Hi everyone!

Just had a students' concert on Sunday. As usual, they braved their way up stage to perform with many of them making mistakes that they do not usually make in class.

Reminded them to breathe 'consciously' when they feel nervous. Did success visualisation with them. Asked them to imagine playing at home when on stage etc....

People tell me that the more times a pianist plays on stage, the more calm she/he will be. I've a pupil who has been performing at least 2 concerts per year for the last 6 years still made many mistakes & stumbles on Sunday. Could anyone share with me what I've missed out? What do you usually tell your pupils to think psychologically before a performance or exam?

A pupil can play so well in class & once on stage, the whole piece goes hay-wired.

I'm not a teacher, but I would suggest that they eat a banana before the concert, as they help to calm down their nerves.

Do a search on Nerves (Search [Top of page]), as there have been a lot of topics regarding calming down nerves.

Car Expert

Wow! This sounds interesting!? Will do the search later. But I think controlling nerves when performing piano may be a little different. Thanks anyway!

I think this is basically true but you need to take into account how extreme the nerves where when the person first started.

As a teenager, I used to be often physically sick before performing a solo piece in a concert (no way could I have eaten a banana just before playing!). I found playing the piano marginally better than the violin as at least you get to sit down. When I returned to playing as an adult almost twenty years later I was convinced that I would have got over nerves as I had taught in a school for years and so was used to standing up in front of people. However, although I didn't feel nervous hours before hand, when I was standing about to start all the old symptoms (except being sick) came back and I played abysmally (out of tune, running out of breath before the end of the phrase etc.) So, yes I am calmer but not calm enough.

The only time I have played satisfactorily since I have taken up playing again was in a trio - there is safety in numbers!

Perhaps you could try asking your pupil to accompany. I used to play better as an accompanist - I used to play much better when I was accompanying, probably because I thought people were more interested in the soloist than me.

I have been put through every concert weve had at school whilst I have been there, playing solos infront of everyone. My nerves seemed to get better and I wasnt nevous at all coming up to the performance, however just as the piano started I went, legs shaking, unable to breath properly, playing terribly. This seems to happen everytime I play infront of anyone! (even my music class at school, or even a solo in band thats only a few bars)

Well I thought my nerves were getting better. At the previous concert to tonight's, I had been really relaxed and played the best I ever have. The least said about tonight's performance, the better. Was utter rubbish, couldn't breathe and shook. I am supposed to be alright at playing as well...

I have always suffered from nerves when performing.

My kids were in a concert recently, and their teacher wanted me to contribute. I said 'no' because my I knew it would ruin the whole occasion for me because I would get in too much of a state.

A few years ago I played the piano for my daughter's Nativity concert in front of 400 parents. That was a big enough deal for me...and I nearly stopped playing the opening theme, but managed to collect myself.

Strange thing was, once I was underway and near the end, I was so chilled and calm I was actually enjoying playing in front of everyone.

Whether all this is due to me not having much experience playing in front of an audience as a child...well, I'm not so sure now!

It's completely normal to suffer nerves when performing in public! Only the very thick-skinned, or show-offs, or very extraverted people, or extremely experienced perfomers manage to play without nerves - and an attack can afflict at any time even then!

The better prepared you are the less likely an attack will affect your playing; ever heard the saying:

an amateur practises until they can play it right
a professional practises untl they can't play it wrong

very true!

I used to get horribly nervous - at our local music festival when I was about 10 I remember my knee developing a violent twitch that wouldn't stop through the whole performance. Aaargh! I used to get echoes of it for years, until one day - bam! Nerves gone! I think it was after an accident when I thought I'd never get to play live again. I was so happy to get back on stage I suddenly realised it was where I felt most at home, and the nerves have now gone. For now. Because who knows?

