Date sent: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 14:07:22 EST
Subject: Re: nerves
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

In a message dated 12/18/99 11:05:11 PM Central Standard Time,
kelly5253-at-yahoo.com writes:

<< I am so
disappointed with myself and I would sincerely
appreciate any advice or stories to help me overcome
this new problem. >>

First, DON'T be disappointed in yourself. I know, easier said...

I have experienced this myself a few times, and it certainly is daunting.
When you're typically a comfortable performer, occasional stage fright is
really a shocker. Just remember how psychological singing and performing
are, and try not to trip yourself up.

When I was preparing for the Met auditions a couple of years ago, I was
having out & out anxiety attacks---very unusual for me. I work in a mental
health clinic, and I am lucky enough that one of the psychologists is a
specialist in performance enhancement. (She treats golf pros, figure skaters,
public speakers, I was her first singer) She used a treatment called EMDR,
and I felt so much better afterward.

Now, I'm not telling you to run out & see a psychologist, but I'm making a
short story long to get to part of Dr. Freitag's method (not the EMDR, but
what we talked about during the EMDR). This is a very old, tried & true
method: What's the worst thing that could happen? If that happens, then
what's the worst thing that could follow? Pretty soon, you're imagining
ridiculous ways that you'll actually drop dead on stage, and the absurdity of
your imagination brings you back to the reality of what you're afraid of (did
that make any sense?).

Enough rambling, best of luck conquering this!

Tami
Milwaukee