The Happy Musician

It’s completely normal to be nervous or even scared when you’re performing live, and almost everyone feels this way at some point. This thing we call stage fright is part of our fight-or-flight response. The sympathetic nerve (the nerve that runs almost all the way down your spine from the base of your skull) tells the heart to beat faster and the lungs to take in more air when you are anxious.

However, the parasympathetic nervous system is the one that slows your heart rate and brings down your blood pressure.

Some good ways to calm yourself down before an audition or performance include:

• Taking a walk – whether it be backstage, in a room, or with a friend.
• Splashing a little cold water on your face. If you dont have a microphone pack on, you can gently wet your face or neck. Water stimulates the vagus nerve, which instantly lowers the heart rate and calms the organs.
• Doing a vocal warmup (if you can), such as humming.
• Moving. Shake out your hands, rotate your neck, or stretch.
• Taking at least one minute of controlled breathing: inhale for four seconds, exhale for four seconds. You may change the interval if you’d like.
• Focusing on one step at a time. If you are sufficiently prepared, there is nothing to worry about. Even if you forget a word here or there, no one will remember but you.

I hope this helps with your performance anxiety, particularly as end-of-year concerts are coming up. Thanks for reading!