Stage presence refers to the ability of a performer (musician, speaker, actor etc.) to command the attention of their audience. A person with good stage presence is able to naturally draw in the attention of their audience without unnecessary distractions. To some it comes more naturally than to others, but good stage presence can be learned to a certain extent. Look below for tips to improve your own performances.
Why is stage presence important?
A story: the horn soloist
This story comes from my own personal observation. I was attending a concert of a well-known state orchestra several years ago in which the featured soloist was the orchestra’s principal horn player.
We heard the first selection and then settled in for the Strauss’s second horn concerto. But from the moment the horn soloist stepped onto the stage, I had a subconscious feeling of discomfort. She walked in very fast, betraying her own nervousness, and though her bow was fine, it left the sense that it was a little awkward.
The tutti began and the soloist began to very obviously shift her weight from one foot to the other in a rather too rhythmic way. Then still swaying she came in at the soloist entrance, and, it was beautiful! I settled back, it was going to be a nice enjoyable concerto, and my sense of unease began to fade as the exposition progressed. And then came the second orchestral tutti and the soloist began to very energetically empty her spit valve, whirling (and I mean whirling) the horn around multiple times and emptying, then waiting, then repeating the process all while rhythmically rocking her weight from one foot to the other. (Now, the issue at hand is not the emptying of the spit valve which is necessary. It can be done in a classy way, however, without drawing attention to it.)
This process of whirling the horn to empty the spit valve and the constant rocking back and forth in the same pattern continued through the entire concerto, slow movement and all. Her playing was excellent as I recall, but what stuck in my head from that concert unfortunately was her awkward stage presence. Just a few tweaks would have made it so much better.
So why is it important?
The goal of a good performer is to in some way communicate his or her ideas to their audience. Poor stage presence distracts from the performance, no matter how good it is, and breaks communication. Good stage presence draws the audience into the experience naturally and makes communication seamless. This makes the audience comfortable which in turn makes it very likely they will remember the performance in a very favorable light.
Tips for improving stage presence
Before you set foot on stage
Good stage presence begins long before you appear before your audience. It begins as a mental attitude towards yourself and towards performing.
Mental attitude towards yourself
A performer who focuses constantly on their mistakes and has a constant live feed of criticism running through their mind is most certainly not in a healthy space. Constant criticism will directly affect your confidence in stepping out on stage and therefore your stage presence. Personal objective critique is important for improving performance but it must be carefully balanced with positive feedback.
For example, I remember early in my college years a performance where I made a very obvious mistake. Immediately after when I saw my teacher I said, “Oh my goodness, did you hear that? It was awful!” She very wisely replied, “Yes, I heard it, but I also heard that every other passage was perfect and beautiful.” The one percent of our performance that was “awful” often clouds the ninety-nine percent that was beautiful. We want to avoid the mistakes in the future, but try not to let the mistake create an imbalance in your overall perception of the performance. Making this small change can significantly impact your confidence.
Mental attitude towards performing
Your attitude towards performing should also be healthy. While there are a few exceptions to the rule, most performers experience some form of performance anxiety and nervousness. It can range from a few butterflies in the stomach to debilitating panic. However, while you will likely never “stop feeling nervous,” there are many strategies which can make performing accessible and enjoyable despite the nerves. Check out my post here on performance anxiety for more detail and tips.
Performing should also not only be about the performer, but rather the communication of an idea, experience, or emotion. A performer who is only focusing on their own image will come across that way on stage and will often leave a sour impression regardless of how talented they are. Your mental attitude towards performing should lean more heavily towards communication than what you are getting out of it as a performer.
Physical appearance
- Know your audience and dress in a way that respects them; after all, they took the trouble to come and listen to you
- Avoid dressing in a way that is at odds with what you are trying to communicate
- Practice good hygiene
Stepping on stage
- Have a mental plan of action in place before you step on stage including where you are going and in what order you have to do things before you start playing. This should be just as prepared as your actual performance.
- Be steady and deliberate, avoid rushing
- Allow your personality to shine when entering the stage and do so with confidence. Don’t force this. Trying to be something you are not immediately dampens your stage presence.
- I like to think I am performing from the moment I set foot on stage. You can make or break a mood with your audience simply with your entrance.
The bow/greeting
- Smile and look at your audience, even if you are more reserved. You are after that connection!
- Again avoid rushing, but be deliberate and as natural as possible. Think of how you might feel when saying a genuine “Thank you” to someone
- If you plan to make any public remarks before performing, avoid rushing and try to move your body and speak as you would if speaking to a friend
Holding your instrument
- For the violin and viola, tuck the instrument under your arm or hold it by the neck in front of you.
- Avoid allowing the bow to travel through the air like a sword. Keep it generally pointed down in front of you.
- For the cello and bass, hold the instrument generally in front of you in such a way that you are not blocking your face or giving the appearance of the statue of liberty! Hold the neck with the left hand and the right c-bout with your right hand.
- Keep it as natural as possible. A good way to check is that at any moment if someone were to tell you to freeze and then remove the instrument from you, your stance wouldn’t look absurd.
You are still performing when you aren’t playing
- Stay in the moment during introductions and intervals in the music. Keep your mind from drifting into over-thinking what you are or aren’t doing with your body.
- Avoid allowing your body language to be at odds with the style of music you are playing.
- Avoid making repetitive motions for no reason like tapping your foot, wiggling your knees, constantly checking your shoulder rest, adjusting your chair or strap, repeatedly wiping the strings with a cloth, checking and rechecking your position for your next entrance, tapping a finger on the bow, etc.
- If you are being accompanied, the music continues when you are not playing. Allowing the music to play in your head and letting go of the live feed of mental chatter that so often intrudes during performance helps you relax and keep your body language natural.
- Time your preparations for each entrance so that you neither have to rush or end up standing frozen in place waiting. Matching the speed at which you prepare to the tempo of the music allows you to stay in the music and keeps it feeling natural.
What about when I am playing?
- Again, avoid needless repetitive motions such as tapping your toe (unless the style of music calls for this), rhythmically passing your weight from one foot to the other, bobbing your head to the music, etc.
- Avoid taking breaths through your nose as it can often be heard by the audience and definitely if you are being recorded. Rather, open your lips and teeth ever so slightly to breathe.
- Allow your body to relax rather than standing or sitting like a statue.
- Whether or not you consciously move your body in connection with the emotion of the music is a personal choice but not unacceptable. Avoid exaggeration however.
Conclusion
For the most part, good stage presence is the art of staying at ease and keeping others at ease when the attention of everyone in the room is focused on you. Though there are certainly general guidelines you can follow, it is also a very personal matter. It can and should look slightly different for everyone. Develop your own good stage presence by allowing your own personality to shine while focusing on connecting and communicating with your audience.