Notes from the Green Room: Coping with Stress and Anxiety in Musical Performance

Methods for overcoming pre-performance jitters Notes from the Green Room explains the causes of musicalperformance anxiety and suggests methods for dealing with iteffectively. The authors show how proper preparation?as well astechniques such as learning experiments, relaxation training,tension management, and graded exposure to groups of varioussizes?can relieve the compulsion that often accompanies anindividual's performance. An essential resource for musicians atany level.

Table of Contents:
1. The Performer. 2. The Psychology of Coping with Performance Stress. 3. The Whole Performer. 4. Stress and Performing. 5. The Nature of Anxiety. 6. Getting Help for Stress and Anxiety. 7. The Cognitive Side of Performing. 8. Basic Stress Management Skills. 9. Anxiety and Stress in Perspective.

About the Author :
PAUL G. SALMON is an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Louisville, director of clinical research at the Genesis Center, and a professional musician. ROBERT G. MEYER is a professor of psychology at the University of Louisville.

Review :
"Notes from the Green Room is a welcome and unique addition to theliterature on performance anxiety for both musicians andclinicians. Educational and practical, it will inspire a variety ofpossible therapeutic approaches." (Alice G. Brandfonbrener, M.D.,Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) "Drs. Salmon and Meyer are expert psychologists who haveexplored the roots of performance anxiety (and suggest measures forits alleviation) in a way extremely helpful to both students andaccomplished performers who 'nervousness' prevents them from fullrealizing their potential on stage or even on less formaloccasions." (Robert Parris, professor of music, George WashingtonUniversity) "These talented and knowledgeable authors offer musicians a veryclear description of the mechanisms involved in performance anxietyand suggest concrete ideas for channeling the negative aspects ofanxiety into a positive force. Especially effective are the casehistories offering real life examples of musicians dealing with thestresses and strains of performance. This should be requiredreading for all musicians!" (Gail J. Berenson, professor of piano,chair keyboard division, Ohio University School of Music) "A superb job? beyond the notably obvious beneficialimplications built into this book for musicians, the authors havecompiled a thorough and comprehensive treatise which deals withevery facet of anxiety and stress management for performers,regardless of their discipline . . . this work should be obligatoryreading." (Lee Bash, chair, Department of Fine & PerformingArts, Bellarmine College and director, Kentucky Governor's Schoolfor the Arts) "Notes from the Green Room is a superb study of musicalperformance anxiety. Beginning students, seasoned performers, andteachers can all benefit from the practical help it provides. Itwill certainly become required reading for all my students." (JamesKibbie, University of Michigan School of Music) "Performers, as well as the growing group of professionalstreating performance anxiety, should have this important book ontheir reference shelves." (Alan Grishman, performance anxietyconsultant, musician)