Performance Prep: Turning Nerves Into Focus

A Guide to Calm, Confident Playing Under Pressure

Whether you’re playing in a studio recital, an orchestra concert, a masterclass (or even just for a friend) performance nerves are normal.

Your heart races, your hands feel shaky, and suddenly that passage you had perfectly in practice? It’s gone.

The good news: you’re not alone, and you can absolutely learn to manage it.

Performance anxiety isn’t a sign that you’re unprepared, it’s a sign that you care.

This guide will help you turn nervous energy into focused, musical presence. Let’s shift from fear to confidence, without pretending the nerves don’t exist.

Why We Get Nervous

Your brain interprets performance as a kind of social threat, you’re being watched, judged, or evaluated. This triggers a fight-or-flight response: adrenaline rush, shallow breathing, racing thoughts.

But here’s the trick:

You don’t need to eliminate nerves, you just need to retrain your response to them.

1. Start with Solid Preparation

Confidence begins before the performance.

• Practice in “performance mode.”
  Start running sections without stopping—even if it’s not perfect. Teach yourself to keep going.

• Play for people ahead of time.
  Friends, family, your pet, your phone camera—it doesn’t matter. Get used to the feeling of being “watched.”

• Simulate distractions.
  Practice while standing, under a time limit, or in different acoustics to build flexibility.

Preparedness reduces panic. Your brain trusts what it knows.

2. Calm the Body, Calm the Mind

Your physical state sets the tone for your mental state. Before (and during!) your performance:

• Take a slow breath in for 4 counts, hold for 2, and out for 6.
  Repeat a few times to lower heart rate and reset your focus.

• Release excess tension.
  Gently shake out your hands and arms. Roll your shoulders. Keep your jaw relaxed.

• Ground yourself.
  Feel your feet firmly on the floor. Imagine stability flowing upward.

The goal is not zero nerves, it’s just less chaos.

3. Shift Your Focus to the Music

Nerves thrive on self-focus:

• What if I mess up?

• Everyone’s watching me.

• I’m not ready.

To override that, put your focus outside yourself:

• What do I want this phrase to sound like?

• How does the music feel in my body?

• What story am I telling?

When you focus on the music, you stop obsessing over yourself.

4. Create a Pre-Performance Routine

Consistency breeds calm. Try creating a short ritual that includes:

• A physical warmup

• A breath routine

• A few quiet moments alone with your instrument

• A positive reminder

Do this every time you perform, even for informal events. It tells your brain, “This is familiar. I’ve done this before.”

5. Use Mental Scripts That Help

Replace anxious self-talk with focused, encouraging thoughts. Try saying:

• “I’ve done the work. Now I get to share it.”

• “This doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be musical.”

• “Breathe. Listen. Play.”

You’d be amazed how much your mindset shapes your outcome.

6. Have a Game Plan for Mistakes

They will happen. They always happen. What matters is how you respond.

• Keep going. Don’t stop to fix it, play through.

• Stay in rhythm. The audience notices rhythm errors more than note flubs.

• Refocus. Let it go, and pour your attention into the next phrase.

Mistakes are moments, not definitions. They don’t cancel out the rest of your performance.

Final Note: You’re Allowed to Be Nervous And Still Play Beautifully

Nerves mean you care. But they don’t have to control you.

With preparation, awareness, and intention, you can transform that nervous energy into musical focus and authentic expression.

So next time you feel the butterflies? Don’t try to swat them away. Just teach them to fly in formation.

You’ve got this.