Musical Performance Anxiety and How to Overcome it! Accomplish that Goal. (Part 4 of 5)

Musical Performance Anxiety and How to Overcome it! Accomplish that Goal.  (Part 4 of 5)

Improvisation

Take a moment and think outside the box.  If there are no wrong notes, how can you be nervous about what you are singing?  Improvising a melody or complete song with words is something most of us did when we were kids.  There is no right or wrong, therefore it is freeing for the voice.  The voice feels less stressed and you are free to be more creative.  You can enjoy the process of singing more and turn off the voices of right and wrong inside your head (Ann Baltz). 

How do you get there?  A step towards improvisation is using Attitude or Feeling cards to pick a few feelings you would express in a song.  For example: fear, love, anger.  Sing a song from your repertoire expressing those feelings at certain points in the music.  Note how it changes the character of the piece and what happens inside of you. It is freeing.  You are thinking more about the emotion than your technique. 

Next, improvise songs using non-sense words.  “Turn off the critical voice and just be in the moment”.  E.Denham   

It is a challenge to improvise at first, but give it a try.  There can be no failure and you can become inspired.  Think of it this way- life is an improvisation.  Try to step out of your box and reach new heights as musicians and human beings. 

 http://www.classicalsinger.com/magazine/article.php?id=2285