Have you ever wondered what the recipe for success is for various classical music artists? Certainly, they are all consummate professionals, but is that the only reason for their success?

Certainly, the answer to the previous questions lies in creativity and innovation, elements that set a successful artist apart from the rest. Whether you play an instrument, are an opera singer, or a conductor, creativity and innovation are the elements you must bring to the music you perform to achieve success.

Most of the time, we tend to believe that this element is specific to composers, who need it to create new works for performers. However, even these works need to be interpreted innovatively, as there are no two identical interpretations. Imagine if all works were performed in the same tempo and dynamics; would you go to listen to the same piece multiple times? We all know the answer is no, so let’s talk about how we can achieve this creativity and uniqueness.

First and foremost, every artist must find their own personality traits to transmit uniqueness through music. Each individual is unique, so let your personal melancholy or agitation reflect in your music. This is one of the most basic elements of creativity, but often it’s not enough.

Listen to various interpretations! This isn’t an invitation to “borrow” elements from other interpretations, so you must first activate your critical thinking. You will certainly appreciate some interpretations more than others, so use the elements you dislike in other interpretations as a “negative example” and try to come up with your own version that you consider suitable for that particular performance.

Don’t forget that you can take small elements from other interpretations, as there often isn’t a better interpretation for a specific part. You don’t have to discredit all the work of another artist just to try something different.

Take risks! Often, emerging artists tend to be imitative, especially when they have studied with a single teacher whom they consider a good example to follow. If you don’t take risks and only attempt a conservative interpretation that you’ve seen receive positive reactions from the audience, you’ll never discover your personal characteristics. Often, preserving elements that received positive feedback from the audience can lead to stagnation as an artist and ultimately to disgrace because no one wants to hear the same interpretation for 30 years that may have had a few successes with your predecessors.

Talk to other artists! Discussions with other artists or even controversies can be beneficial for stimulating creativity. Most innovations come from the exchange of ideas, even though pride often prevents you from embracing some ideas from other artists. Try to analyze the ideas of others when reflecting on your interpretations. Both idea exchange and interaction can be beneficial and give you new innovative ideas and perhaps even a new perspective on your work.

Conduct online research! Artists often tend to believe that if they are satisfied with their ideas, the audience has no say in their interpretations. However, this is entirely wrong because the audience is ultimately the one who should appreciate your interpretations and creativity. You don’t have to be a robot and give the audience only what it wants, but you should pay attention to its characteristics and, most importantly, identify what it appreciates. This research can also provide you with new interpretation ideas because audience reactions are often constructive and should not be treated with indifference. Nowadays, understanding the listener’s typology must be intensely studied by interpreters because it can provide you with new ideas.

Pay attention to your surroundings! Everyday life should be an element that the audience can recognize in your interpretation. Following everyday life can stimulate your creativity in interpretation and provide you with new ideas about the elements you need to consider to be unique. So, don’t overlook things that you consider mundane; they can offer you completely new ideas in your interpretation.

These were just a few tips on how to stimulate your creativity and come up with something innovative in your art. Remember that every artist has a personal side and specific creativity that you should constantly seek to develop if you want to achieve the desired success on stage.

For more info check:

https://www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/4-tips-for-interpreting-music-your-way