choral briefs midwest clinic performance anxiety - KBB Music

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Dealing with Performance Anxiety By Trevor Thwaites As the KBB Music Festival approaches we get more excited about the performances we might be giving or hearing. Often this excitement can get channelled in the wrong direction and suddenly morph into panic or nervous tensions. How we deal with pre-performance anxiety is a critical factor in the production of a successful performance. For me, knowing the music inside and out is important. As a percussionist, if I’m working with orchestral or big band scores, then analysing these and addressing any tricky bits is critical. If I’m playing music learned aurally from recordings, then I steep myself in the style of the music or a performer’s catalogue of recordings in the weeks or days beforehand, until I feel part of the genre. Where I might have tricky mallet parts in an orchestral or similar score, I mentally practice the stickings and the leaps etc, often several times a day. For very complex sections, I try to find the main harmonic guide tones that run through the specific section, so that if I do came adrift I can soon regain my place, and composure, through aurally recognising where I am. If playing drums in a jazz situation, knowing the tunes (heads) is very important, especially if I’m the one counting in. In these situations I mentally run through the first set before going on stage. People don’t make me nervous, not being musically prepared does. Warming up can be difficult for percussionists, and even if you do so immediately beforehand, you may not play anything technically demanding in an orchestral context for 40 minutes or more. This means being in a state of physical relaxation while also being mentally alert so that you play the part effectively when it comes up. Being tense produces nervous sounding music. I trust my body and find that before a big performance I often become overwhelmed by a feeling of absolute exhaustion and find myself wondering how on earth I’m going to be able to perform effectively in a few hours time. In learning to trust my body I find that sure enough, in the thirty minutes or so leading up to the performance, my body kicks in and I’m ready and eager to play. Playing the music becomes everything for me. I asked my secondary music teacher education graduate students how they deal with performance anxiety. All are experienced performers and here are some of their responses categorised under three headings—wellbeing, mental preparation, physical preparation: Wellbeing • Deep breathing before the performance • A good sleep the night before, or one in the afternoon prior to a performance • Putting lavender essential oil on a tissue and breathing in is relaxing • Tai Chi or movement exercises • A small squirt of Arnica liquid on my tongue seems to calm me down. I know musicians who use other herbal aids such as Rescue Me • Don’t eat too much before a performance • A small amount of physical activity to activate the body, I then do warm-up exercises and mentally run through the whole performance. I follow this process every time • An intake of ‘carbo food’, such as a banana, 90 minutes before a performance Mental preparation • Being well-prepared and run through the various stages of the performance mentally, including the coming on and off the stage • I run through the tricky parts in my head, with the music in front of me but no instrument • I think to myself that no one will notice my mistakes in that they are less important than the total ensemble performance • Confidence creates a confident performance • I tell myself not to worry, getting nervous/anxious is normal for performers • I like to find a quiet place, perhaps in the green or warm-up room, and look over the music • I try to put worrying about the performance as something to do after the performance is over – reflecting on how to improve for next time • I try not to worry or focus upon the expectations of others (fellow performers or audience) and simply try to meet my own expectations • As a singer I like to focus on the character or story of the lyrics 8 Random Notes Musical Instrument Specialists since 1888
• Mentally imagine the feel of the music, breathe deeply for a short time and then get excited about the imminent performance. Physical preparation • I personally find that taking a break from practicing the day before and big performance helps. I also seem to play better if I limit how much I play directly before the performance. • Warm up properly before the performance • Practise slowly to warm up • Mentally reading the score and then playing from memory • I avoid any last minute fast and intense practising just before a performance • Be as musically prepared as you possibly can be Study music at New Zealand’s leading University The School of Music offers majors in: Classical performance Composition Jazz performance Musicology Popular music Trevor Thwaites has performed internationally in a wide variety of groups ranging from orchestral to jazz, professional theatre to big band, session musician to covers. He is the musical director of the Prohibition Big Band; plays vibraphone in the six-piece jazz group Emergency Exit, and is also the drummer in Crystal Silence, the Craig Williams Trio and the Stevie G Band. Trevor was Chairperson of the Music Advisory Group responsible for the development of unit standards in Music (1995 - 2002), a member of the expert panels in developing achievement standards in music (2000 - 2012), National Moderator Music 2000 (unit standards) to 2007; and project Director for Music in the writing of The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum (1998 - 2000). He is Principal Lecturer in Music Education at The University of Auckland, and since 2011, the Chairperson of the Auckland Secondary Schools Music Festival Trust which administers the annual KBB Music Festival. Find out more: www.creative.auckland.ac.nz Courses and Careers Day, Sat 25 Aug, 2012 0800 61 62 63 | info-creative@auckland.ac.nz Evean Hunt - winner Songwriter of the Year 2011 Schools Competition Freephone 0800 775 226 www.kbbmusic.co.nz 9
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