Managing Audition Nerves Part II: Get Centered
The Centering Process is a simple technique that quiets the nerves that can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally when you’re about to step into a room or onto a stage for an audition.
In their book, College Prep for Musicians, Annie Bosler, Don Greene, and Kathleen Tesar outline this and other ways to get in the zone for performance auditions. Learn to control your breathing, release your muscles, and let your right brain take over, so your picky left brain isn’t always stepping in to overanalyze your performance.
Try these simple steps before a warm up, practice session, lesson, or an audition or a performance:
Establish a clear intention for your practice session
Choose a focal point lower than eye level
Concentrate on breathing: Inhale through nose, exhale through mouth
Scan each part of your body for muscle tension, breathe in, and then release as you exhale
Get out of your head: Inhale, center yourself, and exhale
Envision yourself performing an excerpt: This moves you into your right brain (where you want to be!)
Take your attention back to your focal point and start playing
If you practice this technique over and over, it will become second nature and help you perform your best at your auditions.
Resources:
For trumpet and other brass players, check out Arts Advisory Board Member Brianne Borden’s book Mindful Trumpet Playing: A Guide to Managing Performance Anxiety
Connect with Best Fit Education for assistance with your performing and visual arts college applications.