Performance Anxiety
Posted on | August 26, 2010 | Leave a comment
I was watching “Spicks and Specks” last night on the ABC when it came to the section where the contestant sings a song using lyrics from a completely unrelated book. This is tricky to do, as my (not very frequent singer) husband can attest. last night, instead of asking the visiting guest who is usually a singer to do this, Myf and Alan, the team captains who know LOTS about music trivia, had to not just talk about performers, but perform themselves. They both did very very well, but Myf was obviously nervous. She stated that it had been five years since she had needed to do this. I was watching her body language and thinking, wow – here comes some performance anxiety! She did quite well, managed to sing in tune and the other contestants picked her songs easily.
What was fascinating to me as a teacher was her physical reactions, and the impact that they had on her voice. This is the flight or fight response that singers often experience before performing. It is terrible because although you want to sing and perform, you can perceive performance as being dangerous and off goes the body into action. Some of the signs of performance anxiety include a dry throat, sweaty palms, shaking limbs, increased heartbeat, butterflies in the tummy, sleeplessness before a performance and excessive muscle tension. These can interfere with the voice in performance, impacting on pitch, memory, breath control, alignment, and the ability to “be in the moment” and produce a really special musical moment.
Performers allow themselves to be vulnerable when performing and that can be a frightening experience. However, this is what we do, and discovering coping strategies for the physical and emotional aspects of performance anxiety can be of enormous benefit. I find that ignoring the elephant in the room and trying somehow to “push through” will only lead to another tense and ultimately disappointing performance.
Christopher Arneson, in the “Journal of Singing” (May/June 2010, “Performance Anxiety: A Twenty First Century Perspective” ), suggests a number of techniques including accepting your fear, understanding your fear (what is the source of the fear), silencing the negative inner voices (the judge, the doubter, the timid soul), getting rid of excuses, eliminating self-destructive behaviours, prepare, release physical tension, refuse to focus on your nervousness, have realistic expectations and finally, be generous (to others, and I think, to yourself). Phew, that’s a lot to think about and work through. But singing is a mind body and spirit activity, so all aspects of performance anxiety need to be addressed. And the day that you perform with freedom is a great day!
Criticism
Posted on | August 20, 2010 | Leave a comment
I have been teaching for over ten years, performing for 30, training for 23 years. I am certain, in fact I know, that at times I have performed badly, sung badly, taught badly. I have also performed well, sung well, taught well. I would suggest that you do not expect a baby who is learning to walk to get it right first time around, or even second time. We are so good at giving grace to babies and obvious new learners. Read more…
Health first. Style second.
Posted on | July 29, 2010 | Leave a comment
Jeanette LoVetri’s blog is a great source of inspiration. She writes:
What is a functional voice anyway? In order to measure disfunction, you have to recognize function first. One can never be too familiar with functional sound and its application to style. Health first, style second. When that is organized in the voice, the process can be reversed. That means that a singer with a really healthy, functionally varied voice, can adapt the voice to the style at hand without causing vocal distress. That happens only after the singer is skilled and experienced, and has the voice fully developed and available, a process that takes from 2 to 5 years of regular, disciplined technical work.
YES! Health first, style second!
Proud mother
Posted on | July 21, 2010 | Leave a comment
Why? Well, I’m ALWAYS incredibly proud of my beautiful children, but today we found out our son has been nominated as a finalist in the Pixel Prize competition www.thepixelprize.com.au for the very photo I use on the website! Congratulations Edward!
For how long do I need to come to lessons …
Posted on | July 12, 2010 | Leave a comment
Term Three starts today for the studio. I do have a few places available, so if you have always wanted to learn how to sing, or you want to improve your technique, now is the time to take action! Normally places are filled by the end of the first week of term so contact me to see if the timeslots available suit your schedule!
I have been reading about long term memory and how long it takes to practice with great attention before a new skill is acquired … any guesses?
Music and the brain …
Posted on | July 7, 2010 | Leave a comment
Your brain can change! And that is good news. I have been doing a little light reading over the holidays about the brain and music. I have two books – “This is Your Brain on Music” by Daniel J. Levitin and “The Brain that Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge, M.D. I haven’t finished either book yet, because I am so excited by both of them, that I find I just keep dipping into on and then the other.
