The Ides of September are here.  Temperatures are beginning to dip, the sun is setting sooner.  Yep, autumn is in the air.

What could be better than apple picking (or picking apples at the market, if you don’t live in apple region), pumpkin carving, or selecting the right layer that will keep you warm in the morning but help you not sweat in the afternoon.  All the good things.

Of course, that’s right now.  But right ‘round the corner are the holidays.  And then, no matter your level of play, people are going to ask you to play. The question isn’t whether they’ll ask, the question is –

WILL YOU BE READY?

The upside of the holidays is that the music doesn’t change much, so each year you can refresh tunes you have played in previous years and add a couple of new ones to broaden your repertoire. 

The downside (especially if you are less experienced or don’t often perform) is that people know all those tunes, so you might feel more stressed about making a mistake while playing.

That stress doesn’t make it easier to get through the season.  What will help is to give yourself time to get ready and to have a plan so you make the most of your practice time.

Are you sitting there secure that this won’t apply to you?  Consider this – playing for your family and/or your friends makes a lovely caring gift that they are sure to enjoy and cherish, so keep reading!

Here are a few ideas to help you prepare:

• Take stock. Make a list of the tunes you want to play.  Try to make the list broad – some carols, some popular tunes.  Include those tunes that are essential to you for the holidays – those ones that give you a warm fuzzy feeling that it’s really here.  Then include the chestnuts and crowd pleasers and you’ll have a good list going.  Keep in mind that there are a lot of holidays in a few calendar weeks, so include music for those if you may have the opportunity to share.
  
• Once you’ve listed those tunes, separate them into the ones you have played before and the ones you would like to learn for this year.  Don’t go crazy with adding new tunes – the point is to be successful, not to be made insane!
  
• Make a Schedule. “The Holidays” seem to start earlier each year.  Early November is the new mid-December.  If you’re not gigging per se, you may have a couple of months to prepare, but if you aim to be ready by Halloween, you will have wiggle room if something doesn’t come easily.  You will definitely want to be comfortable by Thanksgiving.
  
• Make a practice plan. Now that you have your list of tunes and a schedule, figure out when you’re going to practice what.  Mix up old and new tunes so you’re gaining breadth while also polishing the rusty things.  Be realistic about how many tunes you can learn and how long it will take to polish up tunes you already know.  Using your schedule and your list, plan time to polish and time to learn.  I like to write it on a calendar so i am very aware of how far along I am in preparing and how much time is remaining.  Also be ready to modify – if things are going poorly, reevaluate your list.  If things are going swimmingly, what else should you add?
  
• Keep the other stuff going too. While everyone enjoys holiday music, we also also get saturated at some point.  So it’s a good idea to include a couple of non-holiday tunes as well.  This will also help keep your regular repertoire in your mind and hands – because you’ll need them as soon as the holidays are over!

We are watching September slide by, the Ides of September are going past us.  But with just a little bit of organization and focus, you will be able to be comfortably prepared for the entire holiday season with less stress.  And you’ll probably enjoy it more too! 

Have you been asked to play yet? What are you planning to play this holiday season?  Have you started yet?  Let me know (I might want to learn it!).