sign in | contact us

 

Download PDF

Music teachers hear it so many times from applied students: “But I sounded so much better in the practice room!” It occurred to me that students prepare for their weekly lesson (in the practice room) during six days while in contrast, they perform their lesson assignment (out of the practice room) during one day each week. Similarly, musicians seem to expect to deliver a perfect performance in front of an audience even though they spent most of their time preparing in a vacant room.

One obvious difference between practicing and performing is that the musician becomes more self-aware when people are present compared to when they are alone. A quick example would be to evaluate practice productivity and efficiency with the practice room door (or window) open rather than closed.

When we practice hour after hour, we enter a zone where musical concentration is paramount. Our self-awareness seems to disappear, and all our attention is focused on correct fingerings, note attacks, tone nuances, breathing, and so forth. As soon as an external factor comes into play, we suddenly move out of the zone and become much more aware of our bodies and the movements we are executing during practice. Moreover, some musicians reported to me that they experience a strange feeling while on stage: they suddenly become aware of their fingers and bodies to the point that they fear they will actually forget simple fingerings or even drop their instrument. Each movement becomes a chore, panic sets in, and the performance is compromised.

Coming back to the idea of practicing six days and performing in a lesson for one day, I would like to theorize that during the six days of practice, the student is exercising the Left brain, i.e. analytical process, perfection, and mathematical reasoning. On the other hand, the experience of performing in a lesson or in front of an audience is potentially controlled by the Right brain, i.e. artistic flair, musical expression, desire to please, and overall effect.

If this theory is correct, it can be assumed that a student who performs during a lesson in front of a teacher becomes more self-aware and suddenly uses the Right (artistic) brain but since the Right brain has not been “exercised” during the week, it feels like they are “running on empty” and subsequently, cannot perform to the best of their ability as they did with the Left (analytical) brain in the practice room. It would be like preparing a speech on a specific topic for six days and being asked to speak about a different topic on the seventh day. Similarly, an applied music instructor who teaches privately every week might feel out of balance if an observer sits in the lesson because what otherwise comes naturally and spontaneously now becomes subject to potential criticism or disapproval.

If a musician walks into a lesson or performance with only half of the brain “muscles” exercised, it is inevitable that he or she will be lacking some necessary tools to perform successfully. The feeling of performing with only half of the existing “muscles” translates into insecurity or self-doubt that leads to stage fright or performance anxiety. In reality, the feeling of stage fright is only a façade for what truly ails the student: unbalanced preparation. I propose that students would gain a great deal by exercising the Right brain in the practice room to improve their “batting” average in lessons and performances.

Suggested Strategies to Combat Stage Fright:

1. What IS Stage Fright?
2. Are you Left Brain or Right Brain?
3. Artistic vs. Analytical: Flexing both Right and Left Brain
4. Choosing a Perspective
5. Understanding Musical Content
6. Recommended Books and Websites
7. Specialized Wellness Centers
8. Predicting Mental Concentration

 1. What IS Stage Fright?

Stage fright or performance anxiety is a fear to perform publicly. This fear can arise days, weeks, or even months before the actual event. Some symptoms include a fast pounding heart, shaking hands and legs, dry mouth or excessive salivation, difficulty to swallow, memory blanks, exaggerated self-consciousness, digestive problems, and nausea. Stage fright can afflict amateur musicians as well as world acclaimed artists and can vary in severity depending on the concert venue.
It would seem easy to simply fix stage fright by preparing as much as possible in the practice room and hope for the best, however this strategy does not offer any guarantees. Also, stage fright is a condition few of us musicians care to admit, however it is healthy to not ignore the problem and embrace solutions instead.

 2. Are you Left Brain or Right Brain?
Numerous studies suggest that our brain functions on two different modes (Right—Intuitive, and Left—Analytical) and that one side (or hemisphere) is dominant in some people and equal in others. Left-brain people focus on logic, analysis, and accuracy. Right-brained people focus on aesthetics, feeling, and creativity. I suggest that practicing with both brain hemispheres (as opposed to only the Left—Analytical) can simulate a live performance and drastically enhance the end result. This strategy provides extra tools to rely on while performing under stress, which is very different from simply practicing alone. Note that our right and left hemispheres control the opposite side of our bodies, i.e. the right hemisphere controls our left side and vice versa.

3. Artistic VS. Analytical: Flexing both Right and Left Brain
Creating situations where we can exercise the Right Brain is essential to simulate public performance settings. Here are some ways to practice with the Right Brain:

1. Record your practice sessions. Using a recording device allows the performer to be more accountable for what is being practiced if a “tape is rolling”. Since we can be our toughest critics, it is essential to listen to each audio clips and assess them. An interesting exercise is to turn on the recording device, leave the room, and re-enter as if “someone” (a listener) is waiting for us in the practice room.
2. Videotape yourself. Recording both audio and video components of our practice increases our level of self-awareness and therefore helps us flex the Right brain.
3. Look in a mirror while you practice. The distraction it can cause allows us to concentrate both on the technicality of the music (Left brain—Analytical) and the overall musical result (Right-brain—Artistic).
4. Use a webcam to video-record yourself in real time.
5. Solfège your entire piece instead of playing it. Also practice your piece using Rhythmic solfège instead of traditional solfège. Rhythmic solfège is a very helpful sight-reading technique taught in French conservatories. Unlike traditional solfège where the notes are sung with their respective pitch names, rhythmic solfège involves naming each note in rhythm while hand-tapping each beat without singing. Use whichever nomenclature you prefer (“do-re-mi” or “A-B-C”), and start with a slow and steady tempo. Name each note correctly without changing the tempo (naming accidentals is not necessary). This exercise is surprisingly tricky. Start very slowly to avoid stumbling; this enables you to virtually x-ray the music and identify each note more effectively (this flexes the Right brain—Visual). After some practice, challenge yourself and try doing the exercise with another person in unison. Using both techniques will expand your knowledge and understanding of the piece and also help with its memorization.
6. Memorize your piece. Even though you may decide to perform with your music, memorization can give you an array of “back-up” tools in moments of stress.
7. Be self-aware as you practice. While practicing, imagine and visualize the concert hall, as well as each person in the audience, the stage spotlights, and the overall ambiance of the evening. One idea I find helpful before a casual recital is to greet audience members as they enter the recital hall. This makes the experience less formal and gives the performer the impression of performing for friends and acquaintances rather than strangers.
8. Practice with accompaniment as often as possible. Again, the experience of focusing on other things than just our solo part allows us to use both sides of the brain while playing.
9. Use SmartMusic interactive accompaniment system (http://www.smartmusic.com/). This interactive accompaniment computer program is a fantastic practice and teaching tool. It follows the musician’s expressive tempo changes, making it a joy to practice over and over in preparation for rehearsals with a live accompanist later on. Most compositions from the main instrumental repertoire are available through an online subscription or new ones can be created using the compatible Finale computer program.

4. Choosing a Perspective
Perspective can alter our way of thinking in a flash. Imagine you are on your way to play an important solo recital out of town and on your way there you are in a car accident that leaves you stranded hours away from your concert location. Suddenly, the dreadful thought of missing the concert makes you wish you were back in your car and race to your concert. Wouldn’t it make sense to adopt this way of thinking without an accident having to take place? I like to think about how lucky I am to be invited to play a concert and how unfortunate it would be to miss the opportunity. This perspective, along with a general sense of positive attitude, can be a wonderful remedy for stage fright.
Another factor to consider is that during our musical training years, we are still working on perfecting our art and theoretically, our performance skills improve year by year. Since our skills are not as advanced in earlier years, it is possible that the sense of imperfection we felt as younger musicians inadvertently carried over as adults. Consequently, the feeling of inadequacy and technical imperfection we experienced in the formative years is deeply imbedded in our memory can remain even when we attain professional status as musicians. For example, if we work on a sonata by Brahms at the age of 16, the challenging sections of the piece will take several months to master. However, at the age of 30 a similarly challenging sonata by Poulenc would only take a few weeks or days to master. In contrast, if we decide to perform that same sonata by Brahms again at age 30, the past experience from age 16 could resurface and give us the feeling of inadequacy even though we possess more efficient tools of practice at age 30. It is important to let go of this train of thought to insure more peace of mind as performers.

5. Concrete Solutions to Enhance Live Performance

1. One key difference between practicing alone and performing live is that practicing alone allows for “second chances” to repeat difficult passages whereas performing live only allows for one “shot”. Practicing with this in mind helps simulate live performing.
2. Projecting a sense of assertiveness and positive attitude and smiling while entering the stage inevitably makes the audience comfortable and naturally will enhance their overall response. Have you ever noticed how musicians with great bowing skills and stage presence often get thundering applause compared to the sheepish recitalist? Even though a musician can feel stressed or insecure, the motions of acting confident helps alleviate those feelings and if this is done repeatedly, the feeling of confidence will become a reality.
3. I find that talking to the audience during the performance (between pieces) not only helps to dissipate stress, it is always welcome by listeners. This transforms the event into a two-way experience rather than put all the burden onto the performer.
4. Naturally, there is the undeniable fact that the more we perform the more we can eventually turn a stressful situation into a simple day to day “this is my job” kind of affair.
5. Bring one or more trusted friends along in the green room and have them chat with you and even laugh. Or, on the other hand, if you are more comfortable alone, use the pre-concert time to meditate and tend to the necessary details preparation. Deep breathing is a sure way to help relax and oxygenate the blood generously.
6. Stage fright can also be an indicator that the performer cares about the musical result on a deep level, which is a positive thing.
7. Enjoy the moment and view performing as a way to share artistic ideas rather than being judged for them.

6. Understanding Musical Content
Understanding the musical content of a composition allows us to concentrate on the work rather than ourselves during the performance. If the Right brain is in charge and focuses on artistry and musical message rather than each note, our sense of self will become less important and this will allow the musical message to shine through. Understanding the compositional intricacies of a work makes us look forward to conveying a message to the audience, therefore alleviating stress and performance anxiety.

7. Recommended Books and websites
Here is a list of recommended books:

Stage Fright in Music Performanceby Michael I. Goode (Paperback, 2003). This is a short book that originates from a university dissertation. It is basic and describes interesting case studies and offers fundamental insights on how to overcome stage fright.

Managing Your Head and Body So You Can Become a Good Musician: The Psychology of Musical Competence—A Student-Musician's Field Guide for Performance and Freedom from Performance Anxietyby Dr. Richard Cox (Colorado School of Professional Psychology Press, 2006). Trumpeter Richard Cox is a well-known author on performance psychology. This book is practical and informative.

The Inner Game of Musicby Barry Green with W. Timothy Gallwey (Doubleday publ., 1986) This book is a classic and is probably the best-known work on the subject. Former principal bassist of the Cincinnati Symphony, Green takes a very human (as opposed to clinical) approach to helping his fellow musicians. He now teaches and performs in San Francisco and offers clinics on the principles of the “Inner Game”: http://www.innergameofmusic.com/. Green also authored Performance Success: Performing Your Best Under Pressure, and Audition Success.

The Cure of Nervousness and Stage Fright by Ernest Hunt (Kessinger Publ., 2005). Available online on a “print-on-demand” basis.

Overcoming Stage Fright in Everyday Life by Joyce Ashley (Clarkson Potter Publ., 1997). This book includes exercises for overcoming all forms of everyday life performance anxieties, including giving speeches and functioning at social events, which is a good first step before tackling live performance.

Websites:

To measure the level of your stage fright, an online assessment tool is available at: http://www.changethatsrightnow.com/assess-fear-phobia-m.asp?SDID=130:1570

8. Specialized Wellness Centers
The field performing arts medicine has greatly expanded over the last decade or two. Some health care professionals now specialize in remedial solutions for repetitive motion or overuse injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis, as well as psychological issues inherent to performing artists such as stage fright.

In the U.S., Dr. David Sternbach, a research professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University in Virginia, founded the Center for Arts and Wellness in 2002. Housed within the university’s music department, the center's two main goals are to integrate knowledge about injury prevention and performance psychology into the performing arts curriculum at George Mason and to develop teaching materials, including a textbook and manual, to train future teachers in arts and wellness.

