Most research on musical performance anxiety has focused on musicians coming from a classical background, and performance anxiety experiences of musicians outside the western classical genre remain under-researched. The aim of this study was to investigate perceived performance anxiety experiences in undergraduate and professional musicians and to explore whether musical genre specialization (Western classical, jazz, popular, Scottish traditional) affected musicians' performance anxiety experiences. The study addressed questions exploring the perceived intensity of performance anxiety, the perceived contributing factors, changes in perceived anxiety levels as performances approached (one hour before, immediately before and during performance) and the perceived impact of performance on the quality of performance. Participants were 244 musicians, 170 undergraduates and 74 portfolio career musicians. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. Findings suggested that performance anxiety was of concern for a significant majority of undergraduate and professional musicians. Musicians from all participating musical genres shared similar perceptions and concerns. Anxiety appeared to have negative connotations, although it was also reported as beneficial. Solo performance generated more anxiety compared to group performance. Overall, the impact of anxiety on performance was related to its perceived severity during performance, and was mediated by musicians' performance experience and their general susceptibility to anxiety. The musical genre in which participants specialized affected their perceived anxiety levels. Western classical musicians were generally found to report higher levels of performance anxiety. This study has provided indications that musicians specializing in different musical genres may experience performance anxiety in quantitatively and qualitatively different ways. Further research would benefit from investigating factors contributing to these variations.

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Perceived performance anxiety in advanced musicians specializing in different musical genres

Music performance anxiety (MPA), a condition common among musicians, consists of an anxious state characterized by cognitive, psychological, and physiological arousal. Musicians often establish str...

The role of coping strategy and experience in predicting music performance anxiety

Performance anxiety is a common experience among musicians. Recent studies have found it to be an issue not only for adult performers but also for developing musicians as early as third grade. The question as to its developed or innate nature led to the present inquiry pertaining to young children’s responses to performance situations. Sixty-six 3- and 4-year-olds taking group music lessons that culminated in two concerts served as participants. Self-report of anticipatory anxiety, cortisol secretion, and observation of anxious behaviors were the primary measures. Results indicated that young children did experience anxiety with respect to music performances and that responses seemed to have both innate and developed components. Children with prior performing experience reported less anticipatory anxiety, but had higher cortisol levels, than those without prior experience. Additionally, performance location seemed to play a role in children’s anxiety responses. Those who were familiar with their performan...

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/40961658.pdf

Performance Stress and the Very Young Musician

Performance anxiety in Brazilian musicians: prevalence and association with psychopathology indicators.

Music performance anxiety (MPA) can be distressing for many young people studying music, and may negatively impact upon their ability to cope with the demands and stressors of music education. It can also lead young people to give up music or to develop unhealthy coping habits in their adult music careers. Minimal research has examined the effectiveness of psychological programs to address MPA in young musicians. Sixty-two adolescents were pseudo-randomized to a cognitive behavioral (CB) group-delivered intervention or a waitlist condition. The intervention consisted of psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques, identification of strengths, goal-setting, imagery and visualization techniques to support three solo performances in front of judges. Significant reductions in self-rated MPA were found in both groups following the intervention and compared to their baseline MPA. This reduction was maintained at 2-months follow-up. There appeared to be inconsistent effects of the intervention upon judge-rated MPA, however the presence of floor effects precluded meaningful reductions in MPA. There appeared to be no effect of the intervention upon judge-rated performance quality. This study highlights the potential for group-based CB programs to be delivered within school music curricula to help young musicians develop skills to overcome the often debilitating effects of MPA.

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Psychological intervention reduces self-reported performance anxiety in high school music students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the performance experiences of choral singers with respect to music performance anxiety. Members of seven semiprofessional choirs ( N = 201) completed quest...

An Investigation Into the Choral Singer's Experience of Music Performance Anxiety

This presentation will demonstrate how lanza1 teaches his students though composition. Information gathered from lanza’s former students, will show how his compositions taught and inspired them. By teaching his students to be individual, independent, artistic, creative, and playful he inspired many generation of Canadian composers. Through a detailed study of lanza’s un mundo imaginario, this presentation will illustrate the challenges faced when preparing a graphic score, working with computer generated sounds, and most importantly telling a meaningful story to the listener. Argentinean-born, Canadian composer, alcides lanza, began studying music theory, counterpoint, and piano at the age of nine. Upon finishing high school, he began studying architecture at the University of Rosario, but he cut his studies short to become a musician. lanza then moved to Buenos Aires where he studied composition and became intrigued with electro acoustic music. In 1964, the Institute di Tella in Buenos Aires opened an electro acoustic music studio, but lanza was looking for more. He moved to New York in 1965 to study at the Columbia Princeton Electronic Music Centre. In 1970, lanza became director of the electro acoustic studies of McGill University. Since moving to Montreal, lanza has become known as a talented teacher and composer. His works with Group of the Electronic Music Studio (GEMS) at McGill University and his personal attention to each of his composition students, and the student body at large, demonstrate his dedication to the guiding of young musicians and composers. alcides lanza, Biography Composer alcides lanza was born into a musical family on June 2, 1929, in Rosario, Argentina. lanza’s father, Antonio, was a conductor and guitarist with an Argentinean tango group in their hometown of Timbues. When lanza was nine years old, his father won the lottery and offered his two sons their choice of gifts. The older son, Edgardo, chose a bicycle, while the youngest, alcides, chose a piano. This was the beginning of lanza’s career as a musician. Though lanza was a very active child, in 1933, he was stricken with a kidney disease and was not permitted to practice sports for the following nine years. As a result, lanza became very interested in both music and visual art, which may be the root of his passion for beautiful graphic scores. At the age of nine, lanza left his family and moved to Rosario to live with his uncle, a famous author and playwright. During his time with his uncle, lanza studied music theory, counterpoint, and piano. Upon finishing high school, he began his studies in architecture at the University of Rosario; however, he cut his studies short to become a musician. After moving to Buenos Aires to study composition with the famous Spanish composer, Julian Bautista, lanza began exploring various compositional techniques and styles. Studying

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Nicholle Andrews

Papers

An Investigation Into the Choral Singer's Experience of Music Performance Anxiety

Teaching through Composition: The Choral Music of alcides lanza