Inside Performance

In this episode I'm joined by cellist Jennifer Langridge. Jen plays in the contemporary music ensemble Psappha, is a member of the Victoria string quartet and is a cello tutor at the RNCM. This episode covers how to have a successful career as a freelance musician and advice on starting out. Jen shares her experience from working in the industry and what she has learnt through the years. We also discuss dealing with imposter syndrome, audition nerves and the importance of building a community.

In this episode I share my own personal experiences around performance anxiety including anxiety about warming up and worrying about what the audience is thinking. I also chat about some strategies I have experimented with and found helpful for managing MPA. I discuss the importance of preparation, the role of imagery, and reframing nerves as excitement, referring to recent research in these areas. I also discuss explicit monitoring theory; what it is and how it can affect your performance. I hope you enjoy this episode.Instagram: @inside_performance_podcastArticles:Brooks (2014). Get excited: Reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement. Journal of Experimental Psychology:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259454454_Get_Excited_Reappraising_Pre-Performance_Anxiety_as_ExcitementClark, Lisboa and Williamon (2014). An investigation into musicians’ thoughts and perceptions during performance. Research Studies in Music Education: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1321103X14523531Cohen & Bodner (2019). The relationship between flow and music performance anxiety amongst professional classical orchestral musicians. Psychology of Music: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735618754689Mornell & Wulf (2019). Adopting an external focus of attention enhances musical performance. Journal of Research in Music Education: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022429418801573Corlu, Muller, Desmet & Leman (2015). The consequences of additional cognitive load on performing musicians. Psychology of Music: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0305735613519841

On todays episode I'm joined by music psychologist and researcher Jane Ginsborg. Jane is Associate Director of Research at The RNCM Centre for Music Performance Research. She is also Editor-in-Chief of Musicae Scientiae, Associate Editor of Music Performance Research and the Journal of Interdisciplinary Music Studies and a member of the editorial boards of Psychology of Music, Music and Science and Frontiers in Psychology.In this episode we discuss strategies for effective practice and memorisation, including how to structure and monitor our practice and how to use performance cues to help with memorisation. We also discuss how to bridge the gap between practicing and performing and what to focus on during performance.Articles & book chapters:The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance (Ericsson et al.):https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-Ericsson-Krampe/69df93e5e361c089d3ec41a1e4b37f77984bcd6eThe role of retrieval structures in memorizing music (Williamon & Valentine):https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-00527-001Musical Excellence: Strategies and Techniques to Enhance Performance (Ed. Williamon) Chapter 4: Strategies for memorising music (Ginsborg):https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Musical_Excellence/5vvY2BDWZjEC?hl=en&gbpv=0

On todays episode I'm joined by cellist Laura Van Der Heijden. Laura won BBC Young Musician in 2012 and has performed with leading orchestras including The Halle, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.In this episode we discuss different strategies for managing performance anxiety, coping with memory slips, and preparing for performances. We also discuss the importance of mindset before, during and after a performance as well as audience communication.Find Laura here:Website: https://www.lauravanderheijden.uk/enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.vd.heijden/Performance anxiety articles & book chapters:The Science & Psychology of Music Performance: Creative Strategies for Teaching and Learning, Chapter 4: Performance Anxiety (Wilson):https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195138108.001.0001/acprof-9780195138108-chapter-4Music performance anxiety in classical musicians – what we know about what works (Matei and Ginsborg):https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316890351_Music_performance_anxiety_in_classical_musicians_-_what_we_know_about_what_worksDefining Music Performance Anxiety (Kenny):https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300222776_Defining_music_performance_anxiety