful, but if that's all you're doing, it is quite possibly not enough. Make sure you're sight-reading a new excerpt everyday. Even if you start now, it will make a vast difference stepping into NYSSMA a few weeks from now.

4. Page turns/memorization: Many pieces have page turns; make sure you rehearse how you're going to execute them. When I was younger I used to put paper clips at the bottom or top corners of the piece to help me grab the page faster. As I went higher in the NYSSMA levels and the pieces were longer and faster, I memorized them to get rid of the page turn issue. If you're memorizing your music, try playing it very slowly (from memory) once in a while. This will force your brain to really think of each note; if you don't remember certain sections at this tempo, go back and review them.

5. Nerves: Almost everyone gets nervous at NYSSMA and it usually doesn't help to say "Don't get nervous!" The best thing I find that helps my nerves is knowing that I've done a good job practicing in the past months. I remind myself that I really do know the music and that I'm there for one thing only - to have fun and show off my skills to the adjudicator!

6. Dress/arriving: Dress like you would for an important recital. Guys, this means some dress pants, dress shirt, black socks, dress shoes and usually a tie. Girls are relatively the same; dress pants, or skirt/dress and/or a nice shirt. Make sure you arrive no later than 15 minutes before you're scheduled to go on. Remember, you're going to be a little stressed, arriving late will only add to the madness. Also, you'll be holding up a whole line of people, which makes the entire day go slow. In addition, sometimes you can go ahead of your scheduled time if you arrive early! Make sure you double-check the location of the school. I've definitely messed up a few times and driven to that school district's high school, instead of one of the many middle or elementary schools they have!

Good luck and remember to have fun!