Oral Presentations - Session 1F: UC 333
Utilizing Mental Practice to Combat Performance Anxiety in Performing Musicians
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
James Randall
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Music History
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Performance anxiety is a crippling problem for many performing musicians. Success in dealing with such a problem can make or break a performance; therefore, it becomes necessary for musicians to learn ways to cope with debilitating nerves. As a performing pianist myself, I am interested in investigating ways current performance anxiety research can be best applied to ease musicians’ stage fright. As there is a gap between current academic research on this subject and pedagogical practice, many teachers lack good advice to give students suffering stage fright. My presentation incorporates my personal experiences in mental practice with current academic literature in the fields of music as well as sports psychology and surgical medicine. Drawing from these resources, I will suggest a more structured pedagogy to help students and musicians develop a mental practice routine to combat performance anxiety. Practice techniques such as mental awareness and visualization can provide musicians with tools to alleviate performance anxiety and achieve a better performance.
Category
Visual and Performing Arts (including Creative Writing)
Utilizing Mental Practice to Combat Performance Anxiety in Performing Musicians
UC 333
Performance anxiety is a crippling problem for many performing musicians. Success in dealing with such a problem can make or break a performance; therefore, it becomes necessary for musicians to learn ways to cope with debilitating nerves. As a performing pianist myself, I am interested in investigating ways current performance anxiety research can be best applied to ease musicians’ stage fright. As there is a gap between current academic research on this subject and pedagogical practice, many teachers lack good advice to give students suffering stage fright. My presentation incorporates my personal experiences in mental practice with current academic literature in the fields of music as well as sports psychology and surgical medicine. Drawing from these resources, I will suggest a more structured pedagogy to help students and musicians develop a mental practice routine to combat performance anxiety. Practice techniques such as mental awareness and visualization can provide musicians with tools to alleviate performance anxiety and achieve a better performance.