Managing performance anxiety and improving mental skills in conservatoire students through performance psychology training: a pilot study

Margaret S Osborne,Don J Greene,Don T Immel

doi:10.1186/s13612-014-0018-3

Abstract

Students with a strong sense of competence in musical skills and control over their physical and psychological well-being enhance their capacity to exceed their average level of performance and achieve an optimal or peak performance. Musicians transferring from the rehearsal studio to a concert performance demonstrate significant increases in heart rate and physical tension, which may or may not have a detrimental effect on their performance depending on whether they interpret those physiological symptoms as facilitating or debilitating to their performance. Negative, catastrophic interpretations feed debilitating performance anxiety, which is a significant occupational health issue for a high proportion of professional musicians as well as those training for a professional career in music performance. In early 2013, music students at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music participated in two lectures and a master class in performance psychology techniques to achieve performance success, supplemented by a workbook of 11 strategies for audition and performance success for musicians. Topics included channeling performance energy, developing confidence, improving self-talk, learning and memorizing music, mental rehearsal, building courage, recovering from mistakes, dealing with adversity, and becoming mentally tough. Pre-post analyses on data from 31 students demonstrates that students can significantly reduce self-reported music performance anxiety, and significantly improve performance preparation, confidence, courage, focus, concentration, and performance resilience as a result of implementing these techniques. This pilot study is the first empirical evaluation of a performance psychology skills training package developed from elite occupational and sports performance domains, and translated into the musician’s training and performance preparation process. The pedagogical implications of the results support the inclusion of performance psychology skills training in undergraduate music performance programs, which may support the wellbeing of emerging performing artists into their future careers.

Highlights

Students with a strong sense of competence in musical skills and control over their physical and psychological well-being enhance their capacity to exceed their average level of performance and achieve an optimal or peak performance
Pre-post analyses on data from 31 students demonstrates that students can significantly reduce self-reported music performance anxiety, and significantly improve performance preparation, confidence, courage, focus, concentration, and performance resilience as a result of implementing these techniques
Students felt slightly less nervous at auditions, their expectation of achieving optimal performance with elevated energy increased, associated with a strengthened ability to control the rush of nervous energy in high pressure situations. The results of this pilot study support the hypothesis that a performance psychology coaching intervention significantly reduces tertiary music students’ performance anxiety

Summary

Introduction

Students with a strong sense of competence in musical skills and control over their physical and psychological well-being enhance their capacity to exceed their average level of performance and achieve an optimal or peak performance. The experience of chronic and excessive anxiety when executing a musical performance in educational and occupational settings serves as the primary threat to the psychological wellbeing of musicians (Kenny 2011; Osborne in press). The two most frequently cited reasons for music performance anxiety (MPA) in professionals are high self-expectations, and worries about the negative impact of excessive physical arousal prior to, or during the performance. This drives 31% of musicians to self-medicate on beta-blockers in order to cope with occupational demands (Kenny et al in press). Up to 70% of musicians across 56 western orchestras report that anxiety negatively interferes with their performance (James 1998)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion