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You know the feeling: the racing heartbeat; the clammy palms; the snakes in your stomach; the terror that ridicule and infamy may be close at hand.<\/p>
Stage fright is not limited to a select few. Actors, athletes, broadcasters, teachers, politicians, royalty \u2013 all are susceptible. And that goes for anybody required to give a performance, be it a sermon, PowerPoint presentation or karaoke.<\/p>
Fear of public humiliation is a universal emotion and one that manifests itself in a universal way. \u2018That\u2019s the flight-or-fight response,\u2019 explains Dr Philip Fine, senior lecturer in psychology at Buckingham University. \u2018Even though there may be no bear coming at you, no cliff you\u2019re about to fall off, there is a fear of what might happen, a fear of looking stupid.\u2019 <\/p>
When it comes to music making, however, there\u2019s a strange conflict at play. That\u2019s because symptoms of the flight-or-fight response, including trembling fingers, muscle tension, shortness of breath and slippery palms, can interfere with the physical precision required to sing or to play an instrument. This may help to explain why stage fright remains such a taboo among musicians. <\/p>
\u2018Stage fright is so common in performers,\u2019 says pianist Steven Osborne who has given several talks on the subject. \u2018But it\u2019s seen as a weakness, as if it were a cancer that you could cut out.\u2019 Easier said than done. And when anxiety is extreme, it can be extremely difficult to \u2018cut out\u2019.<\/p>
\u2018I used to have big red blotches on my chest which was adrenaline caused by nerves,\u2019 says soprano<\/a><\/strong> Dame Anne Evans, one of Bayreuth\u2019s most famous Wagner<\/a><\/strong> interpreters. Anne recalls one particular occasion when, as a young singer with English National Opera, she sang her first Violetta in Verdi<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s La traviata<\/em>.<\/p>