Progression in Anxiety Management:
R shower incredible improvements in managing his anxiety on stage. His perception of how nervous he was dropped drastically from an 8 to a 2 since the fist workshop, showcasing a growing ability to perform with ease.
Increase in Comfort:
R’s comfort levels steadily increased throughout the workshops,
peaking at a 9 in Workshop 4. This progression suggests that regular performance and exposure to different performance scenarios helped build his confidence.
His comfort levels also increased steadily over time, peaking at a 9 in the fourth workshop.
Better Control and Acceptance of Mistakes:
His acceptance of possible mistakes also improved a lot, peaking in the third, fourth and fifth workshops, where he rated it as high as 9 and 10.
External Factors:
R’s reflection in workshop 2 about the size of the audience tells us that this could be one
of the triggers for his anxiety. This highlights how much the performance context can
actually affect performance quality.
Mental Resilience:
His ability to recover from minor set back (such as forgetting the sheet music) improved exponentially with time. By the last workshop he was able to accept mistakes and stay in
the moment, helping him through the performance.
Perception of Success: (8)
R was still nervous performing a new piece for the public, but he felt more at ease than before. He rated his performance an 8, his highest rating so far.
Comfort Level: (5)
Despite some anxiety and shaking, his comfort level dropped slightly, showing that there was still some nervousness but much better control than before.
Pre-performance Anxiety: (5)
His anxiety was moderate, indicating that there was still some nervousness but it didn’t overwhelm him like in previous workshops.
Mistake Acceptance (During Performance): (9)
R showed great progress in accepting mistakes during the performance, allowing him to
focus on the music instead of on errors.
Post-performance Acceptance: (10)
He fully accepted his mistakes afterward and felt proud of his ability to keep going despite them. This shows a significant improvement in his mental resilience.
Reflection:
R was nervous because it was his first time performing this particular piece for a public, however, he seemed more at ease than in previous workshops.
Despite some anxiety and minor tremors, R was able to manage his performance much better, he reports that although subtle, he’s slowing feeling more confident to play in this context.
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Intrument: Piano
Comfortable to play for a public: 3
R had many problems with public performance. A score of 3 shows a certain level of base line
insecurity when it comes to present his work on stage.
Comfortable with the idea of making a mistake on stage: 1
R was extremely uncomfortable about the possibility of making mistakes on stage. This could be
one of the reasons for his anxiety, for making a mistakes is unavoidable, and his unwillingness to
do so might cause distress.
Excited with an opportunity to play: 4
A score of 4 may suggest there was more apprehension and excitement at the idea of playing for
a public. This could mean that his anxiety might have been slightly overshadowing his passion for
performing, or that he associates performing with stress rather than exitment.
Ability to recover mentally after a bad performance: 6
R has a moderate ability to recover from a bad performance. Although it may affect him, he is able
to push through, move on and try again. This a positive sign, meaning that a bad performance
would’t completely overwhelm him.
Comfortable with watching a video of a performance that didn’t go as well as he wanted: 3
A score of 3 shows a high degree of discomfort when watching a recording of a “bad” performance. This could mean he has a critical reaction to it, which could prevent him from
benefiting from the feedback. Self reflection is crucial to improvement and it might have been
hindering progress.
Nervousness with a performance in a week of a piece you’re comfortable with: 7
R feels considerably nervous even at the thought of playing a piece he’s comfortable with in a
weeks time. This could mean that even familiar situations might bring him anxiety. It can also
indicate that his anxiety could be characterised as more general, as opposed to simply being
nervous about playing a very demanding piece.
Perception of Success: (10)
R felt confident and calm before performing, rating his performance a perfect 10, marking it as his best yet.
Comfort Level: (9)
He felt almost completely comfortable during the performance, without fear of making
mistakes.
Pre-performance Anxiety: (2)
Anxiety was also very low, showing how much R has progressed since the first workshop.
Mistake Acceptance (During Performance): (7)
R managed to accept mistakes more easily than in previous workshops but still had moments of hesitation that could throw off his concentration
Post-performance Acceptance: (10)
He was able to fully accept any mistakes after the performance, focusing on the music rather than perfection, a huge improvement from the first workshop.
