There are things that can (or must!) be done far in advance. Programming. Booking venues. Selecting dates.
There are things that can (or must!) be done near to the last minute. Choosing soloists. Concert promotion. Fine tuning of pieces and program order.
There are things that can be done at various points. Learning how to enter and exit the stage. Preparing program notes. Graphic design.
For me, it’s increasingly important to differentiate between the things that must be done near to the last minute, and things that just are done at the last minute because that’s when they get done. And then, working with intention to do those things earlier, so the final minutes don’t get crowded with tasks.
What must I wait to do? And what do I wait to do that I could complete sooner?