Online Learning During the COVID-Crisis

Monday, May 25, 2020 by Stephanie Jennifer Poropat | COVID-19 Update

From all of us here at Sotto Voce Didsbury, we hope that everyone has managed to stay safe and well during these unprecedented and uncertain times!

For the safety of our Sotto Voce Community, we have closed our premises; and it will remain closed until we feel it is safe to have face-to-face lessons again. Whilst we cannot yet give everyone a specific reopening date, we continue to provide online learning lessons for all of our students. Furthermore, the magic of Zoom and Microsoft Teams means that we can even continue our group musicianship lessons for all our students working through ABRSM and university entrance examinations.

NEW STUDENTS: being in isolation might be the perfect time to discover a new hobby or develop a talent you've put in your back pocket up till now!

To keep everyone motivated, Stephanie has kindly shared a PowerPoint Presentation which she gives her GCSE and A Level students on "The Power of Practice".

To download it for free, click on the "Online Resources" section of your site. For a wonderful motivational video outlining the benefits of music making (in case we've not already convinced you!) keep scrolling and enjoy the video made by the incredible team at TedEd.

Stay safe, everyone; and don't hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions for us!

Performance Anxiety: A Few Tips and Tricks

Sunday, July 5, 2020 by Stephanie Jennifer Poropat | Performance Anxiety

Performance Anxiety: A Few Tips and Tricks

From public speaking to work presentations, or even music recitals – at some stage or other we have all experienced performance anxiety. It is sometimes also colloquially known as Stage Fright. For some of us, it fuels our performance and drives us to do better. However, for others it can be a really daunting and debilitating experience.

This blog seeks to briefly look at some of the causes of performance anxiety and will offer some small tips and tricks which may help to get past these nerves; and help you on your way to having an amazing performance experience.

N.B. This is not a one size fits all! Every single person will have so many contributing factors which have led them to feel nervous before and during a performance. Factors which vary from life experience to the weight of the situation at hand. As you read this, please bare this in mind and know that if none of the described scenarios fit you, THAT’S OK!

We’ve included a list of citations which may be a good starting place for you to do your own research to see what might help you and best fit your needs.

We hear you and we know that the struggle is real!!

So, let's begin.

The Symptoms of Stage Fright:

According to researcher Dr. Elizabeth Valentine, there are three major categories of symptoms associated with performance anxiety: physiological, behavioural, and mental (Valentine, 2002).

The fist category encompasses the physical reactions people experience when confronted with a situation which makes them nervous (researchers call it arousal… but it’s not that kind of arousal… get your mind out of the gutter! It just means that your mind and body are now in fight or flight mode. We will be referring to this as arousal moving forward). Physical symptoms can include anything from trembling hands to more extreme reactions including nausea, dizziness and diarrhoea.

The second category tends to resemble the symptoms of general anxiety and includes things like: stiffness, dead-pan facial expressions and shaky hands. This can impair performance substantially – especially for musicians as having to be steady in order to carry out a musical performance which is expressive and true to the wishes of a composer.

The final category is the “mental chatter” which stems from subjective and personal feelings of self-worth; which are almost always negatively skewed. This category is extremely complex and is far beyond what we can (and should) cover here in one small blogpost. However, we will say that there are two sub-categories worth mentioning:

Catastrophizing: this is the ability of the mind to think of the worst possible outcome to any given scenario to the point of absurdity. When it comes to performance, people often take these catastrophic thought experiments, explore the hypothetical outcomes, and then link them to their own self-worth. For example: “If I perform badly I will have let everyone down and everyone will laugh and make fun of me and I’ll never be able to show up for work again…etc.

The inability to be realistic about one’s one abilities, the situation at hand, and to be kind to oneself about the outcome of the performance can severely hinder performance.
Self-Handicapping: This is sometimes referred to as self-sabotage. This is where people deliberately (either consciously or unconsciously- the latter being much more common… scary, right?!) set themselves up for failure by doing things which might materially damage their ability to perform well under pressure. However, these very things act as a social excuse for things going wrong. For instance: not sleeping the night before, cramming in lots of practice at the last moment and then causing muscle strain, damaging equipment before a show, and so on.

These form an external locus for blame when things go awry and usually become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Moreover, if a person has a habit of combining a bit of part 1 and also part 2, you have a perfect storm of performance anxiety on your hands!

Not to worry, we have some tips which might help.

Addressing the Physical and Mental Symptoms:

If you are a professional musician and struggle with performance anxiety, Alexander Technique is your new best friend. They use a mixture of relaxation and Biofeedback techniques to re-train your body to relax and remain calm in situations of high cognitive arousal and stress.

