All Performance nerves articles
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Focus8 ways to combat negative thoughts on stage
How to banish your inner demons from The Strad's Archive
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The secrets of violinist Dorothy DeLay's teaching methods
Violinist Piet Koornhof witnessed Dorothy DeLay's extraordinary teaching skills as one of her students at the Juilliard School in New York. In 2001 he analysed what made her method so successful
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Me and my teacher: Dan Styffe and Gary Karr
The double bass virtuoso taught Styffe how to control the pressures of the world outside the teaching studio
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Feature
Ask the Experts: should players separate technique and musicality in practice?
A violinist asks if players should separate technique and musicality when preparing a piece for a performance, and if there is a strategy that can help combat performance nerves
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Harnessing breathing to improve your string playing
Breathing naturally is one of the first principles of Alexander teaching - and it's a must for anyone who suffers from stage fright, says Joseph Sanders
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7 techniques to combat stage fright
How often has a potential performance of a lifetime turned into a performance from hell? Are you suffering from stage fright? Laurinel Owen gives advice on overcoming this common affliction
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From the Archive: the difficulties of playing in tune
The Strad writer E. Polonaski bemoans the number of string players with suspect intonation in our March 1893 issue
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Blogs
The 5 steps to natural stage presence
Cellist and workshop leader Ruth Phillips explains how yoga and meditation liberated her from the prison of stage fright
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Focus
10 views on the benefits of slow practice
Debate on how best to harness slow practice from The Strad Archive
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Blogs
Playing the violin places constant strain on the body, yet we leave posture to chance
A holistic approach to teaching should treat healthy body position as seriously as scales and etudes
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Blogs
6 mindfulness techniques for music teachers
Mindfulness is an invaluable tool for teaching students how to concentrate on-stage, improve awareness in the practice room, play pain-free, and move on from disappointing auditions or performance experiences, writes Dr. Travis Baird
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Blogs
9 ways for musicians to think like top athletes
Carole Talbot-Honeck earned her Masters degree from The University of Ottawa studying the psychological prerequisites for optimal musical performance. Here, she outlines a number of sporting attitudes, which are of equal value to musicians
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Focus
Conquering performance nerves: starting well and keeping tempo on track
Brian Hodges answers student questions on coping with stage fright
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Blogs
Conquering performance nerves: sweaty hands, losing bow grip
Brian Hodges answers student questions on coping with stage fright
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Blogs
Becoming a better and happier musician through mindfulness and yoga
Violinists Elena Urioste and Melissa White’s musical lives have been transformed by yoga, finding both body and mind freer and more resilient against the rigours of life as a professional musician
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Focus
Four alternative methods to make sure your practice efforts survive the pressures of performance
A violist with a background in neuroscience, Molly Gebrian shares some alternative practice methods informed by studies on how our brain processes learning
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Article
How I manage my nerves on stage: violist Tabea Zimmermann
The German violist reflects on managing self-doubt, concentrating on the positive and breathing
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Blogs
10 tips for a successful orchestral audition
Chicago Symphony Orchestra cellist Brant Taylor offers advice to candidates hoping to succeed in that all-important orchestral audition
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Blogs
Conquering performance nerves: staying focused on stage
Brian Hodges and Diana Allan answer student questions on coping with stage fright
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Focus
Is popping pills the sure way to beat performance nerves?
In this article from The Strad August 2010, Catherine Nelson talks to musicians and medical experts about the risks and benefits of using beta-blockers to overcome performance anxiety, and why their use is still such a sensitive subject