I love that in “This is Your Brain on Music” right in the introduction Levitin comments that “Many people who love music profess to know nothing about it.” These are highly intelligent people who are intimidated by the jargon the music experts use to discuss music, yet they know what music they like and do not like. I find that this is true of learner singers who walk into my studio and say “I can’t sing” or “I have been told that I will never be able to sing” and yet I can play some scales which they then sing along to in tune and in time. This happened with a returning student only two days ago.
I believe
Posted on | May 27, 2010 | 1 Comment
I believe that everyone has a voice. I believe that everyone can sing. I believe that some people have voices which have a natural beauty, and others just require more work. I believe that good technique gives amazing results. I believe that even people who sound like they cannot sing really can. I believe that people who can sing really well often have problems in their voices which they conceal through unhelpful habits. I believe that even the best singers and teachers can learn something from someone with more experience and knowledge (especially me! I learn from great teachers whenever I can). I believe that it is a privilege to be a voice teacher. I believe that deep down everyone wants to sing, loves to sing (why are there so many “shower singers”?). I believe that all too often we don’t allow ourselves to sing, we get in the way of freedom of expression in singing. I believe that when we sing we often express emotions that we don’t allow ourselves to express in polite society (love, hate, rage, fear, anguish, despair, joy, exuberance, passion). I believe that when we sing well and freely we connect spirit to spirit, heart to heart, soul to soul. I believe in singing.
Timeslots are available
Posted on | May 10, 2010 | Leave a comment
If you are available during the daytime, I have a few slots available on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Check out the availabilities page for details! Afternoon slots continue to be tightly held, but if you are interested you can join my waiting list should a timeslot come up – you get first option, and if a student is sick or unavailable, I send out texts to wait list members should they be available for a casual lesson.
One of the issues which has reared it’s head in the last couple of weeks (especially with the Hairspray auditions – well attended by students of my studio!) is suitable preparation for music theatre auditions. Waapa is running it’s 2010 series of Music Theatre audition masterclasses in July, and Brisbane is on Friday 2nd July, from 10am – 1pm. More details may be found at waapa.ecu.edu.au. These courses are invaluable for those who are serious about a career in music theatre. I have had great feedback from students who have attended these in the past.
A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.
Maya Angelou
Term One 2010
Posted on | February 10, 2010 | Leave a comment
Term one is off and running. All places are currently filled and I am enjoying listening to a few new voices, and working with continuing students from 2009. Congratulations to all year 12s on their course acceptances – it is always sad when student leave but exciting to see them continue on their leaning journey, fulfilling their dreams.
One of the things I have noticed in my returning students is the summer break has meant a singing break. The breath flow is not doing what it once did, the notes are maybe not as strong as they were last year. So it is exciting to hear, in the second week back, improvements already simply by sticking with some practice. Remember, you wouldn't expect to be able to play an instrument well after a break, or with very little instruction. The voice is the same. Give it some focused and attentive workouts and it will be up and running again. Warm up, do some voice function work, sing your songs, cool down. The basics never go out of fashion!
Lessons 2010
Posted on | January 8, 2010 | Leave a comment
I will be starting lessons again on February 1st 2010, at Eatons Hill. In February (TBC) I will be moving to Bunya.
I think I am ready to get back to work. How do I know? I am reading textbooks and getting excited about teaching. I am listening to singers I love and singing myself. I am thinking with JOY about the new year! Breaks from learning and teaching are great. We get the chance to refresh and renew our mind – and bodies – and think about what we have absorbed over the previous year. I find that things I have learnt and thought about and worked on in my body and mind come to be established after quite a lengthy period of time. And I don't think I am a slow learner. Sometimes concepts, or new training patterns, take time to become automatic in both the mind and the body. I reflect on the value of thoughtful focused practice in those students who have grown vocally over the previous 12 months. Learning to sing is often seen as a short course – 6 weeks to a term. Most students do see instant improvements fairly quickly, but not all, and mastery can take years. I think if you thought you could master the piano in a term you would perhaps be mistaken – and, I humbly suggest, the same is true of learning to sing!
So as I reflect on last year and the new year, I am excited by those students I wave goodbye to as they start a new career or interstate study (special congratulations Emma!) , by existing students who are surely moving toward beauty of expression, competency and mastery of their voices, and by the new students starting to contact me for the few places I think I may have available. I am excited at the increasing opportunities in Brisbane afforded to learner singers to perform. I am excited by the new music we will discover together this year. And I am excited as a singer myself. What will I sing? What do I want to learn? What do I want to express? I have some projects to work on which excite me and motivate me to press onwards in my singing journey – now standing at 29 years since I first performed on a stage! Happy singing in 2010!