Music Performance Anxiety (MPA)

1. INTRODUCTION Defining 'Music Performance Anxiety'. What is the most well-known definition of 'performance anxiety'. How is it different to 'stage fright'?

1.1. - the experience of marked and persistent anxious apprehension - manifested through combinations of affective, cognitive, somatic and behavioral symptoms (Kenny, 2011)

1.1.1. the experience of persisting, distressful apprehension and/or actual impairment of performance skills in a public context, to a degree unwarranted given the individual's musical aptitude, training, and level of preparation (p. 3). (Salmon, 1990)

1.2. MPA is often confused with Stage Fright. Stage fright is a normal reaction which should be optimised to enhance accomplishments in the performance situation

2. What is Music Performance Anxiety caused by?

2.1. Complex phenomenon caused by the interaction of many factors, including genetics, environmental stimuli, and the individual's experience, emotions, cognitions and behaviours (Kenny, 2011)

2.2. Set of vulnerabilities: generalized biological (heritable), generalized psychological (early experiences in developing a sense of control over salient events), and more specific psychological vulnerabilities (anxiety associated with certain environmental stimuli through learning processes) (Barlow 2000)

2.2.1. Barlow (2000)'s Model suggests that the systems affected in performance anxiety are the somatic (hyperarousal or acute stress response that produces a range of bodily sensations that prepare the body to meet the perceived challenge), the emotional (anxiety, fear, panic), the cognitive (worry, dread, inattention, lack of concentration, memory loss), and the behavioural manifestations (technical errors, memory loss, performance breaks, avoidance of perfomance opportunities).

2.3. MPA increases with audience size & perceived importance of performance (LeBlanc, 1997)

2.4. Music performance anxiety has been proven to arise independently of age, experience and performance setting (Kenny, 2006)

3. How can performance anxiety be treated

3.1. - most forms of performance anxiety are difficult to treat; awareness of the availability of effective treats for musicians with performance anxiety should be introduced to student musicians at an early stage of their musical training (REFERENCE)

3.1.1. sound pedagogy, appropriate parental support and expectations, and the learning of self-management strategies early in one's musical education can help to mitigate the effects of entering a highly stressful profession Repeated exposure to the feared situation (music performance) in the absence of the development of skills and strategies to ensure success is likely to have a detrimental effect on the performer with potentially devastating consequences

4. What occurs during performance anxiety

4.1. significant increases in heartrate between baseline and recital, between the 'sitting stage-side', 'walking on stage' and 'playing' stage of recital. 17 of the 22 subjects interviewed reported feelings of anxiety when performing in piano recitals, many noting a fear of making mistakes in front of people as the primary cause (Ryan, 1998)

4.2. girls had substantially higher heart rates than boys immediately prior to but not during their performance; boys had significantly more anxious behaviours than girls both prior to, and during a performance (Ryan, 2004)

4.3. poor concentration, rapid heart rate, tremor, sweating and dry mouth were the most commonly reported anxious symptoms among their study populartion (Wesner, 2009)