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 Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Cara 
Date:   2000-06-01 05:17

I have an exam and an audition coming up and am really concerned about my hands,when they are cold my fingers are stiff and I just cannot get enough fluency.Despite wearing polar fleece gloves ,when I am nervous they still get cold and stiff,can anyone give me advice?thank-you,cara

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Lbh 
Date:   2000-06-02 01:24

Cara !
Hey - Can I add on to your question ? How do you stop shaking while talking an audition. I have a solo thingie tomorrow, and i'm terrified, but I know what i'm doing. Today I played it for one of my directors, and although I was perfect i kept shaking and it effected my phrasing !! I mean, yeah it was nerves, i'm soo intimitated by this guy, but what if this happens tomorrow ?! Help !!

Laur

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Lbh 
Date:   2000-06-02 01:24

Cara !
Hey - Can I add on to your question ? How do you stop shaking while talking an audition. I have a solo thingie tomorrow, and i'm terrified, but I know what i'm doing. Today I played it for one of my directors, and although I was perfect i kept shaking and it effected my phrasing !! I mean, yeah it was nerves, i'm soo intimitated by this guy, but what if this happens tomorrow ?! Help !!

Laur

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Mark Charette 
Date:   2000-06-02 01:34

You just need to do it more often (playing in front of a reviewer).

The first time I taught a college course I was horribly nervous - I was in the service teaching at a naval school where all my students outranked me! After a couple days, however, I got used to the idea that I was there to help them through some tough material and I really <b>did</b> know more about the subject than they did. Once you have confidence, the nerves start to disappear. I still get nervous when teaching or lecturing - but only for about a minute or so (I always rehearse my openings so I can get by that "fear" time on automatic.)

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Bob Gardner 
Date:   2000-06-02 02:22

Talk about more guts then brains. I had been playing my for about 2 months and i was to give a perforance at a varitey show here in our valley. I worked on a couple on numbers--Red River Valley and More. I told a few jokes and played the horn. I got more laughs from playing the horn then from the jokes. This was my first time on stage (alone). What the heck everyones knows I'm a little crazy so I went for it. You have to ask yourself--what is the worst thing that can happen. Go for it and have fun.
I will be better this year then I was last. I'm working on Summertime and Stangers on the Shore. piece of Cake
Bob

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Eoin 
Date:   2000-06-02 12:23

Keep the polar fleece gloves on. Clench and unclench your hands over and over again without straining. This will warm them up. If you are out of doors, polar fleece gloves don't keep out the wind, so keep your hands in your pockets as well.

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr. 
Date:   2000-06-02 17:25

In addition to the other comments, I'd suggest biofeedback; think of your arms as rivers, carrying hot water downstream to your hands. Thinking about warmth will help to relax you and your mind will direct your nervous system to expand the blood vessels in your arms and hands. Try it before a crisis situation when your hands are cold for whatever reason--the mind is an amazing organ! Best wishes.

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: C. Hogue 
Date:   2000-06-02 18:26

I agree with the biofeedback comment!

A simple suggestion -- remember to BREATHE, deep and slow during the hour or so before you are "on." When you talk to someone during this time, do so slowly and low-pitched, like you are the most laid-back person on Earth. Keep breathing deep and slow. Maybe you can even imagine the tension slowly rising from your body and dissolving into the air.

Just focusing on BREATHING deeply and slowly will help your body to relax. This relaxing is likely to increase the blood supply to peripheral areas like hands (and shaky knees!). Cold hands can be from poor circulation -- your body, feeling fear, tenses up and decreases the blood supply to the limbs and keeps it in your trunk.



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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Cara 
Date:   2000-06-02 21:19

Thank-you.I will try hard with warm wishing!

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: Roger 
Date:   2000-06-04 09:17

Recently attended a lecture about performance nerves given by Ruth Bonetti (an accomplished horn player) where she told us of many simple strategies to help with our nerves and fears prior to Taking Centre Stage, which is the title of her book on the subject.The ideas seem to work for me,I was the volunteer that got dobbed in to do the before and after bit.C.Hogue is right on with his breathing suggestion.Mark has the answer also in,the more you front up the easier it gets. If you want more info Ruth has a web site re-lectures and her books.

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 RE: Cold hands and nerves!
Author: C. Hogue 
Date:   2000-06-05 03:06

Just to point out C. Hogue is a SHE not a he. FYI only.

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