Stop interfering. Start having fun onstage.
You devote months to practicing the notes, phrases, and movements of your piece–but then the performance comes and it feels totally different. Don’t settle for a shaky, uncomfortable rendition that is nowhere near to how you know you can play. Stop trying to “relax,” or pretend that the audience is in their underwear! And, why do we call it “stage fright” and associate fear with the performing arts, and, worse, feed that idea to young performers? My mentor, Cathy Madden, has playfully banned the term “stage fright” from her studio and so have I.
There are many ways to improve what we call “stage presence.” For example, some turn to beta blockers, go for a long exhausting run before a concert, spend hours meditating, do deep breathing, or try to pretend the audience isn’t there. (Hint: the last option just isn’t true, and that will inherently cause you to tighten! Another hint: overbreathing and hyperventilating can actually activate your fight of flight system!) When I was in college, I was a violin performance major. Like most musicians, I got shaky during performances but I knew I had to overcome this to get my degree. And I did it! I figured out how to feel great onstage through deep focus and channeling my adrenaline ahead of time. It was great. After years of effort, I played my very best music onstage. But, it took an entire day to get into that optimal state. Today, as a busy parent, I just don’t have time for that–and neither, I’m guessing, do you.
I will show you a better way. Using a blend of Alexander Technique, visualization, and some elements of traditional performance and presentation coaching, I help performers prepare effectively and feel better onstage. You will learn how to take the pressure off your system immediately, under any circumstance–even and especially onstage! We will reframe how you think about performing and craft a step-by-step plan that will prepare for the energy you get onstage. If you start with some lead time, you’ll begin planning for the performance early on. You’ll create a detailed plan and learn to invite the audience to be with you while you are with them. If your performance is next weekend, we can take some quick action to get you some tools. On concert day, you’ll be able to call on all that you know quickly and efficiently. It will take some practice to apply, but with time you’ll be able to coordinate yourself onstage and cooperate with the charged energy you get from the audience. Feel and play your best!
Lisa Toner Studio 