Voice Teachers’ Strategies to Overcome Performance Anxiety

Abstract

Increasing competition among musicians on the contemporary scene implies additional requirements for them in terms of versatility and competitiveness. Performance anxiety usually manifests itself in negative changes in mental and physical sense of self before a performance. In recent years increasingly more attention has been paid to problems influencing musicians’ performance. Performance anxiety is undoubtedly one of the negative factors each performer has to face to a greater or lesser degree. As a rule, performers are sensitive and emotional in nature and it is not likely that the audience would enjoy watching a dull or completely rational performance. The purpose of this study is to learn how professional classical singers and voice teachers cope with performance anxiety. We are interested in how they maintain well-being and mental balance needed for a successful performance, which pre-performance anxiety suppressing activities they find most efficient and which ones they have suggested to their students. The study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with 12 recognised classical singers and vocal pedagogues, who were working or had worked as soloists at Estonian National Opera, or as oratorio or chamber singers. To allow organisation, categorisation and analysis of the received information, the texts were processed with the qualitative research software Nvivo 7. Coping successfully with performances all singers had developed a daily schedule which had often become their lifestyle to which they did not attach special importance on a daily basis. Support of the family was considered important and it was seen as natural that family members follow and respect the singer’s rhythm of life. All singers stressed that most difficult for them was to maintain vocal health throughout the season and emotional balance in stressful situations.