Playing with an accompanist

Guidance to help students rehearse and perform 
effectively with an accompanist.
​

• What is an accompaniment?
• Top 10 Tips for playing with an accompanist
• Finding an accompanist
• Organising a rehearsal
• Fees​

What is an Accompaniment

​Unless you are playing the piano, much of the music that you will learn to play was composed with the intension of being performed with piano or orchestral accompaniment. 
 
When practising alone at home, you may only be hearing a diluted version of the music, without the full flavour and character of both the melody and accompaniment together.
 
Whether you are preparing for a concert, exam or just wish to have a shared music experience, a well-rehearsed performance with an accompanist will enrich your enjoyment and appreciation of both the music and your achievement together.

Where is the Accompaniment?

The music you purchased usually includes a separate piano accompaniment part, sometimes called a score.  

Accompaniment parts show  your music above the accompaniment notes so that the accompanist knows what you are playing, although your part does not show the accompaniment music.  

You may be worried that playing with an accompanist is more difficult and confusing when hearing someone else play at the same time as you.  Learn your part well enough to play without stopping, up to the required tempo and with a steady pulse and you will feel more prepared for playing with an accompanist.  You may find it helpful to listen to a recording of your music while looking at the piano accompaniment to see how it all fits together.

​10 TOP TIPS for playing with an accompanist.

1. Be prepared.  Be able to play your music before you attend a rehearsal.  Familiarising yourself with the accompaniment ahead of time will help. Try to listen to a recording of the piece with the accompaniment to know what it sounds like.   
   
   
2. Tune to the piano after you have warmed up.  Ask your teacher what note to tune to, with the piano playing a different note if you are a transposing instrument.   This will ensure your pitch blends well together as one musical unit.  Practise tuning in your lessons.
   
   
3. Have visual contact.  Set your music stand to the appropriate height, showing your face forward to the audience/examiner although with a view of your accompanist to the side.  Being able to communicate visually can be just as important as hearing each other.  
   
   
4. Start together.  Communicate your tempo and style by quietly counting a few beats and breathe on the final beat before you begin.  The breath will naturally lift your instrument slightly as a cue to the accompanist, just as a conductor starts an orchestra with their baton.  If the piano has an introduction, let them know you are ready for them to begin and count your rest bars quietly and carefully, learning how the introduction sounds.
   
   
5. Know your tempos and maintain the pulse.  Know when and how much the music requires you to change the tempo.  Take the lead with tempos.  Your accompanist will follow you.  If you feel the accompanist is to slow or fast, it is because they are following your lead. 
   
   
6. Know your dynamics.  Listen and balance your dynamics with the accompanists.  Sometimes you may need to play softer to allow a more important part be heard from the accompaniment.  Take the lead and make more of the dynamic range appropriate to the size of the performance hall.  Your accompanist will follow you.  If you feel the accompanist is to quiet or loud, it is because they are balancing to your dynamic level. 
   
   
7. Count all rests carefully knowing that the piano accompaniment usually has something important here.   Listen to the accompaniment and pencil in note/rhythmic cues that may help you prepare your entrance after long rests. 
   
   
8. Identify and rehearse tricky sections in the music ahead of the performance.  Listen carefully, rehearsing and fixing rhythmic complexities, tuning inaccuracies of specific notes, tempo changes, pauses, dynamic balance and key changes.  Be courteous when rehearsing with your accompanist, appreciating that they will not have spent the same time as you in preparing this music.  Bring a pencil to your rehearsal to mark in important and helpful cues.
   
   
9. Count the final note carefully.  There is often a long held note at the end of a piece.  Count it out carefully, learning what the accompaniment is playing alongside.
   
   
10. If you make a mistake in performance, keep going and keep the pulse.  Don’t go back.  The accompanist can adapt to any mistakes.   
    
    

And finally,
           
Acknowledge and thank your accompanist for their support in your shared performing experience. 

Finding an accompanist
 
The music you purchased usually includes a piano accompaniment part, sometimes called a score.   If you are preparing for an exam or performance you will need to play with an accompanist.  Some teachers are comfortable playing the piano accompaniment in the lessons and there are CDs and downloadable accompaniments available from exam boards and the internet for practice purposes. 
​
Ask your instrumental music teacher if they will be playing the accompaniment for your exam/performance and if not, who they can recommend.  School music departments will often have a teacher who can play the accompaniment.  There are online resources available to find accompanists in your area and asking other parents, students or contacting the exam board may find you a good recommendation.  Give yourself plenty of time to find an accompanist as they will need to learn the music and rehearse with you.

Organising a rehearsal
 
Contact the accompanist as soon as you have a date for your exam or performance to confirm their availability and to book a rehearsal.  The sooner the better, as the accompanist may have many students to rehearse, limiting your available times. 

​They may ask you for the accompaniment part ahead of the rehearsal to practise.   If the rehearsal takes place at the accompanist’s home, ensure that parents are welcome to attend.  Depending on the difficulty of the music, you may only require one rehearsal of less than 20 minutes with higher exam grades needing two or more rehearsals of at least 30 minutes. 

Fees
 
Expect fees to be comparable with your music lesson fees to include the rehearsals and exam/performance.   Fees may be higher for a concert performance especially for more demanding music.  Ask up front for the fee and when and how the accompanist wishes to be paid.