VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation Performance anxiety VOICE TEACHERS STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH THE PERFORMANCE SITUATION VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE Department of Music, Institute of Fine Arts & Department of Educational Sciences, Tallinn University, Estonia vaike@cens.ioc.ee - www.tlu.ee/muusika JAAN ROSS Department of Musicology, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Estonia jaan.ross@gmail.com ABSTRACT Nowadays, increasing competition among musicians means additional requirements in terms of preparing professional classical musicians, including singers. In addition to stable and high-level technical skills, the majority of vocalists need to cope with the performance anxiety and competitive environment, which has become an integral part of artistic life. The purpose of this study is to learn how professional classical singers and voice teachers cope with the performance situation. What kind of features would be beneficial for singers and what are the most common disturbing factors for a classical singer. We are interested in how singers maintain well-being and mental balance needed for a successful performance as well as in which pre-performance activities they find the most efficient and which ones suggested to their students. Semi-structured interviews with the average duration of two hours were conducted with 12 professional classical singers and vocal pedagogues from the Estonian national music institutions. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and subjected to analysis with the qualitative data processing software NVivo 9. The results show that the most important requirements for a classical singer are related to the singer s voice, personality, physical and mental health, and intellectual and artistic skills. All vocalists had developed a day routine for coping with problems related to the performance anxiety and all had their own strategies to ensure the physical and mental balance. The most commonly taught to students with breathing exercises. The voice teachers admitted, however, that despite of the majority of their students experiencing problems with performance anxiety, those problems were rarely addressed in a focussed manner during the course of training. The voice teachers stressed the importance to be 55
CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education. Volume 4/1-2012 aware of how to adjust their cognitive activities in order to achieve the best results for the performance. To ensure a better quality of music education more emphasis should be turned on problems related to performance anxiety. Keywords: vocal pedagogy, voice teachers strategies for performance preparation, singers music performance anxiety, classical singers. INTRODUCTION Increasing competition among musicians on the contemporary scene implies additional requirements for them in terms of versatility and competitiveness. Performance anxiety usually manifests itself in negative changes in mental and physical sense of self before a performance. Almost all musicians feel anxiety before performances but experienced artists are able to exercise control over the anxietyrelated feelings as well as over possible physical disturbances. Today, due to the openness of the world and intense competition, the training of classical singers is becoming more similar to professional sports. Kenny (2011) discusses that for achieving a peak performance there are both physical and psychological preconditions, which are overlapping and interdependent. Salmon and Meyer (1992) view musicians coping with performance stress and admit that the highly competitive nature of music as a profession, particularly with respect to performing, cannot be denied. In the training of classical singers, skillful coping with performance anxiety is of utmost importance, since singers living instrument is equally vulnerable to thoughts, perception and external conditions. Many years of singing studies will be rendered useless if the performer is unable to implement the vocal technical skills learned in the classroom in front of an audience or a competition jury. Paradoxically, classical singers have to be emotionally gripping during a performance, but balanced at the same time to keep control of their instrument. Since there has been relatively little research on classical singers and performance anxiety, it was important to explore characteristics of the field, that professional classical singers and/or voice teachers themselves have pointed out. 56
VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation THE OBJECTIVE OF VOCAL PEDAGOGY The objective of vocal pedagogy is to highlight and reinforce the best features of students voice by developing its tone quality, range, mobility, intensity and endurance. Each singing student is unique, but the principles of vocal sound production are common to all. The vocal apparatus mainly develops after puberty and as a living organism continues to elaborate in relation to age and health. It takes years to become a classical singer, until the co-operation between mind and muscles is optimal enough to allow the production of the desired tone through different vocal registers. It is common that a singing student has to play and perform on an instrument that is not yet fully developed. To the contrary, instrumentalists are normally able to use a good instrument that is in a good condition from the very beginning. Burwell (2006) in her study of singers and instrumentalists notes that voice teachers tend to place more emphasis on the development of technique than instrumental teachers. Achieving vocal technical superiority is one of the main goals of the training of classical singers, which in turn establishes a basis for creative freedom. Bunch (1997: 102) describes components which generally define the quality of a singer s voice: the physical structure of the head, neck and vocal tract, the coordinated operation of different body parts involved in singing, the imaginative power of the singer and her/his levels of health and energy. As technology develops, singers public performances are increasingly more often compared to the recordings on CDs or DVDs. High expectations of human voice, singers external attractiveness and general endurance in today s public environment also place higher and more varied demands on teachers and educational institutions where competitive performers are trained. PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND SINGERS In recent years, increasingly more attention has been paid to problems hindering musicians performance on stage. Performance anxiety is undoubtedly one of the most negative factors almost each performer has to face to a greater or lesser degree. As a rule, performers are sensitive and emotional in nature and it is not likely that the audience 57
CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education. Volume 4/1-2012 would enjoy watching a dull or an emotionally void performance. According to Spielberger (1972) and Rapee (1991), fear and anxiety can be regarded both as emotional states, evoked in a particular context and having a limited duration, and as personality traits, characterising individuals across time and different situations. Salmon et al. (1998) point out that emotional states such as anxiety arise from an interaction between three psychological components: cognitive (or verbal), behavioural, and physiological. According to Levy et al. (2006) physical symptoms of stress may include: sweating, flushing, headache, tachycardia, angina, backache, fatigue, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, dry mouth, and other symptoms. Classical singers insecurity in their feel of the instrument may be increased mainly by: 1. emotional disturbance, 2. insufficient level of vocal technical skills, 3. unfavourable external conditions and 4. poor health. Compared to other musicians, classical singers are especially vulnerable to unfavourable conditions, since their instrument is prone to react to both internal and external factors. However, problems related to performance anxiety of professional classical singers have not been much discussed. METHODOLOGY The study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with 12 recognised classical singers and vocal pedagogues who were working or had earlier worked as soloists at the Estonian National Opera, or as eminent oratorio or chamber singers. The questions focused on classical singers pre-performance activities, performance-related and other professional tensions, coping with stress, techniques and exercises for coping with performance anxiety, most frequently used performancerelated exercises and activities used before, during and after performance and exercises which were introduced to singing students. All respondents were vocal pedagogues teaching classical singing in public educational institutions. Their experience as a soloist ranged between 10 and 45 years and as a voice teacher, between 2 and 36 years. Among the respondents were 4 male and 8 female voice professionals. There were altogether 56 questions, which were divided into two topic areas: 43 questions focused on how classical voice professionals 58
VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation personally cope with performance anxiety and 13 questions dealt with voice teachers work with students in lessons and before the students performances. The average duration of an interview was two hours. Interviews were recorded and later transcribed. To allow organisation, categorisation and analysis of the received information, the texts were processed with the qualitative research software NVivo 9. RESULTS From responses of 12 voice professionals, four groups of features related to qualities required for a professional singer can be distinguished. The total number of features in all four groups was 22. The first group is directly related to the singer s voice and it includes the following three features: (1) beautiful voice quality, (2) strong vocal apparatus, and (3) technically well-trained voice. The second group is related to the singer s personality and it includes the following ten features: (4) emotionality, (5) perseverance, (6) selfconfidence, (7) strong desire to sing, (8) artistry, (9) charm, (10) ability to become absorbed, (11) fanaticism, (12) certain degree of selfishness, and (13) being emotionally giving personality. The third group is related to the singer s physical and mental health and it includes the following three features: (14) very good physical health, (15) healthy nervous system, (16) ability to work hard. And, finally, the fourth group was related to the singer s intellectual and artistic skills and it includes the following six features: (17) very good memory, (18) analytical skills, (19) talent for music, (20) musical literacy, (21) overall musical education, and (22) intuitive voice control. In addition to the above list, the interviewed voice professionals highlighted 16 problems interfering with coping as a professional singer, which may occur in their practice on the daily basis. The same typology of four groups of features, which in the previous paragraph was applied to the requirements for a good singer, may also be used here. Problems related to the singer s voice include two factors: (1) maintaining vocal fitness and (2) responsibility for maintaining voice quality in spite of travel conditions and changes in climate. 59
CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education. Volume 4/1-2012 Problems related to the singer s personality include six factors: (3) problematic family relations, (4) problems with colleagues (especially conductors), (5) seemingly unjust criticism, (6) the fear of making mistakes, (7) difficulty of acting at maximum efficiency at any moment of time, and (8) subjectivity of assessment. Problems related to the singer s physical and mental health include four factors: (9) general health problems, (10) fatigue, (11) sleeping disorders, and (12) maintaining a healthy and stable nervous system. Finally, problems related to the singer s intellectual and artistic skills include four factors: (13) difficulties due to the part one needs to sing, (14) general technical difficulties when one has to sing very different parts in a short time, (15) lack of sufficient preparation time, and (16) too intensive schedule of rehearsals before a performance. The respondents also mentioned that at different stages of life difficulties vary and may change in the course of time. All respondents named unanimously six categories for being a successful singer: (1) one needs to possess an excellent vocal and general