Ask Augustin 50 -- Dealing with Performance Anxiety
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2022
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I get asked about nervousness and stage fright so often, by both students and professional musicians. I'll always feel a bit nervous when I walk on a stage in front of a lot of people (I'd be crazy not to!) but I have found ways to cope with it.
One thing that has helped me a lot is visualize, as much as I can, what the performance situation will be like as I'm practicing. I try to prepare not only my playing, but all other aspects as well -- including posture, the way I breathe while playing, how i will project in a bigger space, and so on.
Do you get nervous and what methods have you found to cope with it? - Hudba
I remember when I was around 9 years old getting ready to go on stage with my piers. I was in a quartet and we played Oskar Rieding concertino. But right before we entered the stage I looked at myself in a mirror and my eyes where so glazed. They looked like I had million tears inside them because I was so nervous and excited. It's one of my favorite memories as a child violinist.
I have struggled with this on and off the stage. For me, my brain stops perceiving the performance as a whole and starts processing things one at a time, drawing attention to individual details. Every finger, every bow stroke, every individual note... My playing completely unravels at that point. I give it more power than it deserves. It's a fight I'm still trying to figure out how to win.
I know what you mean. I have experienced that as well. It’s definitely anxiety, and it’s can cause a breakdown of the physical coordination. I have found that if you sing the music as much as possible, you’ll be more in touch with the music on stage, and less obsessive.
I have the same issue. When I get into overthinking mode it feels impossible to come out of it. Familiar sets of playing motions become so alien and as a whole I feel very detached with my own body when that happens. I'm also learning how to overcome this. I think what has helped thus far is to recreate the state of overthinking every little detail at home (usually by visualizing a performance setting) and then work my way out of that feeling as I play. The way I see it - if anxiety is always gonna be present (as Augustin as aptly states even his heart gets racing! And he's done more concerts than I ever would) then the next best thing to do is to find a way out of that rabbit hole asap. Anticipate that it will happen and design a path that leads me back to more familiar frame of mind.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on this topic. Anything that has helped you personally?
I’m commenting on this thread too, so I can come back to it as others comment! I struggled with a similar problem, as well. I was incredibly analytical (physically) when I practiced, because I wanted the consistency. Although it helped me to find a lot of answers as I practiced, it was very hard to work myself out of it as I entered into new phases with a piece, if that makes sense… ㅠㅜ
I can relate. Part of it is when you're in the practice room (at least for me) it's nice and bright, you can hear other people practicing, you can see people walking by etc. On stage it's so focused on you with the audience dimmed and lights blaring in your face, and it's dead silent except for you. Very different setting
How generous that you are willing to reveal that you’ve struggled with stage fright. This in and of itself is helpful. The tips are great too!
Thank you so much for your advice Augustin ! I never comment but as a student I want to let you know that having free access to this type of content is truly amazing
Thank you for these great tips! I’m a (somewhat) young professional, so I have some concert experience but not as much with pressured solo playing. I have a competition coming up, and I’ve been so nervous about not being mentally prepared enough. I will try to use your ideas, since you are definitely one of the most confident and skilled performers of our time!
Saw you at the Proms, you certainly didn’t seem nervous, very grateful for a fantastic performance of the Dvorak and 2 encores! We wanted more but I suppose the night is only so long!
Yeah, I loved both the encores, especially the por una cabeza encore. You should have seen my face when I noticed the polyphony. 😮😮I was shocked in disbelief
You touched a very important topic. Your tips how to deal with stage anxiety are very useful. I also have some thoughts on this issue that I would like to share. It is not the bow that shakes, but the hand. To me, it is important to find a support, which makes the hand feel steady. This steadiness comes from "dropping" the weight of the hand, imaging a wet rope - the basic piano playing posture - starting from a shoulder and all the way down to the grip, and consequently conveying it on the string. This way, my hand will always "feel" support. Sitting steady on the bow, the hand will not shake, no matter up or down the bow.
Beautiful advice, and very helpful indeed.
The breathing and the confident posture, I feel, should be taught to students when they’re still young, so that it becomes ‘natural’ for them to be confident and to be able to control their breathing.
Thanks for all this, Augustin 🙏
Humility and brilliance! Such an amazing presence.
Thanks so much for sharing this! That definitely was helpful advice. I'm still pretty new to playing an instrument so even performing at a small scale is very nerve-wracking. This really helps me consider some of my bad habits while playing and how to correct them!
Thank you for this. I will try your advice. You’re such an impeccable player and expressive artist, and an inspiration for sure. I’m a music student and it feels so rare and random for me to perform very close to my potential. I’m usually a calm and logical person, but it makes me so incredibly angry that I spend all this time hoping to learn things reliably and then I go on stage and I’m a minimum 30% worse than I should be. There’s no good reason for it. I hate it and feel so disgusted with myself for allowing the kinds of errors I make to populate my playing.