I do think generally the more you do it the easier it gets, and the more on top of the music you are the more relaxed you will be. So practise like mad, but not too much on the day (you'll get yourself too wound up if you start making mistakes an hour before you go on). Then just tell yourself the audience are rooting for you and want you to get it right, and that life's too short to spoil the whole experience for yourself by having a bad time. Or something.

Violinia

Some people will have bad nerves however well they know the music, unfortunately... however good prep can mean that this won't adversely affect your playing too much (last flute exam I did, I was so nervous I could barely think, but fortunately being very well prepared meant that my brain didn't need to take too much interest in what I was doing ) - it's worth getting yourself used to nerves by performing in front of family or friends, or using pressure games - training yourself to play despite the nerves rather than necessarily getting rid of them which may not be possible. THEN if you can reduce your nerves it's just a bonus, as you know you can play even if they appear.

I can never play violin solos in orchestra concerts, because nervousness makes my bow arm tremble, and it sounds awful. One of the reasons I prefer piano and organ. Oh, and in the organ at my church, you can't actually be seen by about three-quarters of the people in the church, so that makes me feel much better Really, everyone's said before what I was going to say.... but I suppose the more you perform, the less nervous you get. Having said that, if it's a really big concert, you're still going to be really nervous, no matter how many times you've played before.

That's true. However, I think it does all get better as you get older. You know what they say about: in your 20's you're still growing up, in your 30's you're working out who you are, and by your 40's you've begun to feel comfortable with yourself. In your 50's - well, wait and see (I should know)!

I used to feel OK playing in front of a bunch of strangers, but got a bit wound up if there were people I knew very well in the audience. Even that bit has got better now, thank god. The only thing that still gets to me is if the front row of a (large) audience is too close, like a couple of feet away, and all staring up at me with blank faces. That's a bit intimidating I like them a bit further back and preferably sitting around tables with wine, rather than in severe rows, but you can't pick and choose.

But anyway, believe me, it all gets so much better as you get older. You end up just not worrying what they think, and just playing your heart out because - because that's what you do.

Violinia

So my next birthday might cure it?

Argh, heck! I have another 26 years to go!! I am still getting progressively more nervous about performing. I think I think about it too much.

So in 12 1/2 years I'll begin to be OK, and give me 22 and I'll be fine

In the meantime I guess I have to stick to attempting to reduce nerves and getting used to the ones I can't cure!

In a way it's actually got worse as I've got older - but I think that's lack of practice at playing for people. Used to happen to some extent all the time, playing or singing in groups or on my own. Which is one of the reasons I'd recommend people getting as much practice doing it as they can - familiarity may not breed contempt but I think it makes things easier!!! The two exams I've done recently were both horribly nerve-wracking even though I have been far better prepared than ever before... they used to be much more run of the mill as I was doing them every couple of years probably.




I think you've hit the nail on the head - if you don't worry what people think, then it's a lot less stressful!

Hi Suzy...
From your signature you're a medical student?
How do u spare time between studying, teaching, and learning?
What do u wanna do as a career?
Tell me your secret!!

Hi everyone!!!

Thanks so much for all the tips! Think Kerioboe's idea of asking pupils to be accompanists may be a good one. Once pupils play more often on stage, they will be more at ease, at least as accompanists, they can psycho themselves that audiences are more interested to listen to the soloists.

Sarah-flute, since you are a medical student, I'd like to hear from you : I understand that there was a piano teacher who asked a G8 pupil who had failed G8 exam twice to take a tablet to control the flow of adrenaline before she entered the exam studio to take her G8 exam the 3rd time. I think this is not advisable at all....what do you think? And all of us who were listening to him relating the story were curious what that medicine was... I'm not FOR this method at all but I'm still curious what side-effects do these tablets have all these years.