Reflection:
R felt calm and confident, with little anxiety before the moment of performance. He felt like this time it was perfect, rating it a 10/10. This shows that he felt like this was his best performance yet, highlighting how much he has progressed since the first workshop.
In this performance he felt very comfortable and had no fear of mistakes, which is a huge improvement on his part. This marks a turning point in his confidence levels as a performer. His anxiety levels also dropped to a 2.
R reports that because he has been playing for a public so regularly, and because he learned not to care too much about making mistakes, his performance went much better than expected.
He also mentions that that he was fully able to accept his mistakes (post-performance), showing he was finally able to let go of small errors and focus on learning with his experiences.
Perception of Success: (4)
R experienced a wave of nerves, feeling the weight of stress and anxiety as he took the stage for the performance. His primary objective was simply to complete the piece, and he felt a debilitating lack of control over his performance.
Comfort Level: (2)
He had some problems with remaining relaxed, leading to an unwillingness to play for his peers, and a certain level of disconnection to the music.
Pre-performance Anxiety: (8)
R felt a high level of anxiety before performing, that lead to a difficult start and an overall very stressful experience.
Mistake Acceptance (During Performance): (5)
He had difficulty accepting mistakes during the performance, which contributed to his feelings of distress.
Post-performance Acceptance: (7)
After the performance, R wasn’t able to fully reflect on his mistakes constructively but was honest about his lack of understanding regarding his anxiety. He admitted that the
presence of colleagues might have contributed to his anxiety.
Reflection:
R reports in his journal how nervous and insecure he felt about playing for he’s colleagues. He admits that because all his peers were there, it might have contributed to his overall anxiety. He
also admits that he’s not sure why he felt so nervous, which shows a great degree of honesty with himself.
Perception of Success: (6)
R found the performance more manageable than the first workshop, with an improvement in his perception of success from 4 to 6.
Comfort Level: (7)
His comfort level improved significantly, allowing him to regain control when he lost focus, which marked a big improvement from Workshop 1.
Pre-performance Anxiety: (4)
Anxiety levels improved significantly, dropping from an 8 to a 4. This shows that he wasfeeling that his emotions were more in control before performing.
Mistake Acceptance (During Performance): (8)
R had an improvement in his ability to accept mistakes during the performance and keep going without letting them negatively affect him.
Post-performance Acceptance: (8)
He was able to accept his mistakes after the performance more easily, attributing his improvement to the fact that audience size was smaller, which for R was helpful.
Reflection:
R was still nervous but felt it was more manageable compared to the first workshop.
Although he did lose focus at some points, he was able to regain control, which marks a
significant improvement from the first workshop where he couldn’t do the same. He was able to accept his mistakes much better than the last workshop too.
R attributes his improvements to the fact that the audience size was reduced, suggesting that, for him, fewer people made the experience less stressful. This shows that external factors such as this one might have a big effect on his performance quality.
Perception of Success: (8)
R felt calm before performing, with no major anxiety or stress. He rated the performance as a solid 8, acknowledging it was positive but that still has room for improvement.
Comfort Level: (7)
He stayed engaged with the music and maintained focus throughout the performance, rating his comfort levels at 7.
Pre-performance Anxiety: (2)
His anxiety was very low before the performance, indicating a lot of growth in his confidence and ability to manage nerves.
Mistake Acceptance (During Performance): (10)
R remained focused and didn’t worry about mistakes, showing a clear shift in mindset.
Post-performance Acceptance: (9)
Afterward, R felt indifferent toward mistakes, with fatigue possibly playing a role in his newfound relaxed attitude toward errors.
Reflection:
Before the performance R was calm and accepted that his performance would be as it would be, without any major anxiety or stress.
During the performance he was able to stay focused on the moment and not worry about mistakes, which allowed him to be quite engaged with the music, his anxiety levels were
also quite low (2).
The student mentions that his fatigue might have contributed to his indifference towards making mistakes on stage (10), which highlights an interesting