Peak Performance for Musicians
Overcome Music Performance Anxiety with Mental Game Strategies
Ok, let's talk about worry. . . How many times have you worried about the weather? If you’ve ever planned an outdoor event—a wedding, a child's birthday party, a picnic or even when you have been planning a trip I bet you have worried about the weather! Is it going to be nice? Is my event going to be rained out? Will all my plans be ruined? I've worked so hard all year for this one … [Read more...]
Several years ago, Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks starred in a movie called Defending Your Life. Both Streep and Brooks die in the first minutes of the film. The rest of the movie is set in heaven as they attempt to defend the way they lived as a heavenly tribunal reviews footage of scenes from their lives. The novel thesis of the movie is that the purpose of the ‘trial’ is not to … [Read more...]
Preparing your mind to perform is another important reason for having a great pre-performance routine. As you prepare to begin your performance, you will want to engage in thinking and activities that enhance your trust in yourself, your preparation, and your readiness to perform. Also, you will want to recognize the fearful, anxious, and doubtful thoughts and actions—performance … [Read more...]
One of the most important of the 7 Strategies for a Great Pre-Performance Routine is focus. We're not talking just any focus, but a focus on: What is most important to your performance (and I'm not talking about the outcome!) What is within your control THE PROCESS This very moment We are examining the components of a great pre-performance routine to help you respond effectively to … [Read more...]
Today, we continue our discussion of how to prepare for performances in a calm and dependable way. If you recall from the article, 7 Strategies for a Great Pre-Performance Routine, the first step is Calming your Monkey Chatter. Next, our focus is on expectations and their relationship to music performance anxiety. Having expectations of success or a good outcome sounds like a good idea, … [Read more...]