What is Performing music from memory?
'''Performing music from memory''' means knowing a piece of music well enough to be able to play or sing it without the written music. Although some people can [[Learning music by ear|learn music by ear]], most people who are taught to play [[musical instrument|musical instruments]] learn new pieces by reading the printed music which is in front of them on a [[music stand]]. When someone has learned to play a piece of music well enough to perform it, it is good if they can learn to play it without the printed music. This is called “playing from [[memory]]” or “playing by heart”. When a musician is practising a piece of music so that it can be played from memory this is called '''memorizing''' the music. Most [[Classical music|Classical musicians]] will agree that it is good to play from memory when performing as a soloist. It means that the player understands the music really well, and he is able to concentrate completely on the way he plays the music (the [[interpretation]]). In some music [[competition|competitions]] the competitors are expected to play from memory. A [[piano|pianist]] playing a [[recital]] will usually play everything from memory. It is particularly important for [[singer|singers]] who are performing songs ([[Lied|Lieder]]) to sing without music because they can then [[communication|communicate]] directly with the audience using the [[expression]] on their faces. Some [[Conductor (music)|conductors]] conduct from memory. If they do, they ought to know every single note for every single instrument from memory. There are some conductors who have such amazing memories that they can do this. Some people find it easier to memorize music than others. There are different ways of practising to help memorize music: by memorizing a few bars at a time, by studying the printed music away from the instrument, or by “thinking” through the piece away from the instrument. Some people have a “photographic memory” and can see in their mind the music as printed on the paper. Some people rely o