Our music education
Blog
for parents and students.
Don’t set lofty goals without knowing how much work it will take to achieve them, that will only lead to disappointment. Instead, set weekly practice goals with your teacher, with long term goals in mind, such as performances, competitions, playing in an ensemble or with friends and family, or just a higher level of proficiency with your own instrument.
Have you ever had a time in your life where one song / artist seemed to be the soundtrack of that season? And now every time you go back there in your memory, your brain can’t help but to play that music in the background?
Think about what was going on in that memory; Where were you? Who were you with? What did you feel? If you indulged me and followed along, you probably can easily equate the sense of emotion of that season with the music of that season.
As time goes on, more and more research proves that playing music is beneficial to your brain in more than one way. According to studies done by Harvard Health, music has “major effects on many aspects of health, ranging from memory and mood to cardiovascular function and athletic performance.”
Your heart races as you step on stage. Blinking at the lights, you feel the familiar threat of panic rising in your throat. You try to ignore it, but the sensation spreads throughout your body. Trembling, you begin to play, but despite your many hours of practice, the piece completely falls apart. Disappointed, you walk offstage feeling defeated and hopeless to overcome your anxiety.
If this scenario sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Having struggled with performance anxiety myself, I can attest to its difficulty, but I want to reassure you that your situation is not hopeless. You can learn to manage your performance anxiety by implementing some of these helpful strategies as you practice, prepare, and perform onstage.
