Stage deportment/presence | Auditions and competitions |
Countering stress, anxiety, and stage fright| Beta blockers
Stage deportment/presence (see pages 171-179 of The Musician's Way)
Owning the Stage. A video in which musicians demonstrate agile versus awkward stage deportment; from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
Preview Stage Presence from Head to Toe, by Karen Hagberg (Scarecrow Press, 2003). A 110-page manual describing the basics of stage deportment.
Preview “Communicating with the Body in Performance,” a chapter by Jane Davidson, in Musical Performance: A Guide to Understanding, edited by John Rink, 144-152 (Cambridge, 2002).
A musical illusion, by Michael Schutz. See how a performer's on-stage gestures can alter listeners' perceptions.
Auditions and competitions (see p. 217-222 of The Musician's Way)
"The Competition Question." Thinking about competing? This post on The Musician's Way Blog will help you decide whether a contest is right for you.
“Symphony Auditions – Preparation and Execution,” by Douglas Yeo, bass trombonist with the Boston Symphony.
“Preparing for College Auditions,” by Barrick Stees, Assistant Principal Bassoonist of the Cleveland Orchestra and faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Navigating Music Careers: Auditioning. Videos from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in which professional musicians share information about preparing for and excelling at orchestral and opera auditions.
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Countering stress, anxiety, and stage fright (see Chapters 7-10 of The Musician's Way)
“Conquering Performance Anxiety from Inside Out,” an article by flutist and coach Helen Spielman published on the website of the British Flute Society (June, 2009). Like Gerald Klickstein, the author encourages musicians to take pleasure in performing the best that they can whatever the circumstances rather than chasing perfection or "peak performance."
Articles about performance anxiety on The Musician's Way Blog.
Stress-management tips from HelpGuide.org.
“Performance Anxiety: Letting Go of the Tiger’s Tail,” a brief article by John Hipple, Ph.D., a counselor with the University of North Texas Counseling Services (May, 2006).
“Coping with Music Performance Anxiety,” a 2001 article by Robin Abraham, M.A., and Katherine Schneider, Ph.D., of the office of Counseling Services at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire.
Thoughts on performance anxiety by Douglas Yeo, bass trombonist with the Boston Symphony.
Anxiety: Virtual pamphlets, relaxation exercises, and more from Robert Hsiung, M.D.
Preview “Negative Emotions in Music Making: The Problem of Performance Anxiety,” a chapter by Andrew Steptoe, in Music and Emotion: Theory and Research, edited by Patrik N. Juslin and John A. Sloboda, 291-307 (Oxford, 2001).
Preview “The Fear of Performance,” by Elizabeth Valentine, a chapter in Musical Performance: A Guide to Understanding, edited by John Rink, 168-182 (Cambridge, 2002).
Preview The Performance Anxiety Workbook, by Eric Maisel (Back Stage Books, 2005).
Preview Performance Success, by Don Greene, Ph.D. (Theater Arts, 2001).
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Articles about beta blockers (see p. 150 of The Musician's Way)
“Beta Blockers and Performance Anxiety in Musicians – Frequently Asked Questions.” An article by Harby, Kucharski, Tuck, and Vasquez (1997).
Beta blockers, stage fright, and performance preparation are discussed in this July 2009 piece by Daphne Howland published in The Dallas Morning News.
"Better Music by Prescription." The Minnesota Daily, March 1, 2010.
“Better Playing through Chemistry,” by Blair Tindall, from an October 2004 issue of The New York Times.
Athlete at Beijing Olympics stripped of medals for using beta-blockers. From Discover magazine, August, 2008.
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