Current Approaches for Management of Music Performance Anxiety: An Introductory Overview

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Katie Zhukov
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Relaxation Techniques ◽  
Cognitive Symptoms ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Breathing Exercises

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a complex area with many individual factors contributing to the level of anxiety experienced by musicians during live performances. This paper provides an overview of research literature on performance anxiety, intended for music teachers, students, and professional musicians, to highlight strategies that have been suggested to manage the accompanying physical and cognitive symptoms. Treatment of MPA includes mindfulness-based approaches, physiological/physically-based therapies, cognitive/behavioural therapies, prescribed medication, music therapy, and psychotherapy. The most popular approaches for managing the physical symptoms are relaxation techniques, in particular, deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation. Other strategies include Alexander technique, bio- and neuro-feedback, healthy lifestyle, and prescription drugs. Self-handicapping and perfectionism are some of the examples of negative behaviours in musicians. Management of cognitive symptoms of MPA includes cognitive restructuring, realistic goal-setting, systematic desensitisation, music therapy, and/or psychotherapy. Combining behavioural techniques with cognitive therapy strategies appears to be the most promising approach among interventions aimed at reducing MPA and improving the quality of music performance. Cautious interpretation of the efficacy of interventions is needed due to methodological weaknesses of some research, and this overview of current approaches is intended to facilitate understanding for those less familiar with this topic.

Preventing music performance anxiety (MPA): Music students judge combined Depth Relaxation Music Therapy (DRMT) and silence to be an effective methodology

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Eric Pfeifer ◽  
Christine Stolterfoth ◽  
Claudia Spahn ◽  
Hans Ulrich Schmidt ◽  
Tonius Timmermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Music Students ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Subject Design ◽  
Alternative Condition

This article presents the results of a study which focused on the application of combined Hypnomusictherapy (HMT)/Depth Relaxation Music Therapy (DRMT) and silence in preventing music performance anxiety (MPA) in music students. Participants (n=12) were divided into two groups. Each group received either 16 minutes of HMT/DRMT followed by 6:30 minutes of silence or a 16-minute seminar consisting of a moderated group discussion on silence followed by 6:30 minutes of silence. Each of the two groups experienced the alternative condition (within-subject design) with one week in between. Focus groups were held for data gathering after each session. Qualitative content analysis according to Mayring [1,2] was applied to analyze the data. Silence following DRMT/HMT was perceived as more relaxing and longer lasting than silence following the seminar. Participants reported that their distracting or depressing thoughts decreased and their auditive perception of silence changed during the combined silence and DRMT/HMT. The results indicate that the procedure can help prevent MPA.

Combined Treatment of Improvisation and Desensitization to Alleviate Music Performance Anxiety in Female College Pianists: A Pilot Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24
Author(s):  
Youngshin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Female College ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Breathing Exercises ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Anxiety Response

This study examined the effect of a Music Therapy Improvisation and Desensitization Protocol (MTIDP) on ameliorating music performance anxiety of female college pianists. Six participants served as their own controls and participated in (1) a baseline assessment (pretest); (2) six weekly sessions that involved rhythmic breathing exercises, free improvisation, and desensitization exercises; and (3) a final evaluation (posttest). Measures of the Likert Anxiety Scale, Spielbergers State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Performance Anxiety Response Questionnaire were obtained before and after the series of MTIDP sessions. A Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test was computed to determine whether the data were significantly different from the pretest to the posttest. Results indicated that there were significant differences in the Likert Anxiety Scale and Spielbergers State Anxiety Inventory. No clear trends were found in the Trait Anxiety Inventory. Although not significant, the mean for the Performance Anxiety Response Questionnaire in the posttest (M = 78.50) was lower than it was in the pretest (M = 74.67).

