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Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players

Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016.

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Other Authors: Panebianco-Warrens, Clorinda Rosanna
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Panebianco-Warrens, Clorinda Rosanna
author_browse Panebianco-Warrens, Clorinda Rosanna
author_facet Panebianco-Warrens, Clorinda Rosanna
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2017 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:40.309Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
publishDateSort 2017
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/58984 Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players Panebianco-Warrens, Clorinda Rosanna Van Staden, Jacobus M.C. Music performance anxiety Brass players Symptoms Coping Strategies Tone quality UCTD Music theses SDG-03 SDG-03: Good health and well-being Music theses SDG-04 SDG-04: Quality education Music theses SDG-10 SDG-10: Reduced inequalities Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016. Music performance anxiety (MPA) is primarily described as stage fright concerning musicians and performers and affects orchestral and professional musicians severely (Brugués, 2009; Plummer, 2007). As a result, literature on MPA focuses extensively on how it affects professional and adolescent musicians, but limited resources emphasise how it affects brass instrumentalists. The aim of the study is to investigate the occurrence and experience of MPA in brass players. Further, it aims to explore prominent symptoms in this population and what coping strategies are most effective against MPA. Ten brass (five French horn, three trumpet and two trombone) players, of whom eight are professional and two semi-professional musicians, with varying performance experience, participated in this study. The study uses a qualitative research approach and falls into the interpretive paradigm. A multiple case study design was followed. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, probing each participant’s reported experiences and coping strategies. MPA inhibits a brass player’s musical performance in areas such as musical expression, technical proficiency, physical endurance, tone quality and enjoyment. The results suggest that most of the participants experienced MPA since childhood, regardless of the starting age, and experiences of this condition varied over time throughout adulthood. The symptoms of MPA manifests physiologically (shaking, dry mouth, increased heart rate, sweating), behaviourally (muscle tension, shaking, dry lips), and cognitively (negative thought processes). First-time experiences of a musically demanding task such exams and Eisteddfods, with intimidating audiences, impacted early signs of severe MPA symptoms such as shaking and had a blunting effect on performance quality. Increased task difficulty, limited performance opportunities, auditions, recitals, and orchestral environments, which exposed the player’s performing ability under pressure, had a profound influence on recent experiences of MPA. These situations evoked multiple symptoms such as dry mouth, accelerated heartbeat, shortness of breath, negative thoughts/feelings and self-doubt. Symptoms such as a dry mouth, accelerated heartbeat, shortness of breath, and shaking affects a brass player’s musical performance severely, since it inhibits tone quality and influences musical spontaneity. Therefore, these symptoms affect technical proficiency among brass players negatively since performing these instruments are physically demanding. The results also showed that teachers gave useful advice concerning performing a brass instrument under pressure. The advice was useful among the participants’ lived experiences of MPA, particularly regarding early-experienced symptoms. The experiences of MPA in high demanding performance settings resulted in a better understanding of the situation over time, and led to the reported coping strategies against MPA, which enhanced optimal performance and reduced symptoms. The study concludes that MPA adversely affects brass instrumentalists, particularly the physiological manifestation of the condition. More research is needed to identify symptoms unique to this instrument group and the most effective coping strategies. ae2025 Music MMus Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-04: Quality education SDG-10: Reduced inequalities 2017-02-13T06:09:52Z 2017-02-13T06:09:52Z 2017-05-03 2016 Mini Dissertation Van Staden, JM 2016, Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players, MMus Mini Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/58984> A2017 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/58984 en © 2017 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Music performance anxiety
Brass players
Symptoms
Coping Strategies
Tone quality
UCTD
Music theses SDG-03
SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Music theses SDG-04
SDG-04: Quality education
Music theses SDG-10
SDG-10: Reduced inequalities
Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title_full Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title_fullStr Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title_full_unstemmed Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title_short Exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
title_sort exploring performance related anxiety in brass players
topic Music performance anxiety
Brass players
Symptoms
Coping Strategies
Tone quality
UCTD
Music theses SDG-03
SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Music theses SDG-04
SDG-04: Quality education
Music theses SDG-10
SDG-10: Reduced inequalities
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/58984