Performance is everything the audience experiences. It begins the moment the performer steps onto the stage before a single note is even played, and ends only after the last guest has left the hall. What happens in between, when there is only one take and nervousness takes over, cannot be replicated in a practice room. Every hidden gap in preparation comes out, all at once, when results matter the most.

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Performance Seminar at YAF recreates the stage conditions of concerts, auditions, and competitions to address each student's stage presence directly. Using closed audiences limited to faculty, peers, and family members, each student practices through simulated performances, followed by faculty critique to target their individual tendencies long before they reach a public audience.

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Three Performance Seminar sessions are thoughtfully scheduled for all enrolled YAF students and their families to attend. Beginning with the individual, the first session critiques solo playing, where even the most prepared work shows cracks under pressure. And if that weren't difficult enough, try doing it again after speaking to the audience too in our second session: public speaking. Now do it all again in our third and final class, when there are others are on stage too as a chamber ensemble.

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Seminar I - Individual Stage Presence as Soloist

How to maintain composure when all eyes are on you

Saturday, October 10, 2026 3:30 – 6:30 PM

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Seminar II - Public Speaking: Extemporaneous and Prepared Delivery

How to address audiences as musician and presenter

January 2027 3:30 – 6:30 PM. Date TBD

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Seminar III - Chamber Ensemble Presentation

How to share the stage with others

March 2027 3:30 – 6:30 PM. Date TBD