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Re: relaxing

Author: hautbois
Date: 2009-02-22 13:24

What helped me:
A few decades ago I used to get pretty nervous before an important solo as well. I used two strategies and they helped me, with my particular personality, change that entirely. I might have felt 'tight' and a bit figity on occasion, but never really nervous again.
First, I figured out the symptoms of nervousness which would afflict me (shakey legs, if it was a solo for which I was to stand, as, for example, when the conductor would have the obligato instrument stand with the vocalist for a Bach aria; cold hands; moist fingers; dry mouth). Then I woud duplicate those symptoms as best I could in my practice (wipe out my mouth with a cloth; cool my hands; moisten my fingers; wear ridiculously high heeled shoes). I trained myself to realize that EVEN IF one or all of those symptoms occured in concert, I COULD STILL PLAY WELL. It would perhaps not be my best performance, but it would be ok. As a result, when I began to feel tight before an important solo, the feeling never again progressed to real nervousness.
Second, I would remind myself of the mantra: Focus on WHAT you are doing and NOT on HOW WELL you are doing it. Or, in the words of that famous positive-thinking corporate entity NIKE: JUST DO IT.
Maybe my experience will help someone else.
Elizabeth

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relaxing new

jrestes

2009-01-30 20:04