The Science of Stage Fright Kelsey Sexton English 1102 Imagine this; an aspiring professional cellist spends an entire

semester working on her piece for her final recital. She drills technique, intonation, and memorization exercises. She spends weeks finding the underlying meaning of the piece and attempting to convert it into her own interpretation, and even longer trying to form the phrases beautifully so that she can truly connect with her audience. Months of lessons go by; she is improving with every week. With two weeks to go, she begins rehearsals with her pianist. Her memorization is solid and they are able to create beautiful music together. The day of her recital, she steps on stage in front of a room full of people, perhaps a little jittery, but it feels manageable. She sits down, prepares her bow, hears the pianist begin his introduction, and misses her entrance. She stares into the audience, all recollection of her first few notes gone, and as her stomach turns over and over, she cannot remember where to start. What just happened? What this cellist has just experienced is very commonly known as stage fright to most, but also as performance anxiety amongst professional performers. Anxiety is a natural response to a perceived threat, says Gerald Klickstein in his book The Musicians Way (pg. 134). Most performers (from musicians to dancers to comedic acts) experience some issues with stage fright throughout their career. These struggles can present themselves in many different ways; some as devastating as the scenario mentioned above, and some that may cause the musicians hands to shake, only somewhat diminishing the performance. However, stage fright is not only a concern for musicians and other performers, but for any professionals

who may have to deliver speeches or presentations to any number of people. Sometimes the failure to deliver an important presentation accurately can result in the loss of a job for a certain individual. It is very important for people to be aware of these problems and, if need be, work out a strategy for coping with them. As mentioned above, Klickstein states that anxiety is a natural response to a perceived threat. Why on earth would performers perceive a recital as a threat? Is that not the very reason that they chose to become performers in the first place? According to an article in Psychology Today, titled Performance Anxiety, as we approach a performance, a wall forms between us and the audience, when what we really want is the opposite for us to have any effect on our listeners. We long for a connection to open between the audience and the performer so that certain messages can be communicated. The same article theorizes that performance anxiety mainly ensues when the performer is not looking at the overall communion between themselves and the audience, but as a presentation that must be perfection. Along with this theory, Klickstein states in his book that there are multiple factors that contribute to a persons level of performance anxiety, such as mental stability, physical health, and organization skills (pp. 136-139). How can we improve these factors to break down the wall between performer and audience, creating a truly incredible experience? Glenn Wilson writes in Psychology of the Performing Arts that practice habits will intensify during a performance, whether positive or negative, and can greatly increase a persons level of stage fright (pg 232). For example, if a musician focuses solely on his or her level of tension during practice sessions, that discomfort is going to heighten levels of anxiety

and will only increase during the performance. The performer will only be able to focus on his or her physical distress during the recital and will never be able to form that conversation with the audience that is mentioned above. Among all of the sources I have mentioned above, the one thing that they have all stated in common is that there are many different physical and mental strategies to overcoming stage fright. Beta blockers may be used to slow the heart rate, fend off stress hormones, and restrain the amygdala (the part of the brain that controls emotion) (Miller). However, Klickstein and Wilson recommend using methods that result in a change of behavior and mental state to prompt a life changing experience as opposed to relying on pills. Klickstein provides several examples in his book that each explains a different aspect of performance anxiety and how to deal with its effects. Many students either suffer from memory slips or shaking hands, while others are plagued by mental breakdowns or severe self esteem issues. Brooke Neelands, an aspiring clarinetist and colleague of mine, has been taking and applying the techniques that I discovered in my research to her own playing. Although she is a fairly advanced clarinet player, Brooke suffers from the same nerves that disrupt my own playing in performances. She claims to experience shaking hands, locked knees, and severe self doubt before a performance, no matter how prepared she may be. I just dont feel like myself when I perform, which I hate because I am really trying to communicate something beautiful and my nerves get in the way, she responds when I ask her what she thinks of her own performance anxiety. I decided to share my findings with Brooke so that she may start tending to her own nerves. For the past few weeks, she has mainly been focusing on self confidence and expression, since her technique requires very little work. Although she once considered

turning to beta blockers, Brooke has told me that simple deep breathing and mental exercise routines have helped her to feel the true expression in the music, as opposed to the overwhelming fear of performing. I myself have seen the changes in her own playing since she has started this experiment; she has more freedom of expression and really connects with her audience, although she says she still does get a little shaky. Its an amazing feeling, not having to worry so much. Although I still have jitters, they are not controlling me anymore and I am able to use them more for adrenaline than collapse under their pressure. I am excited to see what comes in the future, now that I have this monster out of my way. As I have found in the study of my own performance anxiety, taking the route to really deal with the specific problems that I experience has been more rewarding and successful than relying on beta blockers. I have identified my own elements that need improvement as issues with self confidence, inefficient practicing for memory, and dealing with an altered mental state that builds the wall before I even walk on stage in front of an audience. I am not able to create a clear connection with my listeners due to my stage fright. To remedy this, I have divided my areas of concentration to areas of memorization and to mental stability not only when I am playing, but in my everyday life. Glenn Wilson quotes that helping to change the motivation for performing will help with these setbacks; instead of focusing on each little technical thing, focus on communicating and expressing the music itself (pg. 232). During my study, I have taken this quote to heart and tried to refocus my priorities. I have executed deep breathing memorization exercises in which I center my mind on separate section of my piece and what those sections will express to my audience. This helps to improve my mental and physical

memorization so that I always know what my body is feeling and expecting at any given point during the performance. After weeks and weeks of practice and preparation, using the techniques founded by Gerald Klickstein, I have seen great improvement in my ability to cope with my nerves. I have concluded that although beta blockers may be ideal for their accessibility and quick resolution, the skills that I have developed within myself will always be present, whether I am taking medication or not. I believe that there are techniques available to help those who suffer from performance anxiety. However, I do not believe that the one size fits all theory applies. Each musician or professional must discover the true issues at the root of the suffering, and treat those issues specifically, in order to produce true results. As is the case with myself and Brooke, we were able to fight this monster using our own personal agendas and we have both seen great improvement in our musical and professional skills. I hope that this research may be used all over to help anyone who suffers from performance anxiety. It is truly an amazing experience to break through that wall and create a connection from person to person.

Works Cited

Hamady, J. (2010, November 4). Performance Anxiety. In Psychology Today. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-your-voice/201011/performance-anxiety Klickstein, G. (2009). The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Miller, S. B. (2013, March 24). Beta blockers help come musicians fight stage fright. In St. Louis Today . Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/betablockers-help-some-musicians-fight-stage-fright/article_ee5d949f-2e90-5fe4-987aa38968b0e953.html Wilson, G. (2002). The Psychology of Performing Arts. London, England: Whurr Publishers Ltd.