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Do You Get Nervous and Scared when Performing? I Do!

Zlata Brouwer

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Published: April 1, 2014 at 10:58 AM [UTC]

Sylviane writes...
Hello Zlata,

I can't wait to see the pictures and movie of your recital with your piano accompanist. It must be great!
Is it true that you also get nervous and scared? But you are so good, you should not have the feeling?
I am in the contrary always have that feeling. I sometimes perform accompanying my daughter either on piano or on violin. I always have trembling and sweaty hands, my heart would beat so fast that it might pop out. No matter how hard I practice and tell myself it's giong to be okay, the moment I step on the stage with her, those scary feelings come back.

I am glad you overcome your fear and it turned out great!
Sylviane


In this video I share with you my experience with stage fright (including panic attacks) and my view on this topic after quite some research.

Nope, I didn’t lose the fear! Yes, I am terrified from time to time, certainly when performing solo.

Feel the fear and do it anyway!

Watch this video to learn you are not the only one and how you can perform despite of the fear:

Now I would like to hear from you!

Do you have experienced stage fright?

What are your strategies?

Please let me know in the comments!

Love,

Zlata


From Michelle Parker
Posted on April 1, 2014 at 3:02 PM
Oh absolutely yes! It's definitely worse if I'm performing solo, but the worst of all is always improvising. I have so much respect for guitar players who "jam" live, because my hands are always a shaking mess if I'm trying to come up with something on the fly - even if I thought before about some good runs or chords to throw around, that all goes out the window as soon as my bow touches the strings. It's so, so intimidating.

The only time I get nervous with orchestral playing is if I have to play a solo (because there are 70 people who will absolutely know if you mess it up, since they've heard it plenty before), or if I feel that the orchestra isn't well prepared. That, I think, is more apprehension than anything else and I don't shake and sweat the way I otherwise would, but I'm definitely tense.

From Zlata Brouwer
Posted on April 2, 2014 at 9:40 AM
Thanks for sharing, Michelle!

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