NYAC | 3min Read
Published on May 6, 2026
Finesse Fatigue
Finesse Fatigue
Only a few hours remained to be passed in a frantic haze before all my efforts came to fruition
in a day. The big day loomed as I sat oblivious to the external universe in deep preparation. As
my fingers flew across the piano keys in a flurry which had long since attributed itself to muscle
memory, I became aware of a slight disarray in my otherwise mechanical demeanour.
Lost in the endeavour of making each note immaculate, I remained absentminded to this
disconcerting sensation. It seemed determined to establish its prominence and presence, and
before I comprehended it, my head pounded in a spiking crescendo of red-hot misery. My
body had eventually let go after days of relentless practice. I understood that in my present
condition, all possibilities of appearing at the ‘Music Meltdown’ were non-existent. My
condition was a severe one. Along with the penetrating pain in my head, I experienced
excessive fatigue to the extent that I felt less connected to the world than during preparation.
I was ravaged by frequent bouts of slicing pain in various regions of my body.
The most awful aspect of this episode was the consciousness that my perseverance had
terminated in failure. I am extremely passionate about music, and the competition would have
served as an avenue to showcase this eagerness to the world while exploring unique
perspectives and gaining knowledge from other talented performers. Listening to music to
keep my mind off the hellish pain was bittersweet as I knew that the melody ebbing from the
speakers of my piano is what I should have been hearing.
I had engaged in rehearsal for over a month as of writing. During this duration, every day was
devoted to either polishing the composition or enhancing my technique to deliver the piece
in a flow of emotion and grandeur on the day of the competition. I consumed food in my room,
the plate unbalanced on the frame of the instrument, homework was completed in the early
hours of dawn, and socialisation was imperceptible during this period.
Every breath of effort had terminated in this. I had relentlessly pushed only to run out of fuel
at the finish line. I realised I had pushed so devastatingly intensely that not only had my energy
drained, it had compromised my very being while doing so. I had ignored my wellbeing; so my
wellbeing, in a twisted turn of fate, ignored me. Today, as I push out feeble resonance, a speck
of what my ascendancy was a month ago, I climb the peak of recovery, but slowly, with breaks,
and most importantly, taking inventory of my supplies every now and then.
Although the outcome was a speck of irrelevant dust compared to my mountainous
expectations, I have retained several crucial lessons. Not only was it a journey of discovery
down the serene road of the musical world, but it also taught me that our bodies need taking
care of, and just like we give way under tremendous pressures and burdens, they can too.
