Peak Performance for Musicians
Overcome Music Performance Anxiety with Mental Game Strategies
It is common for musicians who experience performance anxiety to think that they have to just live with the nerves, the anxiety, and the feelings of fear. Some musicians may view other performers as having been born without the performance anxiety gene. Well, there is no gene that causes or sets the stage for a musician's fear and anxiety. Most performance anxiety in music is a result of very … [Read more...]
Music performance self-confidence is an important mental skill that musicians must possess to be successful in music and life! On the flip side, self-doubt is the number one mental barrier that blocks musicians from confident, enjoyable performances. A common challenge that musicians face is the ability to perform as well as they do in practice. There is a big difference between practice … [Read more...]
Many musicians feel pressure before or during performances. What is pressure? Pressure is what you feel when you think you have to play or sing well, or that you should win, or when you worry about the consequences of losing or performing poorly. You can feel increased pressure during critical moments in a performance (e.g. a difficult passage). You can also feel pressure from teachers, … [Read more...]
When was the last time you updated your performance resume? Likely you are in the habit of keeping your resume up to date with your most important and impressive performances listed in chronological order. Your resume is a one-page reflection of your experience and success. When was the last time you updated your music confidence resume? I daresay you probably don’t have a music … [Read more...]
Prior to performance do you think about the mistakes you made in your last performance or do you worry about the mistakes you might make today? Do you want to perform well so badly that you practice right up to performance day and sometimes continue to “fix” and self-coach even during the performance? After the performance, is it difficult to let go of mistakes because you keep beating … [Read more...]
Musicians who strive for successful careers enter an incredibly competitive arena in which a 10-15 minute audition can make a huge difference in their careers. Since conductors, directors, judges, and audition panels make their decisions by comparing you to other performers, it might seem natural for you to do so as well. However, when you focus on other performers and their performances or … [Read more...]