Why is it that well-prepared, talented, hardworking, and intelligent performers find their performance and self-esteem undermined by the fear of memory slips, technique failures, and public humiliation? In Managing Stage Fright: A Guide for Musicians and Music Teachers, author Julie Jaffee Nagel unravels these mysteries, taking the reader on an intensive backstage tour of the anxious performer's emotions to explain why stage fright happens and what performers can do to increase their comfort in the glare of the spotlight. Examining the topic from her interdisciplinary educational, theoretical, clinical, and personal perspectives, Nagel uses the music teacher/student relationship as a model for understanding the performance anxiety that affects musicians and non-musicians alike. Shedding new light on how the performer's emotional life is connected to every other facet of their life, Managing Stage Fright encourages a deeper understanding of anxiety when performing. The guide offers strategies for achieving performance confidence, emphasizing the relevance of mental health in teaching and performing. Through the practices of self-awareness outlined in the book, Nagel demonstrates that it is possible and desirable for teachers to assist students in developing the coping skills and attitudes that will allow them to not feel overwhelmed and powerless when they experience strong anxiety. Each chapter contains insights that help teachers recognize the symptoms-obvious, subtle, and puzzling-of the emotional grip of stage fright, while offering practical guidelines that empower teachers to empower their students. The psychological concepts offered, when added to pedagogical techniques, are invaluable in music performance and in a variety of life situations since, after all, music lessons are life lessons.

Best-selling Author Janet Esposito brings more than a decade of experience helping people learn to speak and perform with calm and confidence. In Getting Over Stage Fright, Janet offers a new, holistic approach to this age-old problem, sharing a wide array of principles and practices to help you create the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being you need to get beyond your speaking or performing fear. This book is especially helpful to those who have moderate to high levels of performance anxiety, though it can also help those who have a milder case of the jitters. It will help you in all types of speaking or performing situations, ranging from the most casual to the most formal. It will also help you reduce and better manage any anticipatory anxiety you have before stepping up to speak or perform.

Descriptions from blurbs on back cove from noted persons in this field and others: HERSETH QUOTE: "This is a very comprehensive and thorough study of 'stage fright,' which is a problem for many public performers. I am sure it will be very helpful to anyone who has experienced such feelings. Congratulations Michael." --Adolph "Bud" Herseth -- Principal Trumpet Emeritus -- Chicago Symphony Orchestra. SCARLETT QUOTE: "This is a good source to sort out the characteristics and causes of stage fright. Many people will find this book helpful to relieve this frustrating roadblock to artistic performance." --William Scarlett, Assistant Principal Trumpet, Retired, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. HOFFMANN QUOTE: "Mike Goode writes with personal insight and great clarity about the important performance problem of stage fright. His analysis is well founded in contemporary neurobiological and physiological terms. The case studies are extremely illuminating. This book is 'must reading' for those in the performing arts." --Philip C. Hoffmann, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, The University of Chicago. HALE QUOTE: "This book is helpful for singers wanting to understand how their personal psychology affects their performance ability." --Elizabeth Hale Knox, Mezzo-Soprano and Voice Teacher, Music of the Baroque and the Grant Park Symphony Chorus. TRAINOR QUOTE: "Goode goes beyond the clinical analysis of 'stage fright' symptoms and grounds the phenomenon in a human context that the average, non-scientific reader can relate to. This book is not just for musicians. Everyone has some experience with performance anxiety, and Goode offers hope to all who have suffered from it." --Ken Trainor, Managing Editor and Columnist, Wednesday Journal Newspaper. "The book describes stage fright and presents solutions to remedy it." -- The author.

In The Musician's Way, veteran performer and educator Gerald Klickstein combines the latest research with his 30 years of professional experience to provide aspiring musicians with a roadmap to artistic excellence. Part I, Artful Practice, describes strategies to interpret and memorize compositions, fuel motivation, collaborate, and more. Part II, Fearless Performance, lifts the lid on the hidden causes of nervousness and shows how musicians can become confident performers. Part III, Lifelong Creativity, surveys tactics to prevent music-related injuries and equips musicians to tap their own innate creativity. Written in a conversational style, The Musician's Way presents an inclusive system for all instrumentalists and vocalists to advance their musical abilities and succeed as performing artists.

Stage Fright in the Actor explores the phenomena of stage fright-a universal experience that ranges in intensity from a relatively easy-to-conceal sense of anxiety to an overwhelming feeling of terror-from the actor's perspective, unearthing its social, cultural, and personal roots. Drawing on her experience as both an actor trainer and a licensed psychotherapist, Linda Brennan recounts the testimonies of professional actors to paint a clear picture of the artistic, behavioral, cognitive, physiological, and psychological characteristics of stage fright. This book encourages the reader to reflect on their own experiences while guided by the stories of fellow actors. Their personal accounts, combined with clinical research and practical exercises, will help readers to identify, manage, and even conquer this "demon in the wings." Stage Fright in the Actor is an essential tool for actors and acting students. Its insight into the many manifestations of stage fright also renders it as valuable reading for acting/performing arts teachers and directors, as well as anyone who fears stepping "onstage."

Master your anxiety and regain your freedom to drive, travel, and do everything else that panic has taken from you, with proven techniques and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) exercises. Panic attacks trick millions of people into fearing disaster and giving up so many of the activities they used to enjoy without fear. This practical workbook full of proven strategies and helpful advice on how to master your anxiety and panic is here to help you reclaim your life. Author and clinical psychologist David Carbonell, PhD, uses his extensive clinical experience to help you understand the true nature of your panic attacks, including the vicious cycle of habitual responses that lead to debilitating attacks, how you can halt this self-destructive process, and the many ways you can start on a step-by-step journey that promotes recovery. Inside you’ll find helpful methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that will help you regain the life you want to live, including: Diaphragmatic breathing Progressive exposure Desensitization Mindfulness meditation Keeping a panic diary Quieting the voice of anticipatory worry Stepping out of the struggle with panic And much more! Now you can regain all of the freedoms you enjoyed before panic invaded your life with the research-backed charts, worksheets, and programs featured in Panic Attacks Workbook.

MARK SCHULMAN - CONQUERING LIFE'S STAGE FRIGHT