Singers (what I usually do) are notorious for demurring too much: "Oh, I wish that top Bb had been better," or "I'm afraid I have a little bit of allergies".
I try to remember what a horsemanship instructor told her star pupil, a shy 13-year-old. "Just smile, say 'Thank you', and take the blue ribbon." I think it is always appropriate to do the same after a performance: smile, say "thank you so much" and perhaps add, "I'm so glad you were able to attend" or "I'm so glad you enjoyed the music." And then, maybe, "please stay for the reception" or "Great. Now let's go get a drink!" :-) So here's a different question: What do you say to the performers when you are obligated to talk to them afterward but you didn't really like the performance all that much? Sopranos are apt to say "What a fabulous dress!" Others might opt for "that was a very ambitious program." Candace Dr. Candace A. Magner [EMAIL PROTECTED] homepage http://clik.to/candace ----- Original Message ----- From: "Herbert Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 9:26 AM Subject: Being gracious as a performer. > > I still do not have a gracious way to respond when someone compliments a > performance. > > Often I say, "Well, it really takes a lot of work.", but that often seems > deadening to the listeners enthusiasm. > > Similarly, alluding to technical details ("This piece sounds neat because > of the unexpected minor 7ths.") often seems deadening. > > A plain "Thanks" is sincere, but seems a little curt and uninformative. > > Giving credit to the composer, of course, has merit, but often seems like > false modesty, since "Dalza" and "Arcadelt" are just names to > non-lutenists. > > With a larger audience, a bow seems to work well, but you can't bow to > your brother's girl-friend. > > >
