Music Performance Anxiety: What are some effective therapies, and can they be utilized in an educational setting?

Abstract

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is defined as a persistent anxiety in relation to musical performance despite the setting or level of preparation. It can occur in any musical genre or instrument group, and it can be quite common among musicians of all ages. MPA symptoms are often detrimental to performance quality and performer mental health. Due to the widespread nature of MPA, numerous studies have been done looking at treatment options for MPA. Looking at a variety of treatment approaches, this review synthesizes the effective options for improving MPA. These treatments are also put into an educational context to determine their feasibility in this setting. While there are many individual treatment strategies for MPA, they could often be grouped into three main categories: cognitive and mindfulness approaches, desensitization and exposure, and pharmaceutical treatments. Each of these categories uses a different method for alleviating either MPA symptoms or the base cause behind them. These studies also showed a unique and individual experience of MPA which could influence the efficacy of different treatment options. While each of these treatments were effective, not all could be implemented in an educational setting. Many of these methods involved considerable cost, time, space, equipment, or training that may not be available to all music educators. Further research is still needed to test these treatments across multiple genres, instruments, and demographics. There is also a need for more consistent and concrete research methods in this field.