health, (2) to be well prepared for a performance, (3) should be physically fit, (4) should have maintained an optimal pre-performance routine, (5) must have support of the family, (6) and should be able to maintain a necessary emotional balance. Respondents were also unanimous in comparing the profession of a classical singer with that of a top athlete and considered the most difficult task of maintaining a good condition of their voice throughout the whole season, i.e. a major part of each year. When a respondent (R1, a performing singer for 45 years, a voice teacher for 25 years) was asked whether the profession of a classical singer was comparable to that of a top athlete, he replied: The psychological preparation of a practising singer and an athlete is quite similar: preparation and focusing on one certain day, one certain time. Before a difficult performance, singing the main role or an important concert, the physical and mental preparation is basically the same. The activities are different but the trend is similar. At a certain moment you ll have to be able to make an utmost effort. Then health or weather do not matter. 60
VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation All singers had developed a certain pre-performance routine reflected by an established daily schedule, which included sleeping time, meals, and specific voice exercises. The respondents listed 14 common pre-performance activities, which can be broken into three groups. The first group includes three ordinary daily activities which in many cases are maintained by individuals independent of their profession: (1) spending the morning of the performance day at home or at a hotel, (2) having sufficient sleeping time, (3) doing well-established physical exercises, and (4) having a light breakfast. The second group includes five activities targeted for maintaining an optimal condition directly for a voice during the subsequent performance: (5) avoiding the use of voice for speaking, (6) doing wellestablished breathing exercises, (7) doing well-established vocal exercises, (8) if needed, reviewing the part to be performed with eyes only without using the voice, and (9) if needed, singing only a few passages with the voice proper. The third group includes five activities aimed at anticipating a mentally and physiologically generally optimal condition for the upcoming performance: (10) preferring being alone, (11) eating four to five hours before the performance, not later, (12) rejecting any changes to the routine and schedule before the performance, (13) avoiding haste in actions, and (14) getting to the venue of the performance in good time, usually at least two to three hours prior to the performance. Breathing exercises have a toning effect, especially when the voice is not in a very good condition. On average, respondents did breathing exercises for 10 to 30 minutes a day. One of the respondents did breathing exercises for an hour and a half a day. There was a moderate overlap between exercises used by different singers. All vocalists used a rhythmical breathing exercise consisting of three parts, first taking air in, then holding breath and finally breathing out. All vocalists emphasised the calming effect of breathing exercises. The three most frequently used exercises for a quick calming effect were: (1) two or three deep breaths in and out, (2) two or three deep sighs, and (3) a deep breath, keeping one s muscles tense for some time, 61
CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education. Volume 4/1-2012 and then suddenly release them (this procedure can be repeated several times if necessary). All voice professionals agreed that body and mind must equally contribute to a successful performance. Especially with beginners, possible emotional excitement can cause a complete loss of the proper feeling for the vocal apparatus. When a respondent (R5, a performing singer for 30 years, a voice teacher for 39 years) was asked if the psychological control over the performance disappears, whether the vocal apparatus can fail as a consequence, the answer was very short: Absolutely. Yes. All teachers admitted that to a greater or lesser degree the absolute majority of their students have problems with performance anxiety. In the initial stage of the course, students are usually taught breathing exercises and some attention focusing techniques that the teachers themselves have used before. In the later stages of studies, approaches tend to be less systematic. However, it remains a student s own responsibility whether to apply the techniques and methods taught or not. For example, when a respondent (R7, a performing singer for 24 years, a voice teacher for 11 years) was asked, when a student loses his nerve before a performance, what does she recommend, she responded: I would recommend breathing exercises. But that requires systematic practice. All teachers emphasised the importance of the positive emotional atmosphere of singing lessons. They also stressed that often the attitude and mood of both, the teacher and the student determine this atmosphere. When a respondent (R11, a performing singer for 16 years, a voice teacher for 6 years) was asked if the atmosphere of singing lessons is important, she replied: It definitely is. In some respect it has to be a trusting relationship. Another respondent (R9, a performing singer for 22 years and a teacher for 27 years) replied to the same question: Yes, it is. Certainly. When I was younger, I was more impatient to begin with. This is what we jokingly describe as: I don t understand how he/she doesn t understand. Maybe I was also a bit more nervous then, or you know, wanted the results more quickly. I get more lenient with each passing year. 62
VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation The respondents did not consider it especially important emphasising to students the necessity of physical stamina, but they often found it to be a sensitive topic. The same applied to overweight. To ensure the singing students secure feeling while singing the teachers pointed out that students should gain more performance experience, learn to rationally assess themselves and their outcomes. When a performance is a failure, there should certainly be a rational analysis of why the error occurred. Self-blame should be avoided. Advice should be taken from trustworthy people who you know wish you the best. Negative thoughts should be avoided. It is important to believe in yourself and find your own solutions. The teachers recommended not to eat too much immediately before singing, since it makes deep breathing difficult and thus hinders achieving the level of perception needed for singing. Certain foods that they suggested to avoid before singing were the following: nuts, chocolate, milk products, spices, grapes. Everything that might irritate or dry the vocal tract should be avoided. Hydrating substances, primarily still water, were considered beneficial. Respondents unanimously believed that alcohol, tobacco and chemical substances used to relieve anxiety damage the voice. One voice teacher was of an opinion that if a singer uses some medicine, its effect has to be previously tested on the same user in the same situations. However, general point of view was that a professional classical singer has to develop skills in coping with performance anxiety without chemical substances. DISCUSSION All 12 voice professionals stressed that in today s intense competition every classical singer primarily has to have very good professional skills. Nevertheless, success is always determined by performance in front of an audience. All voice professionals agreed that preperformance preparation must involve work with the piece they will perform as well as activities ensuring emotional balance before the performance. Maintaining emotional balance despite internal or external interfering factors was considered very important indeed. 63
CFMAE: The Changing Face of Music and Art Education. Volume 4/1-2012 Woody et al. (2011) also emphasise that successful performers have to learn to manage their emotions before and during performances. Kenny s (2006) investigation indicated that music performance anxiety is not limited to orchestral musicians, as it was shown that opera chorus artists are also prone to high levels of performance anxiety. Öhman (2010) have stressed out that in fear organisms try to cope with the danger, but in anxiety, the situation does not allow effective means of coping. Therefore it becomes highly important to find the helpful ways that are suitable for anticipating rather than overcoming destructive situations during a performance. In order to cope successfully with performances, all voice professionals had developed a detailed schedule that had often become their firm lifestyle to which they did not attach special importance on a daily basis. Support of the family was considered important and it was seen as natural that family members follow and respect the singer s rhythm of life. All singers stressed that most difficult for them was to maintain vocal health throughout the whole season and emotional balance in stressful situations. Most frequent problems with colleagues mentioned by the respondents were those with difficult conductors, whose behaviour had an especially adverse emotional impact. This allows us to agree with Kenny (2011) that in the course of conductor training, the curriculum should include classes, which are targeted to a better understanding of the human behaviour in general, and of the human motivation in particular. The voice professionals recognised the importance of physical stamina, which gave them certain security for performing well. They all had a physically active lifestyle, engaging in swimming, running, skiing, gymnastics or yoga. According to Emmons (1998: 67) cultivating good habits in the body and eliminating bad ones is just as important for a singer as it is for an elite athlete. All respondents did breathing exercises more or less regularly. They considered a breathing-based exercise especially beneficial on occasions when their voice was not in a good condition and when they needed to calm themselves quickly. All vocal pedagogues had witnessed their students experiencing problems with performance anxiety. These problems were normally 64
VAIKE KIIK-SALUPERE, JAAN ROSS. Voice Teachers Strategies to Cope with the Performance Situation treated not in too much detail at the beginning of the studies. It was not common to give these problems systematic attention during the whole learning cycle in parallel with the acquisition of vocal technique. Teachers most frequently introduced breathing exercises and techniques to their students they themselves had used or continued to use before performances. They also told their students about food preferences before a performance. Students attention was directed to the need to develop a habit of rational analysis of what has happened during the performance after it was over. The voice professionals did not generally use medication to cope with performance anxiety, because they thought it could cause addiction and have an unpredictable effect on their voice. Generally, it was not recommended to students to use chemical substances whenever possible. West (2004) has pointed out that for musicians there is a need for fine control of one s muscles so that notes are played or sung as intended, with the required quality and intonation. It is unpredicted how an individual may physiologically react to tranquillisers. The voice teachers emphasised that students have to view performances and everything related to them as an inevitability, everyone who wants to succeed in their competitive field has to learn to independently cope with. CONCLUSIONS Semi-structured interviews with a group of voice professionals demonstrated that the most important requirements for a classical singer are related to the singer s voice, personality, physical and mental health, and intellectual and artistic skills. All acting singers have developed a certain pre-performance routine aimed at maintaining the optimal level for the ordinary daily activities and anticipating mentally and physiologically the most alert condition during the upcoming performance. All teachers claimed that their students to a greater or lesser degree have problems with performance anxiety, but these problems are not systematically treated in the lessons. Students were recommended to view performance anxiety as an inevitable part of their profession. To ensure a better quality of music education, more emphasis should be placed on problems related to performance anxiety. 65
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