Learning expert stagecraft: Tools for piano performance pedagogy

How can we define stagecraft? Is showmanship innate or learned? Can students learn how to develop stage charisma? This paper investigates expert pianists’ views on stagecraft and how their insights can inform training tools to enhance piano pedagogy. In Part 1, we interviewed expert pianists to understand their lived experiences of the stage and to discover their approach to stagecraft. Expert performers were acutely aware of the audience’s gaze, considered their performances by sight and sound, and tailored concert preparation to optimize visual presentation. These experts utilized practice strategies such as visualization of the concert experience (backstage and onstage), choreographing stage entrance and stage manner, “The King” mindset, and performing in “mock concerts.” In Part 2, we developed five roleplaying strategies for early-career pianists, based on expert pianists’ practice strategies for the concert stage. In a series of workshops, pianists trialed backstage immersion, stage entrance styles, contrasting visualization prompts, creating “The King” mindset, and performing a mock concert. They reflected on their experiences in workshops, discussions groups, and interviews. Early-career performers valued roleplaying as an effective way to master experts’ strategies for developing stagecraft and optimized their stage skills for professional performance. They were able to access the audience’s gaze by roleplaying as performer and audience member, and understand the totality of performance by both sight and sound. These roleplaying training tools can enhance performance pedagogy and equip the next generation of performers for the professional concert stage.