Suzy's the med student, I am not clever enough

I have no doubt she'll know what you're talking about. Could be beta blockers??? But I don't know. And for what it's worth *I* don't think it's a good idea - but I am not a med student

Let's face it, getting up on stage in front of dozens or hundreds of people to have every detail of you and your musical ability scrutinised is one of the most "unnatural" things to do, so naturally the body goes into "survival" mode and the adrenalin starts pumping big time. I have suffered from terrible nerves the few times I've played as a soloist and/or in exams and I prefer to be an accompanist which doesn't bother me that much to be honest. I have accompanied various Local Amateur Dramatic groups and played in a couple of Festivals etc. I was lucky the few times I played as a soloist as the music was quite easy so even though the fingers were shaking I got through the music fine and on the surface, probably looked fine. I guess some people have more confidence than others and are naturally "extrovert" depending on their personality/background etc. I remember a past teacher once telling me that if you are nervous when performing in front of someone, it means that you haven't learnt the music properly and aren't confident with it. Although I agree with this observation to an extent, I have performed pieces that I knew with my eyes closed and yet still felt terrified performing them in public. I guess having a father who used to stand over me while I practiced as a a child and criticise everything I played hasn't helped me either!! The fear of being criticised/scorned/mocked etc, is still there somewhere deep in the psyche!

Gae

Argh - I hate it when people trot out this old chestnut, as if it's your own fault you're nervous - it completely disregards the fact that some of us will get nervous playing an easy piece we know backwards. Ho hum. It does help to be well-prepared - it can mean that you end up playing well despite the nerves because you know the music SO well - but it doesn't by any means guarantee not having nerves at all and it really annoys me when people say it does. I guess that teacher, and others who spout it, may well only get nervous when they're underprepared, but sadly it's not always the case

It's ridiculous to say that! Many top performers get nervous before they perform - even if they're very experienced performers! Some slight nerves and adrenalin actually improve performance, so I've heard!

'xactly.

I can't provide a famous person's example, but a friend of mine was running rather late for one of his uni recitals, and he said that with the stress and adrenaline of being late, by the time he got there he didn't feel nervous at all and played rather insipidly.

I play dozens of concerts, show etc a year and I suffer from terrible (but improving) nerves. I never manage to perform as well as I know I can do when it comes to a concert. Sometimes by a long shot. But hey, plenty of experience is all that I can recommend really - good & bad if you get my drift!

Well I don't get nervous any more - and I am not extremely experienced being only 16, I'm a complete introvert in many ways, not a show-off, and I have been known to cry if I can't play something well or if I recieve harsh criticism. So where does my kind fit in?
The reason I don't get nervous is because I refuse to perform anything unless I am 100% prepared, and I don't see performing as a big deal at all. I don't know how I manage this - I think if I can see the audience as a lot of individuals instead of an "audience" it helps, which is why I am more at home if I can see the venue fill up beforehand, or if I know a couple of people in the audience.
Also, I think my attitude helps in that I always go for the "what's the worst that could happen" idea, that is, the audience know nothing about me so I can only get better, or they audience know my standard, and one performance wont change it much. In the end, who cares? If I muck up, it doesn't make me a worse person or a worse performer or anything - it was just a mistake, and I probably did some really good stuff at the same time

Heehee I am the med student.... It is Beta blockers, they block the beta-type adrenaline receptors and therefore reduce the action of adrenaline there. So you get a heart beat that isn't racing, the trembling fingers stop, you sweat less and your blood pressure drops.

A lot of med students (not me I hasten to add) take them before exams, as one of the biggest problems associated with our exams is if we look nervous, we're not marked as well as if we look 'polished'. If symptoms are disabling, they may be an option, but that would be a decision made between the performer and their doctor. As with all drugs, there are side effects to consider.

Hi Sarah & Suzy

Sorry sorry! Got mixed up because both of your names start with 'S'. Thanks for your help! At least I now know what beta-blockers do.

I didn't know that some students actually consume beta-blockers before exam. Interesting to find out.

Um...I think bohemian's idea of thinking of audience as many 'individuals' rather than an 'audience' worth exploring!

