Easing your nerves: Tip #1

 Nerves are so annoying and can make your playing go from an A+ to a C.

I've experienced it plenty of times.  Your hands start to sweat....you're shaking....your entire body is tense.....  You begin to envisage the worst.  The piece you're about to play becomes extremely frightening (although you've practiced it perfectly 50 times already.)  You start to ponder what people are going to think of you...all of these eyes are focused on you waiting to make one mistake!! Too much pressure....you're freaking out!!!!!! Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!


Ok, seriously...relax.  


I could write a book on everything I have learned via experience and research to help you out on conquering your nerves before performing.  There are innumerable tips and tricks I can share with you, but that would mean I have to write a book.  Right now I don't have that kind of time, so I will try my best to break it down into "tips" every day for you.  I'm not sure how many tips I will end up with....but my guess is, easily over 10. 



The first tip is actually something I've learned from a musician friend of mine who is also a parent to one of my students.  When my students were playing at our Christmas party event, he overheard one of them complaining about her nerves kicking in (aka stage fright.)  He told her this sentence, and it's stuck in my mind ever since:

"You're already doing more than what the audience is doing....you're going up on stage." 


Think about it.  The majority of the time, I assume you aren't playing in a room full of professional musicians (unless you are a professional or music major, of course.)  You're playing in front of a bunch of people, who I would bet, don't play any instrument.  Therefore, just by having enough guts to walk on that stage and attempt to play something....you are doing more than they could do!!!!!!!!  And they respect you for that!!!!


So, tip #1 is to keep that sentence in mind.  You're already above them, so who are they to judge you for how you play? 


Tip #2 should come tomorrow.  Eat these tips up because they could be your new best friend during performance time!


Til next time
~Givi Girl

PS~I don't know about you but I'm sick of this cold weather!!!!

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