Page 43 - How to Shine on Stage

is true, however, that differences among musicians are more likely to be
driven by the influence of stereotypes than by actual differences in per-
sonality (Butković & Modrusan, 2021; Cameron et al., 2015).
Many older studies have revealed that musicians often experience
neuroticism or emotional lability (Miranda, 2020) which includes anxie-
ty, vulnerability, and insecurity. Neuroticism is especially pronounced in
popular musicians. Rock and country musicians are more neurotic and
more extroverted (Dyce & O’Connor, 1994). Neuroticism is not a major
trait in contemporary research on the personalities of classical musicians 41
(Gjermunds et al., 2020).
In musicians, stereotypical gender roles are not very prominent;
rather, there is a stronger occurrence of androgyny (the representation
of both masculine and feminine personality traits) (Kemp, 1982; 1985,
in Kemp, 1996). This is expressed both psychologically and physically
(testosterone levels).
Other personality traits that emerged in research as strongly ex-
pressed in musicians are intuitiveness, dominance of emotion over rea-
son, and perceptiveness (spontaneity, curiosity, acceptance) (Kemp,
1996). Indirect Factors of Musical Performance Success
The most frequently used model for studying musicians’ personali-
ties over the past few years has been the Big Five model, which measures
five personality dimensions: energy, agreeableness, conscientiousness,
emotional stability, and openness (Bucik, 2007). Energy describes vig-
orous and dynamic action, loquacity, flow, and the ability to self-assert.
Acceptance represents personality aspects related to the ability to under-
stand and, if necessary, help others, to collaborate effectively with others,
and to trust. Conscientiousness comprises the personality aspects related
to reliability, orderliness, precision, and perseverance. Emotional stabili-
ty includes personality aspects related to the ability to control one’s own
emotions, ability to maintain composure and balance, and the absence
of negative emotional states. Finally, openness denotes aspects such as
creativity, curiosity, culture, originality, and intelligence (Bucik, 2007).
According to the five-factor Big Five personality model, openness to
experience is the personality dimension that most frequently emerges in
relation to learning music (Butković et al., 2015; Corrigall et al., 2013;
Swaminathan & Schellenberg, 2018; Thomas et al., 2016) and to musical
expertise (Greenberg et al., 2015; Thomas et al., 2016). Openness is an
indicator of aesthetic sensitivity and intellectual engagement (McCrae &
Costa, 1997). As a dimension of personality, it is manifested in openness
to new experience, emotions, art, unusual ideas, and in greater imagina-