Just back from West Virginia where the Burlington Teen Tour Band had 5 performances in three days (three of which were competition). They came home with six 1st place awards and two 2nd place - CONGRATULATIONS! Nerves play a part of intense performance and in this section I discuss certain rehearsal practises that will help the nerve factor and help make for an enjoyable and successful performance.
Everyone gets nervous and it is only natural. What we want is for the body to manufacture adrenaline that will help us put on an exciting and enjoyable performance for the audience as well as you. Unfortunately the body sometimes over-reacts and we start to feel the beginnings of anxiety and other nervous symptoms. I remember my first solo performance as a young musician, waiting to go on, sweating, dry mouth, a complete bag of nerves. First off, performances are just like practices. The more you do it; the better and more relaxed you become. If you can have decent success at one performance, it becomes easier the next time. But whether it is your first time or your fiftieth time, there are a few things that you can try to help control anxiety.
Try to practice on the stage or in the room where you will be performing.
Envision it full of people just like it would be on performance day, or better yet, hold a dress rehearsal and invite some of your friends for a preview. Most people in the music world that I have become acquainted with are very supportive of each other. So tell yourself before a performance, “They are here to support me. No one is against me. They want me to perform well.”
As far as the day of the performance is concerned, try eating a banana. In addition to potassium (which is the reason ballet dancers eat bananas) studies have shown that they also have a chemical similar to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that may help regulate anxiety and depression. A word of warning - stay clear of the caffeine! The last thing you want to do is make your heart race more with stimulants! In addition, eat light meals on performance day. Eat things that hopefully will not upset your stomach. Remember: When you think about the performance, see yourself performing well. Be positive about what will happen.
Personally, I do not arrive to the performance hall too early to warm-up. Waiting around backstage with nothing to do can help lead to extra anxiety. I do enjoy getting there early and mixing with and meeting some of the audience before the performance starts. This way I start to get a feel and sense of the audience, where they are from, who they are and begin to associate with them. After that I like a few moments (about 20 minutes) before going on stage to be totally alone and prepare myself like an Olympic athlete for the greatest performance I have ever given. Before I go onstage, I take a few long deep breaths. This will hopefully slow my heart rate slightly.
Hopefully these things might offer a little assistance with your performance anxiety. Figure out what works best for you. There is no cure-all for this anxiety that we feel. Remember, it is normal to be nervous; that shows you care. But it is how you let it affect you that makes the big difference. And that, is "As I See it."
Next article will be about "Concert / Performance Preparation"
Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Everyone gets nervous and it is only natural. What we want is for the body to manufacture adrenaline that will help us put on an exciting and enjoyable performance for the audience as well as you. Unfortunately the body sometimes over-reacts and we start to feel the beginnings of anxiety and other nervous symptoms. I remember my first solo performance as a young musician, waiting to go on, sweating, dry mouth, a complete bag of nerves. First off, performances are just like practices. The more you do it; the better and more relaxed you become. If you can have decent success at one performance, it becomes easier the next time. But whether it is your first time or your fiftieth time, there are a few things that you can try to help control anxiety.
Try to practice on the stage or in the room where you will be performing.
Envision it full of people just like it would be on performance day, or better yet, hold a dress rehearsal and invite some of your friends for a preview. Most people in the music world that I have become acquainted with are very supportive of each other. So tell yourself before a performance, “They are here to support me. No one is against me. They want me to perform well.”
As far as the day of the performance is concerned, try eating a banana. In addition to potassium (which is the reason ballet dancers eat bananas) studies have shown that they also have a chemical similar to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that may help regulate anxiety and depression. A word of warning - stay clear of the caffeine! The last thing you want to do is make your heart race more with stimulants! In addition, eat light meals on performance day. Eat things that hopefully will not upset your stomach. Remember: When you think about the performance, see yourself performing well. Be positive about what will happen.
Personally, I do not arrive to the performance hall too early to warm-up. Waiting around backstage with nothing to do can help lead to extra anxiety. I do enjoy getting there early and mixing with and meeting some of the audience before the performance starts. This way I start to get a feel and sense of the audience, where they are from, who they are and begin to associate with them. After that I like a few moments (about 20 minutes) before going on stage to be totally alone and prepare myself like an Olympic athlete for the greatest performance I have ever given. Before I go onstage, I take a few long deep breaths. This will hopefully slow my heart rate slightly.
Hopefully these things might offer a little assistance with your performance anxiety. Figure out what works best for you. There is no cure-all for this anxiety that we feel. Remember, it is normal to be nervous; that shows you care. But it is how you let it affect you that makes the big difference. And that, is "As I See it."
Next article will be about "Concert / Performance Preparation"
Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
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