Exposition

Taking off the mask: embracing vulnerability on stage (2021)

Marlon Valk
open exposition

About this exposition

Many musicians think that experiencing and showing vulnerability is a weakness. I see it differently. To share our music with the world, without any assurance of acceptance or appreciation, is to be vulnerable; to be real, to choose courage over comfort, to take off your mask, is vulnerability. The exposure and risk we face, are not optional. In my own musical journey, I discovered that I cannot escape vulnerability on stage. What if embracing our vulnerability is key to convincing, yet authentic performances? This research is not about finding the magic solution for performance anxiety. It is not about avoiding vulnerability, but about embracing it. Embracing vulnerability starts with defining, recognizing and understanding it. That is exactly where this research started: a literature review was done and experts in the field of psychology were interviewed. This led to the design of strategies that can help embracing vulnerability when performing and when preparing a performance. These strategies are used in an intervention over 13 performances that have been documented with audio/video recordings, a journal and a self-questionnaire. Results show that performance preparation is a crucial element in dealing with vulnerability. Also, embracing vulnerability led to more experiences of ‘flow’, enhanced focus and increased trust in my abilities to perform music. Besides, I felt more authentic as a performer. These findings, although subjective, provide insights and strategies that could be of great benefit to other musicians.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsMusical Training, Performance & Cognition, performance, vulnerability
date08/10/2019
published08/07/2021
last modified08/07/2021
statuspublished
share statusprivate
copyrightMarlon Valk
licenseAll rights reserved
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/703190/703191
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue1. Master Research Projects


Simple Media

id name copyright license
720010 fragile-354606_1920 picture by Benjamin Nelan All rights reserved
1042545 vulnerability Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1042573 pexels-zaksheuskaya-1561020 Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1054595 Menu Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1054613 Figure 1 Theory Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1054690 Figure 2 Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1054700 Figure 2 Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1054723 Self Questionnaire Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1098047 Affirmaties Andrea Piacquadio All rights reserved
1098056 Interview Questions Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1173637 Practice log Susan Williams All rights reserved
1173645 Interview Christy Dokter Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1173650 Interview Laurie Cleuver Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1173688 Interview Martine van der Loo Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1175591 Figure 1 - schema Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1175600 Figure 1 - hypothesis Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1178481 Data intervention Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1184595 Glinka Trio Pathetique Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1184622 Focus Vocaal 11 oktober (Maï) Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1184633 Performance Science Class - Vitali, 11-02-2020 Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1184720 Affirmations Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1185475 Telemann Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1185488 Glinka excerpt Marlon Valk All rights reserved
1185504 Prokofiev Marlon Valk All rights reserved

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