STRESS, ANXIETY, AND AROUSAL IN PERFORMANCE

I just read a great article in the NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Journal called "Understanding Performance Anxiety" by Shirlee Emmons and Alma Thomas.  They pretty thoroughly covered the issues of preperformance jitters, the differences between people who deal well under high stress and those who function better under low stress, the condition that defines an Ideal Performance State, and ways to manage performance arousal and anxiety.  We have all felt it at some time or another; be it before an audition or performance, or sometimes right in the middle of singing.  To quote the authors "stress tends to be the result of the interaction between the singer and the environment . . . Whether, however, the environment causes an anxious response in performers will depend on the appraisal of their ability to meet the demands of the performing situation.  Examples of stressors include:

The  very presence of the audition panel

Another singer performing the same repertoire (song)

The presence of the voice teacher during a performance

An opening night with press present

An accompanist arriving late

Bad weather  cutting size of audience

An ill-fitting costume

A critical attitude on the part of the musical director

The presence in the audience of a musical or theatrical VIP"

I'd like to know if any of these have affected you negatively (stress, anxiety) or positively (arousal) in auditions or performances or if you can think of others you'd like to share.  Please email me at joan@joanbarberstudio.com and I will share the results with the rest of our ''BEING VOCAL" community.  Then we'll talk about how they affect us and ultimately share our SOLUTIONS!