At times, I find that to control fear has a lot to do with psychology. That 'voice' in you is always there, it just depends on what you want 'it' to say before the performance & shut 'it' up when you are performing & that's when concentration comes in.

Could anyone explain how the banana theory works? I have my GCSE practical tomorrow and I don't know whether to try it or not.
Obviously it is a bad thing to be so nervous that you can't think straight, but in my experience, things can work the other way too. Last year when I did a piano exam, I was so relaxed and carefree that I let myself make a ton of mistakes - might be something just to bear in mind.....

Bananas can calm down nerves because something called tryptophan is present, which is a protein that the body converts to serotonin, which is a relaxant.

Car Expert

Well then, I have been performing in one guise or another for twenty or so years. I only suffer nerves in a solo situation. The knee tremour seems to be a favourite manouvre amongst us.
I subscribe to the ideal that I know the piece upside down before I perform it.
I also have this train of thought that if I make a mistake...so what! The audience is on my side, and 75% of them will not recognise my bloomer.

I suppose it depends on the genre of performance too. A jazz gig is somehow less demanding in terms of protocol, and for me, it is more enjoyable. You can make a mistake and get away with it. Classical performances are more...shall we say stuffy? Pop stuff is a breeze.

What's the answer to nerves? I don't have the ultimate answer.

I have. Dont play solo in front of an audience unless it is either for a qualification, is your chosen career or you are being paid obscene amounts of money to do it!!

Gae

Aah, beta blockers... Having suffered appalling shaking hands during my last 2 piano exams I discussed this with my teacher who admitted to taking one or two before a concert or important performance. I just felt comforted that here was something that might help me . It was just so horrible to try to play with my hands literally flapping in front of me.

All this has to be carried out properly, of course. I went to my G.P. who took my blood pressure and admitted that after anti-depressants they are the next most requested medication - think of driving tests for example. He advised that I took one the night before and one in the morning of the exam, and perhaps to try one out in a nerve-wracking situation, which I did. The tablets I have are just 10mg and they worked a treat. You are still totally mentally alert and still in a state of 'readiness' but nothing shakes. It was just incredible. When I did take the exam I actually found myself enjoying it because my hands were still. There is nothing worse than knowing you are fully prepared and have spent hours and pounds to get where you are to blow it on the day.

Since then I have played at other concerts without any drug assistance and have been fine because of that very good experience I had. Now I don't believe that's a bad thing.Whether I will take them for Grade 8 in December is another matter...

Excuse my ignorance on the matter here, but isn't it kind of like steroids and athletics, except legal? I don't know. Personally I would like to do it "on my own" without medical aid. There seems to be more sense of accomplishment then.

I don't believe so. Beta blockers don't enhance your performance in any way, as steroids do. All they do is help you do what you know you can do at home in a very stressful situation. In my case, having had such a positive experience playing during that exam without shaking hands has given me confidence, and hopefully got me over that nervous reaction that I had gone through before. Surely that is a good thing ?

Beta-blockers may be prescribed for anxiety states, and no, it isn't in the slightest bit like steroids and athletics. They aren't safe for everyone to use, which is why a medical opinion must be sought, but for those who can take them safely, and who suffer from the sort of anxiety which actually gets in the way of activities like exams or performances, they can be a boon. Some artists won't use them because they feel the beta-blockers may get in the way of the most inspiring performances, but severe anxiety has a much more negative effect.
It is difficult to draw any sort of conclusion from only one individual's experiences, but for what it is worth, I had great difficulties in playing to people, even in small numbers. It was only as the rest of life happened, and I started to realise how odd musical mistakes really don't add up to much in the grand scheme of things, that I began to relax enough to be able to perform and let the music get out. Exposure to performing most certainly doesn't do it for everyone.

I'm havivig a bit of difficulty working out how to reply - hope this works! (I just clicked on reply, but did not intend to quote the whole entry that I'm replying to!) Anyway, what I wanted to say was: Have you ever tried beta-blockers? I'm not a medical person and don't know about their suitability for children, but they are great for an adult. I used to shake, sweat and be unable to find middle c, which is all due to too much adrenalin. The way beta-blockers ("propranalol") work is to keep a lid on your adrenalin levels, without affecting your central nervous system in the way the that alcohol would. (I tried that one too - you're less nervous, but you can't play, and don't care!) I asked my doctor for something before I did my diploma exam, and this is what she prescribed; apparently they're commomly used for panick attacks, job interviews, etc. If you take one or two 10mg tablets about an hour before a performance, you will feel no effects whatsoever, but can rest assured that your heart won't race uncontrollably, you won't shake, etc - i.e. all the physical effects of nerves. I gradually wittled myself down to 1 1/2 tablets, then 1, then 1/2, and now I don't need them at all - they got me over a big psychological hurdle.

Beta-blockers are prescription-only medication so you can't legally get them without a medical opinion. They do seem to work well though (if you have access to it, C.O. Brantigan, T.A Brantigan, N. Joseph Americal Journal of Medicine 1982 72 88-94). They have a fairly severe list of potential side effects and interactions, so you really should think about it carefully though.

There's quite a lot of information here and an interesting newspaper article here about beta blockers in the treatment of performance anxiety.

I think that's probably the most beneficial thing about beta blockers, that they can allow you to play without excessive nerves and without medication.

But beta-blockers are medication... They're powerful drugs that fundamentally affect the way that your body responds to one of the key hormone systems.

I'm of the belief that performance anxiety is a self-fulfilling prophecy. We get stressed, we don't play so well, so we worry more about it next time, so we get more stressed and so on. If taking a beta-blocker can break this cycle, then that is a good thing.

Yes, you are so right about hormones. Some people get more nervous than others. These people obviously have a higher level of a stress inducing hormone....fight or flight...survival basically. It is our good friend , adrenaline. It's like a roller coaster...you are too scared to go on, but get some sort of thrill by doing it.

If you take something that helps to supress this hormone, by calming the heart beat down with appropriate knock on effects through the body, then it must be a good thing.

If you don't get an excessive hormone rush during the performance (which then triggers the fight/flight instinct), then you don't need it.

It doesn't make you a better or worse musician...it's a case of just getting through it, without the nerves trying to ruin it for you.

Most performers get very nervous before, but seem to enjoy it once it's underway. I won't go into what rock stars do to get them through performances, but I think beta blockers are the least of our problems!!!

I know that! I also know that there are many well-meaning but misguided individuals who might offer their own medication to "help" others - it happens all the time.

It is absolutely essential that you are checked by your doctor for beta blockers, never accept any one else's tablets, or acquire them in any other way. When you have taken just 10mg you cannot feel your pulse or your heart beat, it is really weird. Also, don,t drink too much wine after taking them - I had a massive headache the next day.

If you would actually read the post I was quoting, that was exactly my point

Yes..very true and very important, as they are affecting the pulse of the heart.

Many people have heart murmers or problems they don't know about.

For me...it's don't drink too much wine full stop...headaches just love me after wine...and sometimes during!

I used to have horrendous nerves, even with little cafe concerts where the coffee machines make so much noise no-one could probably here me anyway! Anyway, it changed when I managed to play a Bach courante I think it was, 1st page fine, 2 nd page looked up and realised it was upside down (why you shouldn't play form a photocopy) so had to stop half way through get laughed at and turn it around! Anyway, it made me realise what's the worst that could happen? That you stop and have to start again after a couple of deep breathes, that's not that bad! At least for smaller concerts etc. I think this combats the hours of feeling sick before.

I still feel nervous when I actually get up there, but if your smiley and hide it well you start to hide it from yourself almost, and as it's said before the better prepared you are the less reasons you have to be nervous and even if you are you can easily overcome it. Plus, nerves can make a performance, instead of a practice, they make you focus I guess.