Why did it sound better in the practice room? A guide to music performance anxiety and how to cope with it through journal writing.

摘要

The aim of this dissertation is to inform teachers and performers about music performance anxiety, how it has been dealt with in the past, and to suggest journal writing as a creative way to cope with any performance fears a musician might have.;Part one highlights recent topics from sport and music performance anxiety research. Music teachers and students may use this section as a way to become aware of the issues surrounding music performance anxiety. This immense body of research is divided into three chapters that define music performance anxiety, discuss possible causes, and lists some of the most current coping strategies. Part one concludes with research on the benefits of using journal writing as a tool to cope with anxiety or any life stress.;Part two is a journaling workbook that contains writing exercises intended to help musicians learn about themselves, cope with music performance anxiety, and become stronger performers. There are five sections of writing exercises, each designed to focus on one topic area (basic exercises, personal/autobiographical, practice, achieving goals, and fears/self-doubt).