How can I overcome fear of playing for an audience?

Question

I've been asked to play piano at my church. The thing is, I'm terrified to play for an audience. How can I get over it?

Answer 1

I think everyone has a fear of performing in front of an audience for the first time, whether it be a musician, a speaker, or whatever.
Confidence is the problem, but how can you be confident of something you've never done before.
In order to build confidence, you must practice until there is no chance of a mistake. Then, when the time comes, you can just ignore the audience, and concentrate solely on the music. Of course you will have some butterflies in the stomach just before, but that is normal. It's just enough to ensure that you concentrate enough to play your best. Before you know it, you will have finished, and your friends and relations will be beaming proud smiles at you - and then you'll want to do it again.
I know you'll be just great.

Answer 2

Performing in front of an audience is frightening for many people. First thing to ask yourself is "Do I really want to do this?" If the answer is yes, then you can try some desensitization techniques. Works best when you do it step by step. Start out by practicing some deep breathing, becoming calm. Do this in a private, quiet space where you won't be disturbed. Next begin to imagine yourself playing the piano. Don't rush it - just imagine, think and feel yourself playing. Next step is to imagine being on stage - still alone - keep breathing and relaxing into the scene. Next imagine someone you trust and feel comfortable with watching you as you play. If you start getting tense and fearful - go back to your breathing and being alone. Keep adding people to the scene until you are in front of the church playing. Next step would be to start practicing playing in front of others - just like in the imaginary scenario - adding people. Then do it in the church before the "big day." You will probably still be nervous - you may always be nervous. This take time and if you do it - you still may not want to do it again - but who knows? Good luck! and keep breathing.

Answer 3

This is called performance anxiety. Many people can overcome this through the process of muliplte performances. It also begins w/ a thought. Be positive, and compose yourself when performing by deep breathing. WIth more practice you will hopefully suffer less anxiety. Also, have positive thoughts before and during - and don't care what people think. You could use creative visualization, and imagine the audience sitting on the toilet, or something like that.

Answer 4

i can write an essay to answer your question but i wont do so here; your problem totally lies in your fear of public performance- public speaking, public presentation and so on. i suggest you run a search on your search engine for professional tips on these topics. as an aside, i believe in these three Ps; practise, preparation, and projecting confidence. i am sure that you have had a good hand in the first two Ps. but the third one is where you seem to sorely lack. even if you dont feel confident, ACT confident; over time you will own the confidence. how do you do this? ensure your posture is right, and when you get into a mental block- (choking?), BREATHE. most performers always forget to breathe. last time, when i started performing, i was always so panicky that my face turned red all the time and my hands literally shook. now, i can speak without using any notecards and play music without choking. it can be done. you have to stop telling yourself negative things. if you think you cant do it, then you really cant. great optimism in this case will come a long way to help you with your public performances. most importantly, ENJOY PERFORMING!

Answer 5

"Hello Linda!
How is Stage Fright Caused?
This applies to playing music as well as speeches and talks.

Many people's Stage Fright can be traced back to something like an incident at school where, when called upon by the teacher to speak, they were teased by other kids. When a person has a negative experience, the brain can link the negative feelings associated with that experience to other similar experiences. At school the brain simply thought: "Ahh, here's a dangerous situation; I know that because I feel terrible. How do I keep myself from getting in this kind of situation again? I know, I'll attach the terrible feelings to this kind of situation - that'll stop me and keep me safe in future." And so Stage Fright is born.

Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn. Sometimes we just get the wiring wrong. Many people suffering from fear of public speaking believe that they are alone in feeling so frightened, but in fact it is shared by millions. The truth is that most people just don't want to talk about their fear of being in front of a group.

Four steps to reduce anxiety
There are several steps you can follow to greatly reduce your public-speaking anxiety. Here they are:

1. Be the first person to arrive at the venue.

2. Greet as many audience members as possible and exchange a few words with them. This will provide your audience with a vitally important initial impression; the speaker they have come to hear is an interesting, accessible, and warm person. This will help you by knowing that, here and there in your audience, are listeners who already have a positive attitude toward you.

3. Consciously make an effort to move and use your body - gestures, facial expressions - tone of voice. Picture in your mind a dialogue a real two-way conversation. Don't stare or look blankly at the ceiling or floor. You may think that there are 25 or 250 people sitting, listening, watching you. But in terms of real communication, there are only two people in the entire room, in any room: The speaker and a single listener.

4. During your speech ask questions, if possible, of individuals to maintain a participatory feeling. One-quarter to one-half of your speech should literally be a discussion with the audience. That way it will not look or feel like a "speech."

For it isn't a "speech" at all that you are delivering. It is a conversation, what I refer to as an "expanded conversation" with every person in the room.

Answer 6

If you have been asked to play for your Church, some of the people from that Church must have told you that you were good enough to play. They must have heard you play, that is.
If you have not been practicing at the Church, this may be a good idea, ask your Pastor....Priest....if you can play during a Wed. service, when there are not so many people attending, or any other event that your Church has when your friends or members that you trust will be there.
Gradually you should feel more comfortable playing for those that have already had the pleasure of watching you play.
Good luck.

Answer 7

Try playing in front of your friends & family. Also, are you confident in your abilities? I don't like to get up in class to do presentations, especially if I feel unprepared. However, if I know and understand my material really well, I just get into it and almost forget that the people are there. Maybe you could just practice whatever you'll be playing and only concentrate on the music. Just ignore the people. That might sound rude, but if it gets you through the performance...

Answer 8

Just think of your audience as mice. remember too, that u r at an advantage. Most of the audience don't know how to play the piano or read notes. and even if u made a mistake, they'd still 100% appreciate u bec. u tried ur very best. U r playing for GOD not for them. God sees what is in your heart.

take care.

Answer 9

What is the terror? If you play well enough to not cause people to throw books at you, what else is going on?

Most of us have a less than positive self-view within our MINDs, that is based on a bunch of misperceptions taken-on in at or near birth. These are all non-conscious.... but they do play a part in how our MIND allow us to experience ourselves.

I'm guessing that your MIND is putting up the "terrified" notion to keep you from experiencing yourself as good, or maybe even wonderful. It is not easy to overcome these deeply repressed misperceptions... but it is important to realize that what you want to experience is of more value than what might happen as a consequence of the experience... at least in your case.

I would get a group of my friends and go to the church and play for them. Enjoy the experience and this will break the "fear" somewhat. Good luck, and play with gusto.

Answer 10

Church is the best place to get over any fear you might have, these people are not an audience they are people you no you are one of them Look just relax become the music and you will be fine.