Klarinet Archive - Posting 000459.txt from 1995/01

From: Michelle White <ShellAnn@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Nerves
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 13:02:04 -0500

Hello there! Two of the techniques that I use to overcome nerves are as
follows:

(1) Think of your favourite clarinet player...the one that you aspire to play
like. Then, imagine that YOU are that person....you will play exactly as
they do, in regards to mannerisms, movements, phrasings, etc. The idea is
that you will be so persistent in being another, more CONFIDENT player...you
will suddenly feel a sense of calm.

(2) Picture your most comfortable/favourite rehearsing environment. Close
your eyes before you play and imagine everything about that place....what is
the usual temeparature, what do you SEE, what do you SMELL, what do you HEAR,
etc....use ALL of your senses. And make sure that you are very, very
descriptive!! Mentally put yourself in that room. Being nervous before a
performance is really a mind game. You have to convince yourself (your mind)
that you are NOT in a nervous situation...and, since our minds do not know
the difference between reality and fiction, it is easy to convince ourselves
that we are elsewhere.

I would also recommend readin THE INNER GAME OF MUSIC by Barry Green and
Timothy Galway. It is a wonderful book and it deals with these
principles.....how to play at your best and use ALL of your
ability/potential.

The ideas I mentioned above I learned from a clinic given at the TMEA
convention a couple years ago. There were a couple other methods provided,
but these two actually worked the best for me!!

Good luck!!

Michelle