What classical musicians are really thinking when they’re in recital

February 28, 2020

Confession: I did not like performing solo piano at all. It made me extremely uncomfortable, and even though I was good in the win-local-festivals-and-did-well-in-Royal-Conservatory-exams sort of way, I knew early on that 1) I didn’t want to be a musician, but I DID want to go as far as possible with it and work in the field, and 2) I didn’t have that “big talent” required to go for it anyhow. I knew what that kind of talent sounded like; my older brothers, Jon Kimura Parker and Jamie Parker had that “obvious trajectory” kind of sound, blasting through first places like nobody’s business, and it was clear they’d become professionals (though Jamie did contemplate a career in psychiatry but wound up helping people anyway as a musician).

I found this amusing video by Charles Cornell, which pretty much sums up what went racing through my mind every time I performed, though I always had my pieces memorized. Whether you’re a professional musician or not, can you relate to this video?

In Charles Cornell’s own words:
“If you have ever wanted to perform classical music in public for a real live audience, look no further. This video is everything you need to know. Featuring a totally accurate rendition of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.”