For details, visit: https://www.alexandertechnique.com.au/music/

Anyone who feels it might not be a fit for them or their situation, there are some simple physical and mental activities you can participate in here.

Breathing Techniques: This may seem silly or over simplistic, however, learning to control your breath will physically force your heart-rate to lower. This means that amygdala (the part of your brain which produces adrenalin) can’t pump adrenaline through your body and perpetuate the symptoms of anxiety you’re experiencing pre-performance.

One such simple exercise may be to pop a metronome on 90BPM and breathe in for four clicks, hold for four clicks, then breathe out for four clicks. Immediately following, breathe in for five, hold for five, and out for five. Continue the exercise until you reach eight or ten. Still feeling nervous? Reduce the metronome to 80BMP; or 70BMP. However, maybe don’t go lower than 60BPM. We don’t want you to pass out before curtain call!

Assume Physical Postures Which Force You to Take Up Space: This can seem equally farfetched; however, research from Harvard University has demonstrated that taking a minute or two before a big interview or public performance to stretch out your arms and legs and assume a “power pose” (e.g. the Wonder-Woman or Super Man stance) can shift your brain chemicals and make you feel more confident.

Don’t believe us? Check out Amy Cuddy’s work: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Consciously Changing Your Mental Chatter and Personal Mantras: The things we tell ourselves before and during a performance can drastically shape how we approach and execute performance.

Leading up to a performance, don’t’ engage in long and complicated mantras with yourself. This will give your subconscious the opportunity to twist a positive message into something negative and might trigger any number of anxious responses.

Stick to things like: “It’s going to be great!”; “It’s going to be fun!”; “It’s so exciting!”.

Letting Go of the Idea of Perfection: Let’s be clear. We are not encouraging laziness or not putting in the work. On the contrary, lack of practice is a leading cause of performance anxiety (we will address this briefly a little alter).

However, we want to highlight the work of Dr. Carol Dweck, who has an amazing book called “Mindset” – which looks at the beliefs we have about ourselves and how we learn and retain information. Whilst a lot of her book is pedagogically focused on fixed vs. growth mindsets, there’s a lot we can learn from her and apply to performing.

If you’re not sold on getting the book, check out some of her lectures on YouTube for free:

PRACTICE!!!: If you practice effectively and feel confident in your instrument (rather than cram in practice at the last moment), you are less likely to experience anxiety which will be detrimental to your performance.

Know Thyself – Getting to Know Your Anxiety and It’s Triggers: I’m sure it goes without saying that everyone is so different and as such everyone’s anxiety comes from a slightly different place. For those of us who perform professionally (or want to) but feel that performance anxiety is stopping them from progressing in our careers, it might be an idea to look at getting counselling. Contrary to what people think, trained therapists and psychologists are there to give us arrows to our quiver. To give us specific strategies, tailor made to our circumstances and personalities. They help you help yourself.

Have a talk to you GP and they can give you the best advice for to get in touch with. They can also provide you with a mental heath-care plan. Not to worry, you are not alone and you can get past this!

However, those of us who aren’t sure about whether going to counselling is up our alley, there are some resources we can use to help understand performance anxiety, anxiety in general, and how to understand and treat panic attacks in the lead-up to a performance.

DISCLAIMER: These videos can be a very effective tool, but are no substitute for the proper guidance of a mental-healthcare professional!

Final Word of Advice:

Be kind to yourselves and ENJOY THE MUSIC MAKING PROCESS! Remember that when we perform, we are transporting ourselves and others to another place. It’s not all about you!

Have any tips or tricks that work for you? Get in touch and join in the conversation!!

The idea of practice can often be daunting and tedious at the best of times – sometimes our only driver being a performance or examination deadline; which, let’s be honest, isn’t the best or most positive motivator from the outset. The academic in me would direct you to Deci & Ryan’s research into the way in which extrinsic motivators actually hinder intrinsic motivation (see: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf or Deci & Ryan's International Resources Website if interested!).

But for the muggles amongst us who need short, sharp, top-tips for practice, this is the blogpost for you! Here at Sotto Voce, we believe that there are three steps to take in order to set yourself up for practice success.

Step 1: Know Thyself

Without getting too existential on you, the first and most important part of any practice process is to come to terms how YOU learn. Each person has their own individual learning style. This is normal, and it can change over the course of your life. This is why, every now and again, it’s important to check in with yourself and get to know your learning habits, and your goals.

Let’s take a brief glance at some learning styles and see if any of these resonate with you.

Traditionally, it is thought that there are seven learning styles. It is now widely known that there are many more than just seven learning styles and that much research since the 70’s has been done to demonstrate the plethora of ways in in which people can absorb, internalize, and then reproduce information in various contexts to immeasurable ends.