Sternbach was himself a professional hornist for 25 years. He became interested in the field of arts and wellness when, after retiring as a full-time performer and becoming a music teacher, he discovered that some of his students were so plagued by stage fright that they simply could not perform. They could play well during a private lesson, but as soon as they stepped before an audience, their hearts raced, their hands shook, and they lost control of their fine motor skills.

Sternbach wanted to help these students, but found no resources tailored to fit musicians, so he turned to the field of psychology and completed a clinical social work degree. He eventually developed a treatment approach that synthesizes ideas from Buddhist meditation, sports psychology, and hypnosis. According to Sternbach, stage fright is as prevalent as it is because of unrealistic demands our culture places on people. The world is particularly unforgiving for musicians. "Recordings have conditioned audiences to expect note-perfect performances," he says. "As a result, critical standards for live performances have become unreasonable and excessive."

8. Predicting Mental Concentration

In 2004, I published a book entitled Clarinet Secrets—52 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Clarinetist  (Scarecrow Press, revised edition 2006). One of the Secrets, Secret 26, offers suggestions related to performance anxiety:

Secret 26—Predicting Mental Concentration

Often we find ourselves feeling completely ready to perform a piece of music after hours of practice and preparation. So why is it that once it is time to perform on stage, a passage might not come out exactly as it did in the practice room? The same could be said for all types of situations, such as lessons, recording sessions, or rehearsals.

The difference is the number of ears actually listening to us. Lone musicians in a practice space are heard by their own two ears. Ideally in this setting, mental concentration should be at a near maximum. Mental concentration should be focused, deliberate, and thorough, even though the performer’s  mind may well be too busy for a perfectly accurate evaluation.

Once an outside person enters the practice room, it is logical to say that two people are now listening to the performer. The performer might find that mental concentration suddenly becomes diluted by this new presence in the room. It is almost as if concentration is cut in half. Add a third person in the room, and one might theorize that another fraction of concentration is affected. Imagine playing in front of an audience of hundreds of people, and concentration might be reduced to a fraction in terms of effectiveness.

If we follow this theory, it can be said that, potentially, for many of us:

1 performer alone = 100% mental concentration
2 people present = 50% concentration
3 people present = 25% concentration
Full audience = 1% concentration

Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to practice so that we are able to maintain 100% concentration in a concert or recording setting to retain the learned material in times of stress, pressure, or distraction.

If one prepares the material far beyond the usually accepted level, there is more of a guarantee that the live performance will match the accuracy seen in the practice room. Of course, many performers play their best in a

concert setting, with adrenaline flowing and the audience’s energy bouncing back at them, making the experience much more exciting and successful.

For many clarinetists, however, clever practice strategies can assure them of more secure results. A good technique is to use a recording device to record and review the recently played material, much as if an outside listener came in the room during practice time. After all, what better motivating tool is there than our own highly discerning and critical ears?

Intelligent practice involves understanding a particular passage, repeating it to increase the odds of flawless execution, as well as good listening skills and proper training. Even if the material is completely mastered and ready for performance, one should mentally “go back to the drawing board” and continue investigating ways to perfect the execution of the music.

A useful technique to increase mental concentration is to imagine that you are recording the material for a prestigious recording label, and that you only have one chance (or one “take”) for each passage. This manner of thinking naturally encourages concentrating in a much more focused way, and reminds us that careful mental preparation before playing a single note enhances the final result.

Another idea is to mentally prepare for the performance by practicing the music in the actual concert hall. Imagine the audience, experiment with the room’s acoustics, and invite musician friends to sit in the rehearsal. Remember to breathe adequately before playing. The increased amount of oxygen in the blood supplies nourishment to the brain, which is in turn energized to allow full concentration.

Our mathematical theory may conclude as follows:

100% preparation = 50% odds of flawless performance
150% preparation = 75% odds of flawless performance
200% preparation = 99% odds of flawless performance

and for the brave:

225% preparation = The best press review yet!

 

Michèle Gingras is Professor of Music at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (U.S.) She is the author of Clarinet Secrets—52 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Clarinetist (scarecrowpress.com). Web: www.fna.muohio.edu/faculty/gingram
Email: gingram@muohio.edu

 

 

Copyright© ICA 2004 2013. All Rights Reserved.