The Piano Place - Piano Accompaniments

Piano Accompaniments

Accompanying, whether for a singer, a choir, or a solo instrument, can be very fulfilling for a pianist. But it's not always easy, especially if you're used to playing by yourself. In Christmas 1999 I have had the honour of accompanying my school's Chamber choir to a series of concerts around the city. We worked on a 15-minute cantata called The Song of Christmas. It was a very interesting experience, and I've learned a lot about accompanying at the same time. Since then I've stayed active as the accompanist for a number of choirs at my school, while also enjoying in singing with them. Here are some tips for accompanying.

The most important thing to remember about accompanying a choir, singer, or instrumentalist is to LISTEN! Since you're not the main role in the performance, you must follow the other musician's interpretation. Watch the conductor very carefully when accompanying a choir.

Practice ahead of time to make sure that you really know the music well, but at the same time be flexible. This is important because you might not practice at the same tempo as the person that you're accompanying, and when you get together in a rehearsal you always have to follow the other person's tempo. Knowing the music gives you a chance to think about these things as you play, instead of just worrying about notes.

Don't forget to play with feeling and sensitivity. That means phrasing, dynamics, balance, etc. Sometimes you might feel that you're just an accompanist, but in fact you have a very important role to play. Make sure that you know what your soloist/instrumentalist/choir director is doing and has in mind. Study their part as well, not just your own. This will help you connect more efficiently with them.

Listen carefully (again) to make sure that you're not (usually) playing louder than the person you're accompanying. This again means to play with sensitivity without being so quiet that you can't be heard. The choir director sometimes will gesture for you to play softer or louder. Pay attention to that.

Get a page turner if you need one. It's easiest when you don't have to worry about turning the pages while you're playing, as it sometimes disrupts the music. But of course, make sure that your page turner knows what he/she is doing. Work with them to let them know when they should turn the page.

If you have a solo section between the singer/choir/instrumentalist's sections, play the solo a little louder. Then as the choir/singer/instrumentalist comes back, cut back to let them take over, like a conversation.

Being able to sightread well is a very valuable skill for an accompanist. You don't always get a chance to practice well ahead of time, so sightreading is very important. Also, being able to read chord symbols or read open score is an asset.

If the conductor/soloist/instrumentalist acknowledges you, bow to the audience and smile.

Remember that playing for other people gives the usually solo pianist to socialize and cooperate in a music-making activity. Enjoy the experience and learn from it. Good luck!