The quote above is something my students will recognize. What I mean by that is that I want them to know them so well they are simply in their blood. There will be no question of a mistake; it would be impossible. Of course we have “brain glitches” on occasion; there are times when a wrong note comes out and I wonder why the fingers did what they did, but for the most part scales should just be.
That being said, I would never want to see blood. I don’t expect my students to take me literally and start to use reed knives on themselves. After reading the following I thought I’d better make that clear!
An actor narrowly escaped death after slashing his throat on stage with a real knife, instead of a blunt stage-prop blade.
Daniel Hoevels slumped to the floor with blood pouring from his neck during a performance at Vienna’s Burgtheater.
He was rushed to hospital with a deep slice to his throat which fortunately missed his main artery.
Yikes! They are now investigating to see if this was a murder plot or an accident. (How could it be an accident?)
Of course shows go on:
Mr Hoevels recovered after hospital treatment and, in true theatrical tradition, appeared on stage the following night although with a bandage around his neck.
I read it here.