Music performance anxiety and pre-performance emotions in the light of psychology of emotion and emotion regulation

2020 ◽  
pp. 030573562096115
Author(s):  
Julia Kaleńska-Rodzaj
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Clear Cut

The aim of this review article is to show the benefits of broadening the understanding of the mechanism and treatment of music performance anxiety (MPA) using the knowledge of psychology of emotion and emotional regulation. A review of research literature on the emotional state of the musician during public performances and emotion regulation techniques fosters integration of various approaches: clinical psychology, performance psychology, positive psychology, and psychology of emotion and emotional regulation. Different ways of defining the phenomenon (MPA, optimal arousal, positive emotions, and mixed emotions) imply different directions of psychological intervention. The process model of emotion regulation developed by James J. Gross has been chosen because it is a clear-cut theoretical framework, enabling the integration of a number of theories and the development of comprehensive practical interventions. The benefit of the article is presenting the assumptions of the model, as well as knowledge of emotions and emotional regulation, to the context of musician’s psychological training and the performance preparation process.

Imagery-Based Interventions for Music Performance Anxiety: An Integrative Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 222-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Finch ◽  
David A Moscovitch
Keyword(s):  
Mental Imagery ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Relaxation Techniques ◽  
Professional Musicians ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Treatment Research ◽  
Symptom Changes

Many musicians experience debilitating music performance anxiety (MPA). Outside music performance, imagery-based interventions have been incorporated into treatment protocols to help individuals, including athletes and those with social anxiety, manage heightened levels of anxiety in order to excel in performance-based domains. Despite the frequent use of mental imagery in MPA interventions and its importance as a mental rehearsal technique for musicians, no existing reviews have examined the literature on imagery-based interventions for MPA. The primary aim of this review was to analyze the existing MPA literature in order to summarize what is known about the efficacy and mechanisms of pre-performance mental imagery exercises. A literature search yielded eight studies that used imagery-based interventions for MPA, in both student and professional musicians, which included three dissertations and five peer-reviewed journal articles. In extant MPA treatment research, pre-performance imagery is often used in conjunction with other techniques in order to alleviate anxiety. Arousal imagery refers to imagining one’s state of arousal during performance and has been incorporated into MPA interventions in various ways that guide musicians to anticipate the heightened arousal that accompanies performance, predominantly through imagery-based relaxation techniques. However, methodological limitations make it impossible to determine whether imagery is itself an active ingredient of treatment that underlies symptom changes, or whether relaxation imagery is the most effective use of pre-performance imagery for all musicians. There is much need for future well-controlled studies to examine whether and how imagery affects MPA independent of the other therapy components and techniques with which it is commonly combined.

scholarly journals How does music performance anxiety relate to other anxiety disorders?

2021 ◽  
pp. 030573562098860
Author(s):  
Anna Wiedemann ◽  
Daniel Vogel ◽  
Catharina Voss ◽  
Jana Hoyer
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Graphical Model ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Separation Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Dsm 5

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is considered a social anxiety disorder (SAD). Recent conceptualizations, however, challenge existing MPA definitions, distinguishing MPA from SAD. In this study, we aim to provide a systematic analysis of MPA interdependencies to other anxiety disorders through graphical modeling and cluster analysis. Participants were 82 music students ( Mage = 23.5 years, SD = 3.4 years; 69.5% women) with the majority being vocal (30.5%), string (24.4%), or piano (19.5%) students. MPA was measured using the German version of the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI). All participants were tested for anxiety-related symptoms using the disorder-specific anxiety measures of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., DSM-5), including agoraphobia (AG), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), separation anxiety disorder (SEP), specific phobia (SP), SAD, and illness anxiety disorder (ILL). We found no evidence of MPA being primarily connected to SAD, finding GAD acted as a full mediator between MPA and any other anxiety type. Our graphical model remained unchanged considering severe cases of MPA only (K-MPAI ⩾ 105). By means of cluster analysis, we identified two participant sub-groups of differing anxiety profiles. Participants with pathological anxiety consistently showed more severe MPA. Our findings suggest that GAD is the strongest predictor for MPA among all major DSM-5 anxiety types.

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