Everyone Has Their Own Story with Performance Anxiety

For some, it begins with a very specific event: “It all started with that recital in music school, and since then things have only gotten worse.” For others, certain people either alleviate or intensify their performance anxiety. A rare few will say they never get nervous before going on stage. That is possible, though uncommon. Most people have experienced performance anxiety in one way or another, because it is the body’s natural reaction to a threatening situation. Performance, with its uncertainties and unpredictability, can feel threatening.

Patston (2014) defines music performance anxiety as a persistent, distressing fear and/or deterioration of performance abilities in public situations that is disproportionate to a person’s musical ability, training, and preparation. Many musicians describe how rehearsals and run-throughs go smoothly, but once they step in front of an audience, everything becomes more difficult. Performance anxiety does not arise out of nowhere—it is reinforced by negative thought patterns, including catastrophizing (“my dress will fall off”), perfectionism (“if I can’t play this perfectly, there’s no point in going on stage”), or fears of memory lapses and critical judgments from others.

Below are some reflections on performance anxiety that are not often discussed. I am not offering a comprehensive overview or a single solution. While this article focuses on musicians, the ideas may also resonate with other performers—dancers, actors, and performance artists alike.

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Performance Anxiety as a Collective Concern

Recently, the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) addressed performance anxiety, framing it through the lens of workplace wellbeing and organizational context. Performance anxiety is not a sign of weakness, poor character, or a bad work ethic.

BAPAM suggests looking at performance anxiety from an organizational perspective—asking what can be done systematically, how work might be reshaped, and whether certain practices can be abandoned. Must we always manufacture stressful situations? Is it evidence-based? Is it appropriate across all age groups? How can we build a more supportive environment for performance, provide backstage reassurance, or allow moments of rest?

We might also ask whether working lives can be organized so that musicians are not forced to shuttle between multiple jobs, sacrificing holidays, family time, and major celebrations. Sleep hygiene is another key issue, and BAPAM highlights the importance of supporting it communally: ensembles, orchestras, or student groups can agree on “healthy hours” for sending messages and emails, which in turn supports sustainable mental health.

Of course, each musician can also be supported individually—through psychological skills, social skills, and self-care. Yet broad, systemic changes may be more effective. It is a shared responsibility not to cultivate performance anxiety but to support environments where people feel safe, and therefore valued.

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A Trauma-Informed Perspective

Behavioral theories also link performance anxiety to traumatic experiences. When a musician’s formative years include situations that foster unhealthy coping strategies, hinder adaptation, or provide little support, excessive anxiety becomes easier to trigger (Herman & Clark, 2023).

One music student put it this way (generalized): “I have a very good relationship with my current teacher—supportive, constructive feedback. But before a concert, that teacher sat in the same place as my former teacher, who was abusive and traumatizing. I couldn’t concentrate on my performance because it brought back painful memories of the past.”

This illustrates the importance of trauma-informed teaching in music. Teachers should avoid placing students repeatedly in triggering situations. They should not encourage detailed retelling of traumatic experiences, as the body may relive them. Instead, they can affirm that the current environment is safe and that a certain degree of anxiety is normal.

When musicians are repeatedly retraumatized, they do not learn—in fact, they may develop aversions to their entire field: avoiding concerts, staying away from music venues, or steering their children away from musical education. Trauma-informed practices are therefore essential not only for individuals, but also for the long-term health of the profession.

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Positive Thinking—But Not Through Rose-Colored Glasses

As a psychologist, I’ve noticed that performance anxiety often eases when people learn to notice their strengths. Negative factors usually command most of our attention, while positives are overlooked. In music education, the focus is often on flaws, rather than strengths (Patston & Waters, 2015). This naturally raises stress levels and fuels unhelpful performance anxiety.

But can performance anxiety itself ever be useful? Sports and performance psychologists have long argued that stage fright is a natural reaction to a meaningful yet risky situation. Anxiety, in this view, can be welcomed and even harnessed as a source of energy. Many athletes and performers admit that what unsettles them most is when they don’t feel their usual pre-performance nerves.

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What Can Be Done?

Sara Solovitch, in her memoir of living with stage fright, writes: “Every pianist’s performance anxiety is as unique as a fingerprint.” This rings true. Each performer has their own path, their own performance opportunities, their own supportive—or unsupportive—circles of people. Everyone also tells themselves a unique story about performance anxiety.

Performers notice both triggers and buffers. One practical tip is to focus on the factors that help you manage better. It might be a phone call with a friend beforehand, or the encouraging presence of loved ones in the front row. Even when that support isn’t physically there, evoking the feeling can still help.

A useful technique is the ladder exercise. Common in psychology, it ranks situations according to how much anxiety they provoke. Suppose a pianist faces a major concert in Estonia’s most renowned hall, with not only an expert audience but also a scholarship jury present. That may feel like the peak of anxiety. What could be three “rungs” below that? Perhaps a run-through in the same hall but with a smaller, supportive audience. A gentler step might be a public run-through in a casual space like an airport or shopping center, where listeners are simply grateful for the music. A still lower rung could be playing the program for one’s teacher. Starting from the bottom and gradually climbing builds experience: even under pressure, the music is still playable. Such experiences grow confidence.

Finally, we cannot overlook breathing techniques. Whether simple breathing, meditation, or guided visualization, these practices can regulate anxiety so it supports rather than hinders performance. But they must be practiced regularly—not just once before a concert. A solid breathing practice should be part of every musician’s toolkit, rehearsed daily on good days and bad. Research confirms that even three minutes of daily practice can create meaningful changes in body and brain.

The brain learns what it rehearses. If it repeatedly pairs performance opportunities with worry, negative self-talk, and harsh self-demands, then anxiety will reliably follow. But the opposite is also true: the brain can be trained to welcome curiosity, to notice emotions with kindness, and to recognize that healthy performance anxiety is part of performing well. With this mindset, performance becomes more confident.

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Practical Suggestions for Musicians Coping with Performance Anxiety

• Reflect on your positive performance experiences.

• Find a breathing exercise that suits you.

• Establish a pre-performance routine—it offers safety and confidence.

• After performing, write down what you learned: highlight both strengths and areas to improve. Be kind to yourself.

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Elina Kivinukk is a psychologist and consultant in sport and performance psychology.

https://www.temuki.ee/2025/04/kolm-vaadet-esinemisarevusele/

Performance anxiety, in Leonardo AI’s creative interpretation.

References and Further Reading:

• Herman, R. & Clark, T. (2023). It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and de-pathologizing music performance anxiety. Front. Psychol. 14:1194873. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1194873

• Patston, T. (2014). Teaching stage fright? Implications for music educators. British Journal of Music Education, 31(1), 85–98.

• Patston, T. & Waters, L. (2015). Positive instruction in music studios: Introducing a new model for teaching studio music in schools based upon positive psychology. Psychology of Well-Being, 5, 1–10.

• Solovitch, S. (2015). Playing Scared: My Journey Through Stage Fright. Bloomsbury.

• BAPAM – Managing Performance Anxiety

• Trauma-Informed Practice – palunabi.ee resource