Overcoming performance anxiety

Overcoming performance anxiety

During the pandemic, I enjoyed watching The Masked Singer on TV. I liked how it made music accessible to everyone and found the message behind the premise of the show really interesting. A lot of the musicians shown on stage would hide behind their instruments while playing, and many of the contestants on the show would hide behind their masks while singing. This is because they found it easier to perform as a character on stage rather than as themselves.

The Masked Singer made me more aware of how musicians, including myself, suffer from stage fright and performance anxiety. Millions of people suffer from it, it’s quite a common fear and it’s usually one that triggers our ‘fight-or-flight’ response. That’s why so many would rather avoid going up on stage in front of people and be at the center of attention. What usually causes it is a mix of anxiety and stress - we all want to do our best up there, but sometimes stressing about it, not feeling prepared for it, and fearing failure can lead to stage fright.

How to get over performance anxiety

Thankfully, this type of anxiety is something that we can overcome and don’t have to let it plague our musical careers for much longer. Here are some things you can try to get better and start enjoying performing:

Practice - This might sound like an obvious one, but the more you practice, the more confident you get in your playing. Feeling certain about your ability to play your piece can make your performance less scary.

Try to perform in safe circles - Building confidence in your performing skills takes time, and you don’t have to go straight from playing only for yourself to performing to hundreds of strangers. Start easy, carry out your first performances to family and friends.

Play easy pieces - Don’t be afraid to lower the difficulty of the pieces you perform to ease your fear. Forcing yourself to play something hard in front of people would just add pressure and stress to the performance.

Read about it - Musicians, actors, and athletes have discovered all kinds of tricks to manage their performance anxiety. Check out some books on the topics and you might find some help in their suggestions - for example, I remember reading about how creating alter egos can help overcome stage fright.

Express how you feel - Performance anxiety is completely normal and something that nearly every musician has experienced at least once. Let your teacher know about your fear and you could get helpful advice on how to cope with it.

Try mindfulness, meditation, and breathing exercises - As I previously said, there are plenty of things one can try to manage performing anxiety. Maybe some breathing exercises could be exactly what you need to calm the nerves down before a performance or regular meditation could decrease your stage fright over time. Explore your options!

Overall, don’t let your stage fright stop you from making music and sharing it with others. It can be especially difficult the first few times you go on stage but time will make it easier, and soon enough you’ll start seeing the positives of performing more than the fear.