Yeah! It's been quite a long time since the last ask Augustin! Thanks for your explanation, maestro 😁🎻
It's been 4 weeks (only)
Thank you so much for your humbling and honest explanations: Which is so extremely helpful, coming from the king of violin!!!
Hello Mr Augustin! Always a pleasure to listen to your words and maestry. Im doing my masters on the topics of anxiety and its effects on motor control. The imaginary training strategy you mentioned is indeed very effective. Also, a term that would fit well here is Ecologic Validity. Ecologic Validity refers to how much your practice is mimicking the deseried final performance. Its a balance between the costs and benefits of how much you can create this environment.
Hi, I am very intrigued by this ecologic validity topic that you mentioned.
I get horrible stage fright during auditions but not so much in normal performance setting. This problem has troubled me for some time and I'm actively trying to find a way to improve. My audition stage fright gets so bad that my brain would sometimes either go into overdrive (overthinking every little detail like how to hold the violin, where my fingers go, is my bow in the right spot, what's my next note and the next and the next. Essentially just a million racing thoughts) or my brain would go absolutely blank like a deer in the headlights situation.
I have very little audition experience but plenty of performance experience. Would you say utilizing ecologic validity when I practice at home could help mitigate some of my symptoms? It is kind of weird how both settings are performing in front of people but one causes such extreme stress while I am a lot more comfortable (while still nervous) in regular performances.
@@clara-violin I get you... consciously trying to monitor and excetute the actions. I think I dont have the answer, only an advice, that is to let it flow by changing where is your focus of attention.
Now, about Ecologic Validity, it is not something that you can pick and apply or use, it is a feature from the relationship agent-environment-task.
Thank you for your openness! I have find some help to that kind of things in my ordinaly life: to trust the higher power (just pray/meditate and then "let it be"), and let my cats heal me. They somehow see my inner emotions and come to lay near me, without asking. When the healing is over, they leave, and then my emotions open up. Most often it's crying, shaking/trembling and relaxing.
I have been in a bad motorbike accident in 17 yrs old, kidnapped in 10 yrs old, and many other traumas. So many people are alone with these. 🙏
Some have been helped by longlasting therapy or medicines, of course.
Im twelve and i have an AMEB exam in just a week. Stage fright is a massive problem for me and this has helped brilliantly - thank you so much! Whenever I play, even when I'm rehearsing with my piano accompniment, I freeze up and my playing gets aweful.
that was not only immensely helpful, but also, for me, spot on timed! Thank you very much!
It's definitely helpful! Thank you very much!
I've always looked forward to the next 'ask augustin' it's always been very helpful
Thank you for sharing these videos, they’re really helpful!!
Very interesting the mentalizing the stage and dealing with the fright before
thank you for this!!!
Thanks you Augustin. You help me a lot with your lessons!!!! 😊
So helpful! Thank you so much. Many of these considerations are valuable for all sorts of other circumstances, too - public speaking or first day on a job, etc.
this is BRILLIANT THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am an adult beginner and improved so much lately but the second someone else is watching or even just listening, my hand starts shaking and I make so many mistakes 😢 I have a recital coming up so this was helpful!
Super helpful!!
Thank you for your discussion on how to deal with nerves. Mostly I find they help me focus on better playing but occasionally they are destructive. I never know when the bad one will happen. Have you ever had a similar experience?
Gracias Agustin, un abrazo!
Thanks a lot!
This was quite helpful. Thank you!
Thank you for the tips! I like the tips about breathing and body posture best. I used to get nervous before I sing, I worry about making mistakes or ruining the song. I find that breathing deeply to consciously expand and contract my diaphragm before I go on stage helps get rid of the butterflies (nerves.) And, accepting that I have done my best during the practice so any mistakes will have to be part of the performance helps me to not be so overly critical in my mind and I can sing as relaxed and with emotion as I can. I also focus on the lyrics: what am I trying to tell the audience?
Great video
i thought I was good with performance anxiety, until i played a solo in orchestra rehearsal, and my bow was shaking like hell
Thank you!
Grazie ☀️
What's that cool DNA stand
just start to play the viola
Please Mr. hadelish, allow me to make a request of you, that you publish your solo version of the piece Chaconne by bach.
🤩🎻
Thank you so much for sharing! May I know why it is exhale on the up-bow, which seems opposite to what I would do unconsciously? Is it a way to deliberately balance the weight of bow and the strength to put on it?
You touched a very important topic, concerning the balance of the weight of the bow and the strength to put on it. First of all, I always consider the gravitation of the bow. Concerning weight, the question is where the strength to put on the bow comes from. To me, it is important to "find" the weight of the whole hand starting from the shoulder all the way down to the grip of the bow, kind of the wet rope - the basic piano playing posture, and consequently convey it on the string. This way, my hand will always "feel" support. Sitting steady on the bow it will not shake, no matter up or down the bow.
What kind of carbs do you consume before a performance? thank you 🎻
He said pasta in one of his interviews.
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