HOWEVER, easing into the subject by just looking at these basic seven is a great way to start.

If you feel your learning style doesn’t fit any of the above categories or if you find yourself in a crossover between a few of the aforementioned, YOU ARE NOT ABNORMAL! We are just looking at the above to give us a foundation. As always, we give you the basics, and it’s then up to you to find out which categories best define how you learn and what strategies to implement to help you grow from there.

The categories are:

Visual or Spatial Learners:

Learner's in this category will prefer using graphics, pictures, images and space in order to learn.

Aural Learners:

Sometimes called Auditory/Musical Learners. People who identify as members of this category tend to learn best when things are put to music or associated with particular sounds.

Verbal/Linguistic Learners:

Here, people prefer using speech or writing in order to absorb information. Basically, verbal learners are all about words in all shapes and forms.

Physical Learning Style:

Also known as a Kinesthetic Learning Style. People who learn this way tend to prefer using their sense of touch, hands, and overall body movement in order to internalize information.

Logical Learning Style:

Sometimes called a Mathematical Learning Style. Here, learners use reasoning and logical systems in a very pragmatic way in order to absorb knowledge or draw conclusions about information presented to them.

Solitary Learning Style:

Sometimes referred to as Intrapersonal Learning Style. These learners prefer to learn and work alone and use self-study techniques in order to achieve their learning goals.

Social Learning Style:

Also known as Interpersonal Learning Style. Social Learners learn best in groups or with other people.

Not sure which category best describes your way of learning? Not to worry! Move on to step two.

Step 2: Help is only a click away

There are so many free websites you can visit which help to determine which learning styles best suit you and how you learn. I’ve listed a few here. Don’t just do one, pick a few and see where you fit in the spectrum.

Something to keep in mind: neuroplasticity and cognitive development are a thing! Basically: don’t be afraid to test yourself again every year or two. Your development as a musician and artist will change both over time, and the way you practice.

Step 3: Coming up with an Action Plan for Managing Your Precious Practice Time

After all this is said-and-done, it’s important that once you are familiar with how you best internalize information, the next step is to come up with an action plan with the aim being mastery of certain skills. Namely, the practice and performance of your instrument.

Fun Fact: You are more likely to practice if you schedule a regular time each day to practice and stick to it. Even if you aren’t able to practice that day due to illness, but instead engage in “silent practice”.

This might involve a number of things ranging from listening to recordings of your piece and breathing where a particular performer breathes (this may give you new insights into phrasing and interpretation options), to researching more about your piece, it’s composer, it’s context…etc.

The more you know about your piece/it’s composer/context, the better you will be able to translate the information into something effective in performance.

Few things to keep in mind here:

A warm-up is not practice time. It’s a warm-up. Kind of like how writing notes isn’t studying. It’s writing notes. It’s the necessary precursor to practice. That’s not to say that scales in particular can’t also be part of your practice in the leadup to an exam. However, you need to use your discretion on this.
It is soooooo important to schedule in regular breaks into your practice time. Especially when singing, as you are dealing with very delicate muscle groups. However, as above, the breaks don’t count as a part of your practice time!
Be kind to yourself. Yes, it’s important to be driven and to work hard. Hard work will get results. However, burning out doesn’t help you or your audience. Remember: no matter what they tell you (or indeed what we tell ourselves), there will always be another opportunity.

For more tips on time management specifically, our friends at TedEd have a lovely little animation which can help to put things in perspective.

As always, if you have any questions about anything we have discussed here today, please feel free to get in touch with us here on our website, or on any of our socials!

You know what they say... those who can't do... DON'T TEACH HERE!!

Saturday, May 30, 2020 by Stephanie Jennifer Poropat | UPDATE

Here at Sotto Voce, we like our students to know that we don't just talk-the-talk; we walk-the-walk!

Our very own Stephanie has entered an international singing competition called ASC@home through IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition and she is a contender for one of the top prizes!

Watch her competition entry below. If you like what you hear, you can vote for her by clicking this link; and scrolling down to the section that says: "Voting for the "Audience Choice Prize" is now open"; and fill out the form.

Thanks so much for your ongoing support and feel free to get in touch if you would like to book an online lesson, today!

Online Learning During the COVID-Crisis

Performance Anxiety: A Few Tips and Tricks

The Symptoms of Stage Fright:

Addressing the Physical and Mental Symptoms:

Final Word of Advice:

Further Reading:

The Power of Practice: Three Steps to Performance Success

You know what they say... those who can't do... DON'T TEACH HERE!!

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