Mr Dichmont writes about why we are encouraging pupils to bow, and how exactly it should be done.
As Shakespeare himself said, “To bow, or not to bow, that is the question.”
Where seasoned musicians make bowing look natural and easy, for the inexperienced performer it can feel embarrassing to pause and bow as the audience claps.
At our Performance Platforms and concerts, we are encouraging our children to bow. Partly because bowing is both wanted and expected by the audience and partly because receiving praise and acknowledging it by bowing is a great way to build confidence.
But when to bow and how?
When to bow?
The audience will almost certainly applaud as you come on stage, and your bow is a ‘thank you’ to them for what are in effect their good wishes for your performance. So once you have actually arrived at your instrument or music stand, bow before your performance. You must avoid the ‘walk and bow’ method! Walk in confidently, and then bow graciously, before fiddling with music stands and tuning up. If they do not clap as you come on stage, don’t take a bow – because that would be like saying “Why haven’t you clapped me on stage?”.
Then, of course, bow after your performance. This is sometimes easier said than done, especially if the performance has not gone as well as you had hoped. There are two things to remember here. Firstly, most of the audience will not have noticed – they are simply enjoying the music! Secondly, you do need to acknowledge their applause with a bow – this is your moment to say “thank you for listening” and this courtesy is expected of you.
How to bow
We recommend steering clear of wild flourishes of the arms, or the ‘bow and scrape’ posture of one arm behind your back and the other one holding your stomach in! Avoid the curtsy, as if you are meeting royalty! Instead, follow these 5 easy steps for a great bow!
- Stand up and move out from behind your music stand
- Standing tall, arms by your sides, look at your audience and smile
- Drop your upper body forward to look at your shoes and let your arms dangle as you do so.
- Count to three!
- Then stand upright again and smile.
You may well wonder how deep to bow. Well, it’s not just a cursory nod of the head, but neither is it a doubling over as if you’re trying to touch your toes.
If you are a pianist, you may want to hold on to the corner of the piano and make yourself look totally professional. If you play an instrument, work out a way of holding it – violins can go under your arm, flutes and clarinets should be held with both hands, cellos should be held next to you with the spike on the floor. Work out what looks good and feels good for your particular instrument.
In the spirit of teamwork, it is a good idea to acknowledge your accompanist as they have also been part of your performance. It always looks good when both soloist and accompanist bow together, so have eye contact with them so you can synchronise. If you are part of an orchestra or a choir, however, it is customary for the conductor to bow on your behalf. Just stand up straight and smile your thanks to the audience.
I hope this helps you to bow with confidence at your next performance, whether in a music class or in a school concert. Before long, you’ll find bowing feeling much more natural and you’ll have much more confidence as you step up to perform.
So, “To bow, or not to bow?” It is hardly a question. Just do it!
Below Mr Allum demonstrates how to bow after a performance, even when things don't quite go according to plan.