Page 118 - How to Shine on Stage

performance settings, and of guaranteed success during initial perfor-
mance practice (Kohut, 1992).
The controlling of destructive thoughts occupies a special part of
the mental preparation for a performance. These are unwanted, usually
negative thoughts that disturb our attention and are mostly unpleasant.
They focus on danger, mistakes, and other threatening, unpredictable
things. They focus our attention on irrelevant stimuli. The most trou-
116 bling aspect of disturbing thoughts is that they are difficult to control. A
plan to cope with destructive thoughts has to account for the need to de-
velop increasingly task-oriented behaviour. Some people find it helpful to
simply say “stop” every time an unwanted thought arises and thus grad-
ually eliminate them.
How to Shine on Stage ly concern pre- performance readiness (Salmon & Meyer, 1998) and thus
In addition to the stated factors, there are also those which main-

influence performance success: the use of mental imagery to practice
without instrument, the simulation of performance setting through pri-
or systematic planning, prior exposure to the circumstances of the actual
performance, and perception of the performance as a positive challenge
(Salmon and Meyer, 1998).

Phase 4: musical performance
As the performance approaches, the performer begins to feel changes
in their sensations, thoughts, and behaviour. These changes begin a few
days before and intensify until the performance itself. For most, they
disappear as soon as the performance begins, but for some they esca-
late during the performance and linger as feelings of tension even after
the performance. Most performers feel completely drained after their
performance.
The time immediately before taking to the stage and the beginning
of the performance are particularly stressful. This is when the perform-
er experiences the greatest possible stress and tension. Many performers,
professionals and amateurs alike, describe the pre- performance expe-
rience as “frightening”, “overwhelming”, and even “terrifying”. Such
subjective reactions are mainly a response to the dramatic physical and
mental changes that accompany the anticipation and experience of per-
forming on stage. Curiously, such sensations are experienced even by
seasoned performers before a performance, even though they have nev-
er experienced the anticipated catastrophic consequences. The chang-
ing part seems to be the interpretation and the consequences following
these sensations. Effective and experienced performers are more aware