Performance Anxiety Strategies

A Musician's Guide to Managing Stage Fright

Casey McGrath; Karin S. Hendricks and Tawnya D. Smith

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.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 184 • Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜

978-1-4422-7151-7 • Hardback • November 2016 • $123.00 • (£95.00)

978-1-4422-7152-4 • Paperback • November 2016 • $53.00 • (£41.00)

978-1-4422-7153-1 • eBook • November 2016 • $50.00 • (£38.00)

Subjects: Music / Instruction & Study / Techniques, Art / Performance, Reference / Personal & Practical Guides

Performance Anxiety Strategies

A Musician's Guide to Managing Stage Fright

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

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.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 184 • Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜

978-1-4422-7151-7 • Hardback • November 2016 • $123.00 • (£95.00)

978-1-4422-7152-4 • Paperback • November 2016 • $53.00 • (£41.00)

978-1-4422-7153-1 • eBook • November 2016 • $50.00 • (£38.00)

Subjects: Music / Instruction & Study / Techniques, Art / Performance, Reference / Personal & Practical Guides

Author

Casey McGrath holds a doctorate of musical arts in performance and literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and a master of music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She serves as concertmaster for the Fox Valley Orchestra and on the music faculty of Joliet Junior College.

Karin S. Hendricks is assistant professor of music education at Boston University. She is an award-winning music teacher and taught orchestra in public schools for thirteen years. She has presented research and practitioner workshops nationally and internationally and has published papers in many professional and peer-reviewed journals and books.

Tawnya D. Smith is lecturer in music education in the College of Fine Arts at Boston University. She completed a PhD in curriculum and instruction at the University of Illinois and a certificate of advanced graduate study in expressive arts therapy at Lesley University.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Why Do We Experience MPA?
Chapter Three: Cognitive Behavioral Therapies
Chapter Four: Exposure Therapy
Chapter Five: Beta-Blockers and Anti-Anxiety Medications
Chapter Six: Natural and Holistic Approaches
Chapter Six Activity: Body Awareness
Chapter Seven: Expressive Arts Therapies
Chapter Seven Activity: Identifying and Working with Your Inner Voices
Chapter Eight: Especially for Teachers—Preventing Music Performance Anxiety
Chapter Eight Activity: Reducing the Stigma of MPA
Chapter Nine: Self-Help Books and Other Resources

Reviews

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