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From:  dramadiva2002@y...
dramadiva2002@y...
Date:  Mon Jul 16, 2001  7:48 pm
Subject:  Re: Bombing an audition...


Dear Melinda,

I might be off here but I'm gonna take a stab at your post. It seems
to me that what really disappointed you most was the fact that
you "thought you were over this." This is a hard thing. Many times we
work so hard on a particular issue, be it performance anxiety or our
high notes or support. Then, for several months we feel we're on top
of our game and those issues seem like ancient history. We get a
bounce in our step and sing well... then... oops! what happened?
Wasn't I done with that? Most of us are perfectionists so we then
proceed to kick ourselves... repeatedly. We feel we've let ourselves
down, our teachers and mentors down... it's a drag. I can only say
that what you're feeling is quite normal and you should allow
yourself this time to mourn the return of this apparent setback then
move on. If you were over it once, you'll probably manage to get over
it again. Setbacks happen. They're not permanent.

It seems to me you were probably very eager to please this teacher
and not make him/her look bad. Maybe this was just a kind of pressure
that's different than the normal audition pressure. You might want to
examine this level of "people pleasing" anxiety (if that's what it
is) and see why this particular person makes you feel this way and
what you can do to get past it in the future.

I hope some of what I said is helpful. I know I might not be entirely
right about my points. I'm just throwing them out there. If they hit
any nerves, you might want to reflect on them... but don't obsess...
I'm sure it's just some minor regression. Figuring out the trigger is
the most important thing.

Ooodles of smiles to you,
DS

--- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Imthurn Melinda <vocalist-temporary@y..., Imthurn Melinda < > ... is what recently happened to me. How do any of
> you keep your chins up when something like this
> happens?
>
> This was especially traumatic for me because:
>
> 1. I worked for many years to get my performance
> anxiety under control. I have made wonderful
> achievements in this area. It has not been as big a
> problem as this for many years, so I feel that this
> was a HUGE step backwards, which is discouraging. I
> have not had the desire to open my mouth to sing
> since.
>
> 2. My teacher sent me to this audition. I REALLY
> embarassed myself. I have since been unable to sleep
> at times because I feel so humiliated and like I have
> let her down.
>
> 3. This was not a particularly important audition for
> me at all, so it doesn't even make sense that I was so
> traumatized by it.
>
> I must say that I have had auditions in the past that
> have not been pretty, but I really did take the cake
> on this one. I am quite discouraged and, as I said,
> do not have the desire to sing or to face my teacher!
> It has been almost two weeks! Help!!!!
>
> __________________________________________________


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