The difference between performing and sight reading

When we perform, the role of our body is to be an extension of the music and to show in a visual way what the music is doing.

However, when we sight read, the role of our body is to be efficient. When we move our body the same way we do for a piece we know, our body actually becomes in the way of our sight reading.

The more we move our back and head, the more difficult it is for our eyes to focus on the music. And the more we move our arms and elbows, the harder it is for our fingers to quickly move to their next notes.

Sight reading takes too much energy for us to use it up on extra movements.



Picture from http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/musical-scale.html