Performance Anxiety Strategies

Music performance anxiety has long frustrated the artistic community and, while tricks and folk remedies abound, a comprehensive plan to solve this problem has remained elusive. Accomplished violinist Casey McGrath combines her experiences with the research of Karin S. Hendricks and Tawnya D. Smith to provide a resource guide to the most current solutions and therapies, as well as educational applications, for both individual and classroom use. Divided by area of therapeutic interest, Performance Anxiety Strategies presents relevant and noteworthy research and insight into some of the most popular and many lesser-known therapies-including holistic, exposure, cognitive, behavioral, and medicinal treatments. Each chapter also features self-guided activities and exercises, words of wisdom from established performing artists and athletes, and suggestions for music teachers, as well as first-person narratives about the authors' personal journeys with music performance anxiety both onstage and in the classroom. Including a wealth of offerings and approaches, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone who has ever experienced performance anxiety, from the aspiring classical musician to the garage band guitarist.
The authors present relevant and noteworthy research and insight into many therapies, including holistic, exposure, cognitive and behavioral therapies, and medicinal treatments. Each chapter features self-guided activities and journaling exercises, words of wisdom from established performing artists and athletes, and suggestions for music teachers.
Performance Anxiety Strategies provides a quality introduction to the multitude of methods and therapies available to counteract MPA. . . However, this book (with its clearing house of techniques and guided activities to help fine tune your treatment options) goes a long way in helping discern which path is best for you. Wherever you fit on the spectrum between traditional medicine and holistic approach, fully emotional response and fully rational logic, there's something for you in this book. But the one thing this book won't do is to provide a quick fix to your stage fright issues. That task is up to you. RECOMMENDED.--The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians