Dealing with performance anxiety

In the next few weeks my colleague Rob Brockway and I will host a workshop with adult piano students which will include performances, but also a discussion of the issue of Music Performance Anxiety – otherwise known as nerves!

This is something almost all musicians (amateur and professional, myself included) have experienced at least some of the time.  “Butterflies” in the pit of the stomach, sweaty palms, feeling sick  – there are many symptoms and many reasons for feeling nervous.  In piano-playing having to negotiate many notes at once while co-ordinating our hands is such an intricate process - it feels like there’s so much that can go wrong. 

Technical security, self-confidence and cultural issues all have a part to play.  As one commentator has observed, in our culture judgment underpins everything, so it’s not surprising if we tend to succumb in some degree to self-judgment in the form of critical backchat – the voices that sound in one’s head during performance.  But this self-criticism and anxiety hijacks our attention and prevents us from concentrating fully on the music. 

Another cultural trait is that amateur musicians are often unwilling to identify as a “musician” because of a value system which encourages them to compare themselves with  professionals.  This sense of being an “imposter” can be a cause of anxiety.   As far as I’m concerned, music-making belongs to all: anyone who plays music should be able to embrace the concept that they are a musician and their music-making is valid.

So what can we do about these spanners in the works, these wretched nerves?  I think the answer is that we have to fight anxiety with feelings that are stronger and creative – adopting a playful attitude, looking for moments of joy in the shape of a melody, a catchy rhythm, a haunting harmony or the simple physical pleasure of feeling your fingers run over the keys.  These can all help to distract from worry.  We also need reliable practice routines which ensure secure learning.

Here are a few practical suggestions:

Practice ideas:

· Develop your musical imagination. by trying some free improvisation – anything at all, without judgment – just see what comes along.  Easier said than done, I know, but if you take a few moments at the beginning of each practice session you’ll find it gets easier. Try ideas such as telling a story, or going on a journey in sound. Be willing to get lost in the activity.  Keep at it!

· Develop solid learning routines.  When practising pieces, play small extracts with your eyes shut – this is surprisingly effective in helping to strengthen the connection between ears and fingers, bypassing the tendency to overthink.

· Slow practice.  Break the process down to a cellular level to ensure that your learning is secure.  It’s always hard to go slowly enough, but it’s worth it.  Here’s the sequence to adopt:

·  Hear the sound in your head
·  Find the keys you need
·  Play the notes from the key surface with confidence

Performance ideas:

· Re-frame your response to performance anxiety
I have read that guitarist Pepe Romero experiences “butterflies” in a positive way by interpreting them as a source of energy that will flow between him and the audience.   So what could be felt as a drawback turns into a facilitator.

· Eliminate the verbal “backchat”
Remember that music expresses that which can’t be put into words, so try to replace the verbal with musical dialogues. Music can be so much more eloquent and nuanced in expressing our feelings.

· Using imagery is helpful
Use your playing to tell a story, paint a picture or describe a journey. This will lift the music off the page, switching the focus away from technical issues and towards communicating what the music means to you.

· Remember to play!  (see my blog of 23/2/24) 
As play expert Dr Stuart Brown points out, being playful is a powerful catalyst – it promotes innovation and new ways of seeing and experiencing.  Imbue your performance with a sense of play!  In the end the most important thing is to be able to communicate your response to the music. By using creative and imaginative ideas you can fight back against the demon of performance anxiety.