# How do you cope with Performance Exams?



## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Ok, if anyone could help me here i would be grateful. I have my solo performance exam in Music on the 24th May and am naturally quite nervous.I panic a lot when i have to take these kind of exams. If i played i string instrument it would be better, but because i play trombone i need a lot of breath, i get dizzy from playing a lot sometimes anyway. But at the start of exams i get so nervous that i just totally freak and i can't see and feel my hands and stuff. I have no idea what to do about this and it could be quite a problem if i faint!This year i have really good accompanist who will hopefully calm me down, make sure i breath (i hold my breath sometimes LOL) and slap me if necessary.Can anyone help me?Spliff


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## rlo (Jun 3, 2001)

I hated those darn things. I was a singer. I finally got to the point where I just accepted it as part of the package - anxiety and all. Nothing that I did was going to make it go away so I tried to use it to my advantage, as motivation. I did relaxation exercises as best I could, remembered that the professors evaluating me also had had to go through these exams to get to where they were, and I knew that I wasn't alone. Everyone in the music department had to go through these tortures.I don't know if this will help any but I hope so.Take care.Renee'


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Yes, i have tried to use it as motivation, but come the hour before the exam i am a wreck no matter what i do!I have wondered about Alexander Technique before, but i don't think that helps with performance nerves.


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

OK, sue me, so I peeked. Like I told ya before... recite the alphabet, in different voices, loud, soft, then give out a cheer, rally cheer, you have to channel off the excess adrenaline; the problem is that you will actually take in too MUCH breath, and not exhale it all out, and then you get dizzy and winded. The only way to blow it out is to forcfully do a cheer or something physical... jump around, shake your hands, all that stuff. Deep breathing and relaxation techniques are OK, but as a therapist, I put my bets on the above. Get all that excess breath out first; even if you have to go out in the parking lot and make a "pratt" of yourself. Playing the fool is my specialty and I do it quite nicely thank you very much. OK.. I was never here... See how you rate, Splifferoonies?????


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## carolauren (Mar 14, 2002)

Good advice, cookies. You do have to get rid of that extra adrenaline. Relaxation exercises never worked that well for me, something active was much better. I used to yell and do jumping jacks.


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## John (Aug 6, 1999)

Hey Spliff!Listen you ole windbag...you're always full of hot air,dizzy gal!!














Don't hold your breath too long. You might end up playing the blues.







Boy,I'd love to slap you five.







You and the trombone together are...


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## rlo (Jun 3, 2001)

Spliff:I also would try to get rid of the excess adrenaline -- usually by pacing. I swear that the darned flock of butterflies flapping in my stomach were going to fly out of my mouth with my first note. I would try to distract myself somehow, concentrating on anything but how I was feeling. I kep repeating to myself that I knew the music I was performing, I had practiced sufficiently, I earned the right to be there, that it was only a few minutes. Basically, I tried to fill myself with positives. I knew that I was good and knew my music and that, despite and maybe, because, of my nerves and anxiety, I would do a good job. Than, even with shaking knees, dry mouth, flop sweat, I would give the appearance of confidence and get out there. As you know, the music takes over and it goes OK. Guess what, it always did go OK.So, believe in yourself, do what is necessary to get rid of the excess adrenaline, use the remainder to boost your performance, and you will do great.Take care.Renee'.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

It doesn't matter weather i breath or don't breath or anything now. My stupid teacher yelled at me today and told me that its my fault im not going to pass and that i didn't practice my peices when i was told to and that the ones i have now are not of a high enough standard.I have tried so hard this year after failing last year i will all over again.I asked my other teacher for help with the harmony work and he said that i should kjnow it by now and its stuff i have learnt before. I know it is but it doesn't mean i understand it.If i fail music again that is it i will have to leave it for good. I have messed up so many times that i can't cope with it happening again. It seems like no matter how hard i try it always gets ruined. Normally by myself. I can't help that that sometimes i have issues with myself. I would have been a lot more dedicated if i hadn't been so restricted.Now im going to fail and its too late do do anything about it, I have less than 2 weeks now. My mum was so upset. She said, well, what will you do when (not if) you fail? You will have to leaveuniveristy and waste all that many. As if don;t already feel bad enough. SO now there is no point in worrying about the rectial. It as good as means nothing.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

First thing it to try to stop beating yourself up over this (and don't take sledge hammers from friends and family either).Can you talk to either the teacher or the dean about what is going on and see what needs to be done so you can pass.Perfoming and being judged is hard. Stuff that is great in practice often falls apart. One of the ways to deal with this is make some of your practices high pressure. Pracitice in front of people if the in front of people is the problem. Have people who can do critical analysis of your performance grad your practices. If you can learn what the adrenaline does to you (and everyone gets that) then you can start to find ways to take advantage of it rather than let it control you. Use the nervous energy rather than let it muck things up.If you can't control it on your own, talke to a doctor about medication. Lots of people need something to help them get over the nervousness while they are learning to handle it on their own.K.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

My flat mate came into my room when i was practising and sat their listening to me and it was scary. He was like, you'll be in front of 3 people on the day, so Play already! I will have to do mini lunchtime concerts for y friends maybe.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Spliff, hi. I see you are going through a lot right now. Back when I was in college I had the same struggles. First, my secret for performance exams was going to the bathroom and jumping up and down for some minutes. That helped because my worst part was the waiting; when I was already in front of whoever was going to evaluate me it was better. My last exam of that kind was directing the University Chorus.







I still have no idea how did I do that without dying first. Anyway, I guess it had to do with my good professor (I told him I had anxiety problems, so he was cool with it).Another thing: you wouldn't believe how many times I thought of dropping out. I had a very rough teacher who thoght me a lot but was very hard on us. She would drive me crazy and even when I passed my evenings studying for long hours (each and every day) she always would find something to critize me about (well, she did critize everybody). And to think I stayed with her for 2 years instead of changing professors...







Anyway, I used to work too and of course there was not much time left to practice. On top of that I had other classes who were time consuming as well. I am not a gifted musician and to compete with others who were better, or had the time to practice or had a formal education in music previuos to college was not easy. So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is don't give up. I know money is an issue whenever we are in college, but in the way you can stay and try to give it another shot. One semester I dropped out because I was going crazy and the next one I had all A's (only time I had all A's). Good luck ad I hope you find a way to stay and do what you like best.


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## cloverleaf (Dec 18, 2001)

spliff~All of the above advice is great. Just do your best.I would also add that you could do some visualizations. First, you would visualize doing the performance badly or nervously and not performing well, and include thoughts about "not being good enough", etc. Be very vivid about this. Then, calm yourself down and revisualize the situation by doing the performance well. In this visualizations, when you feel anxious, replace your former thoughts with "I will do the best I can today" and "I am okay the way I am", etc. Don't dwell on the anxiety or stress. Acknowlege it, then move on. Do this once or twice each day, and you'll re-train your brain to think about this recital. This is how I deal with interviews and other stressful situations. Sometimes I surprise myself when I am calmer than normal during the actual event.Good luck to you.


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