Overcoming Performance Anxiety and Stage Fright
As I sit at the piano playing through Schumann’s 23-minute Carnaval, trying very hard to remember everything and not miss a single note, the familiar thoughts begin creeping up: Do I really know this piece? What if I get totally lost? Where should I skip to if I get lost? How does one really play piano anyway? Am I moving my fingers correctly? Is my bench too low? Did I warm up enough? I never noticed I can see the reflection of my hands while I’m playing…oh no, now I can only focus on that.
And then the feelings and sensations begin: My heart starts pounding, which leads me to play too fast. There is the terrifying realization that I’m stuck here, unless I make the socially questionable decision of stopping and running off stage. Uh-oh, my hands are starting to shake and sweat. If you’ve never played piano with shaky and sweaty hands, I don’t recommend it.
And then a missed note. Ugh. Should I go back and fix it? Too late! Focus on the upcoming notes! Ugh, I missed those too. This is starting to become noticeable to the audience. In this moment, I would rather be anywhere else in the world.
Unfortunately, my experience is not abnormal; a recent study suggested that an “alarmingly high” rate of 60-80% of professional musicians suffer from performance anxiety (Gómez-López & Sánchez-Cabrero, 2023). Sadly, this same study found that 20% of musicians ultimately change careers due to this.
The good news is that, like all forms of anxiety, performance anxiety is treatable through cognitive-therapy techniques and exposure therapy; much of my former career as a musician and piano teacher focused on coaching my students through anxiety while learning and applying these techniques myself. To quote the old proverb, “Physician, heal thyself.”
What follows is a non-exhaustive list of my favorite techniques when learning to manage, and even overcome, performance anxiety and stage fright:
- Imagine the worst-case scenario. Will the audience follow the classic trope and pelt you with vegetables? Will there be a front-page “WORST PIANIST EVER!” headline in the New York Times? One student worried about the (admittedly unlikely) possibility of being heckled by the audience, which seemed like a good opportunity for practice. I had him perform his pieces while I booed the entire time. This was less difficult and more amusing than he had imagined. I invited another student to perform her piece as terribly as possible and challenged her to miss every note. Allowing ourselves to make mistakes can be freeing!
- Write it down. I’ve had students write short stories about their worst-case performances; words can lose power after being transferred to paper. Sometimes we would take turns reading this story repeatedly until it began to cause less anxiety; sometimes we would make it more ridiculous by reading it in Cookie Monster’s voice or adding dramatic background music.
- Get physical. Anxiety therapists use the technique “interoceptive exposures,” which is a fancy way of saying, “Get used to the physical symptoms of anxiety.” I will sometimes jog for a minute or hyperventilate before running through my pieces. This might sound bizarre, but it’s an excellent way to practice performing while experiencing uncomfortable physical sensations. Many music students (and anxious clients) feel dizzy during performances or important presentations, and they have all benefitted from techniques such as spinning around in a desk chair before rehearsing. Odd, yes, but effective.
- Practice, practice, practice. One of the best ways to overcome performance anxiety (or any anxiety, for that matter) is putting yourself in uncomfortable situations as often as possible. Volunteer to perform at a retirement home, perform for family and friends; maybe even invite the mailman inside to listen for a few minutes. I once played four recitals in a week and felt calm enough to nearly fall asleep during the fourth one. I was puzzled by the intensity of my anxiety during a performance in 2021 until I realized that, due to the pandemic, I hadn’t played for an audience in two years. It is a muscle that must be continually exercised.
I have played some truly atrocious performances, and the outcome has always been the same: the audience applauds. The few audience members who know the pieces might tell me “Congratulations!” which is musician-speak for, “I didn’t like it, but I have to say something courteous.” Everyone returns to their jobs and families, and life somehow moves on. Living through my own worst-case scenarios several times was not enjoyable, but it has thankfully shown me that the monster has no teeth.
Adam Jaffe, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta. Mr, Jaffe specializes in the treatment of anxiety, OCD and, yes, performance anxiety. He is also a classically trained musician and performs throughout the year with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra.
