Scary Moment

peanuts56

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I’ve been in Hawaii visiting family for the last 5 weeks. Bryan Tolentino and a guitarist/ukulele player named Halehaku Seabury play in a restaurant close to my brother in law’s house. I had done a workshop with Bryan at the Magic Fluke Factory in May.
We went out to hear them and have dinner a few weeks ago. I got to talk with Bryan and he told me to bring my ukulele down next time they play. They invite people to come up and play on their break. We went back last Tuesday and I brought my Kamaka Tenor. They had a young man sitting in with them for the night. When they finished their set he played two pieces. Bryan told me I was next and that Benny Chong and Byron Yasui would be playing after me!!!!!
I’ve never been so scared in my life. I play pretty well but with them sitting there I was really intimidated. I planned on playing two pieces but decided to not press my luck. I played a fingerstyle version of Here Comes The Sun and did a good job. I figured I would quit while I was ahead.
Benny and Byron tore it up for 15 minutes. I thanked Bryan for the chance to play and also for putting me on before them.
 
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Way to go. Yes that would be a little intimidating. But you got through it. :shaka:
 
That's cool.
 
That is awesome, Peanuts! Congratulations on taking a deep breath and "going for it"! I'm betting your rendition of "Here Comes The Sun" was well-delivered and well-received!
 
What a great experience. Congratulations!
And great song choice. I love that one.
 
Thanks. I don’t play in public a whole lot and am a convert from trumpet. I have had some stage fright issues playing in public. Told my wife after surviving playing in front of Benny and Byron I don’t think that will be too much of an issue from now on.
I take part in a jazz themed Christmas Concert every year. I play djembe primarily for this. I’m working on a Christmas medley for this year. I’m just going to get up,play and have fun.
 
Peanuts, I once read an article in which the author made a very simple assertion, but one that has proven true, time and time again, in my own experience: "The cure for stage fright is practice." My own "take" on that concept is that I want to practice the pieces I'll be performing so thoroughly, so methodically, that I can do them as easily, and as reliably, as I could simply walk out onto the stage and strum a "C" chord. In other words, I know I wouldn't have the least bit of apprehension executing that "C" chord, so if I get my songs down to the point where doing them is just that easy, my stage fright is gone and I'm free to just enjoy performing. I also like to pause, a few days in advance of the event, and ask myself, realistically, how is this outing probably going to go? And the answer is-- it will probably go just fine; it won't be absolute perfection; I will probably have a flub here and there; but for the most part I will pull things off handily because I will have practiced my rear end off; and in total it will be just fine! That allows me to avoid the tendency to start dreaming up all kinds of disastrous scenarios that will probably never happen!
 
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Peanuts, I once read an article in which the author made a very simple assertion, but one that has proven true, time and time again, in my own experience: "The cure for stage fright is practice." My own "take" on that concept is that I want to practice the pieces I'll be performing so thoroughly, so methodically, that I can do them as easily, and as reliably, as I could simply walk out onto the stage and strum a "C" chord. In other words, I know I wouldn't have the least bit of apprehension executing that "C" chord, so if I get my songs down to the point where doing them is just that easy, my stage fright is gone and I'm free to just enjoy performing. I also like to pause, a few days in advance of the event, and ask myself, realistically, how is this outing probably going to go? And the answer is-- it will probably go just fine; it won't be absolute perfection; I will probably have a flub here and there; but for the most part I will pull things off handily because I will have practiced my rear end off; and in total it will be just fine! That allows me to avoid the tendency to start dreaming up all kinds of disastrous scenarios that will probably never happen!

Very good advice. The two pieces I walked up intending to play are pretty much automatic. I may have pushed the tempo a bit but technically I played the piece as well as I can. It was a good experience and I’m anxious to do it again.
 
I’ve been in Hawaii visiting family for the last 5 weeks. Bryan Tolentino and a guitarist/ukulele player named Halehaku Seabury play in a restaurant close to my brother in law’s house. I had done a workshop with Bryan at the Magic Fluke Factory in May.
We went out to hear them and have dinner a few weeks ago. I got to talk with Bryan and he told me to bring my ukulele down next time they play. They invite people to come up and play on their break. We went back last Tuesday and I brought my Kamaka Tenor. They had a young man sitting in with them for the night. When they finished their set he played two pieces. Bryan told me I was next and that Benny Chong and Byron Yasui would be playing after me!!!!!
I’ve never been so scared in my life. I play pretty well but with them sitting there I was really intimidated. I planned on playing two pieces but decided to not press my luck. I played a fingerstyle version of Here Comes The Sun and did a good job. I figured I would quit while I was ahead.
Benny and Byron tore it up for 15 minutes. I thanked Bryan for the chance to play and also for putting me on before them.


Hale is pretty famous in Hawaii he is a multi Na Hoku award winner(Hawaiian Grammy) and a great musician...he will never talk about himself,most of the great musicians here are very humble ...Benny and Byron too

Bryan Tolentino is the person you want to know if you are into ukes....:)
 
Hale is pretty famous in Hawaii he is a multi Na Hoku award winner(Hawaiian Grammy) and a great musician...he will never talk about himself,most of the great musicians here are very humble ...Benny and Byron too

Bryan Tolentino is the person you want to know if you are into ukes....:)

I agree, Hale is a great guy and an extraordinary musician. I spent a lot of time talking to Hale at Nico's. I also heard him play uke at the library in Kaneohe at the Music For Life Event. Bryan and Herb Jr also played. Chris Kamaka played upright bass and it was his 63rd birthday. Sam Kamaka Jr also came up to sing a song.
I was at Nico's in town last Sunday to hear Herb Jr and Jon Yamasato. I had never met Jon, very nice guy. I've met and talked with Herb a few times. He was exhausted that evening. Seems he had just returned that morning from playing in China. Still played great.
Bryan is a wealth of information on uke, nice guy as well. I got to talk with Dr. Yasui for about ten minutes after he and Benny finished their set. I didn't really get a chance to talk with Benny other than shaking his hand and telling him how much I enjoyed hearing him. He's amazing!
 
Professional athletes use a technique of visualizing their event with a successful performance and outcome. They close their eyes and form a movie of themselves properly executing a play, shot, lap and winning the event.

I have never heard a ukulele performer play a mistake-free piece. Let alone a complete concert. There is always a half-formed note, or a squeak on a string, or a flubbed chord. Whatever. They don't let it bother them. Because they know people will forget it if they are entertained.
 
That is very cool!
I've been trying to learn Here Comes the Sun, and let me tell you, it's not easy!
 
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