The Performance Handbook: for Musicians, Singers, and Performers

by Claude Webster

Overview

“This book is meant not only for artists, but also to businesspeople, teachers, public speakers – in short, to everyone who must give a performance, no matter what kind. Having been forced to learn, at the beginning of my career, how to manage terrible stress on my own, I would have really benefited from a guide like this one!”Claude speaks to all those who feel stress and anxiety when faced with giving a performance. With the help of examples and suitable exercises, he guides such a person in his/her bat- tle with their fears and brings them to “know their inner alm.” Claude offers a means to enter into oneself and take advantage – physically, mentally, and emotionally – of all the conscious and unconscoious resources of one's brain in order to replace nervous- ness and anxiety with pleaure.”Maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Metropolitan Opera Company

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771615013
Publisher:	Mosaic Press
Publication date:	05/27/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Claude Webster is recognized as one of the leading opera coaches, pianists, and accompanists in North America and Europe. During his professional life, he has developed a unique and successful method to assist performers overcome their anxieties, fears, and stress. He has trained as a psychologist and also knows the physiology of the body. He has developed a series of exercises, or tolls, which have proved to be successful. Claude Webster is recognized as one of the leading opera coaches, pianists and accompanists in North America and Europe. During his professional life, he has developed a unique and successful method to assist performers overcome their anxieties, fears, and stress. He has trained as a psychologist and also knows the physiology of the body. He has developed a ser- ies of exercises, or tolls which have proved to be successful.

Table of Contents

Preface Yannick Nézet-Séguln 11

Introduction 13

From pianist to performance coach 14

Chapter 1 It is a mind game 19

Basic principle 19

Flow and interference 25

The importance of regular practice 28

Paradox of the classical musician 29

Chapter 2 Last minute tools 32

Stress 101 33

A Physical manifestation: 34

1 The Fader technique: 4-4-2 35

2 Emergency exhale 36

3 Wake up your body: tap, tap, tap 37

4 Contract/Relax 38

5 Boost your inner chemistry with power poses 38

B Psychological manifestation: 41

6 Smile on cue 42

7 Gratitude journal 43

8 Alternate tools for happiness: email of praise, acts of kindness, regular physical activity 45

9 The power of your words: change your inner dialogue 46

10 The art of reframing 47

Chapter 3 What is your goal? 53

A Long term goal: Why do you play? / Why do you sing? 54

1 The Ladder 55

You are more than what you do… 58

B Goals of action 59

2 The Road or the cliff? 59

3 Pyramid of a musician (the "outer game") 63

4 Implantation of intention 66

C Short term goals for today's performance 70

5 Your short-term goal 71

6 Suggestions for final formulation 72

7 Bonus material: 3 criteria 73

Chapter 4 Calming your inner dialogue 80

Concentration tools 83

1 Counting inhale/exhale 83

2 Add a mantra 86

3 Imagination, balloon + happy memory 88

4 Sensory spiral 89

5 Coherence of the heart 91

Centering tools 93

6 Dilts centering 94

7 Green centering 95

Master key 97

8 Mindfulness 97

Chapter 5 Facing your fear 104

Where does stress come from? 105

1 Downward arrow/worst case scenario 107

2 The work 109

3 Do not go NUTS with stress 111

4 Emotional intelligence 114

5 Self-compassion 122

6 Self-compassion post-performance tool: The evaluation grid 126

Conclusion 131

References 137

Acknowledgement 139

About the Author 141