Many performers get nervous before performances. Performers often experience the sensation of butterflies and a slightly elevated heartrate. For many, these feelings begin to subside as the performance gets underway. For others, performance anxiety, or “stage fright” can be debilitating keeping them from performing well and feeling good about their accomplishments.
Performance anxiety is a common issue faced by singers young and old. Fortunately, there are many strategies to overcome this obstacle. A complete discussion of performance anxiety is beyond the scope of this manual. However, we strongly encourage any interested party to look at the book entitled Performing in the Zone by John Gorrie.
The book looks at the concept of performing in the state of mind where performing is easy, your actions are effortless, and your results exceed all expectations. The book offers numerous techniques to deal with performance anxiety, and offers a step-by-step implementation schedule to help make the information in the book a reality. It is a comprehensive and informative resource on the subject. A copy of the book is available in the St. Olaf Music Library.
The Bulletproof Musician is also a wonderful resource for those struggling with performance anxiety. The website is full of the latest research and step-by-step strategies to reduce the feelings of performance anxiety.