Playing any music in public is not easy.  The most important thing
is to determine the musical tastes of your audience, then play them.
Never try to play things you think they will like, until you win
their approval.

For years I have had a battle with our local historical society's
musical events.  They seem to think if they push advanced music on
the public -- such as Bartok, or the music of Charles Ives -- they
will quickly accept it as "culture" or at least pretend to like it.
The fact is, the majority of people are musically illiterate.
After 20 minutes of Charles Ives more than fifty percent of the
audience got up and left the building.

To gain the attention of an audience, you need to discover their taste
in music, and play it no matter how dreadful you think it might be.

Working most of my life in the piano tuning and repair business, I met
and socialized with many fine musicians.  The most successful were not
the least bit stuffy or set in their ways.  They listened to their
audience and played what they wanted to hear.

I am reminded of the great musician, composer, friend, and concert
pianist, John LaMontaine.  He was in Rochester performing some
recitals at the Eastman School of music and staying at my home.
One evening we decided to have dinner together at a local restaurant.
After socializing with some of the patrons, someone asked if he would
play the piano.  He responded that would be delighted to play.  (The
piano was an old Lester upright player piano)

When he sat at the piano he turned to his audience and asked what
they would like to hear.  One person said, "Pistol Packin' Mamma."
Without hesitating, John said, "That is a good one," and he played
a fantastic rendition of the request which ended in a thunderous
applause.  He captured the interest of his listeners.  He did a few
other requests, then proceeded to play Chopin's Revolutionary Etude,
Op. 10, No. 12, which left the audience spellbound.

I will never forget the lesson I learned from that.

Bruce Clark