Mental Training for Musicians can open the door to your inner creative energy flow, that lies hidden behind old confined thought patterns
Many performing musicians experience a marked difference in their performance level in a stressful situation such as an important concert and in a non-stressful practise/rehearsal room situation. The difference can vary considerably.
In the world of sport, it has been known for some time that it is not enough just to be in top shape technically, if nerves let you down at the crucial moment when you have to perform at your best.
There is often a marked difference between a good performance and a top-level performance.
Stage Fright is a common phenomenon and one which is often based on a negative inner dialogue where the performers thoughts are focused on all the things that can go wrong, together with how embarrassing it would be to fail to live up to one’s own expectations and that of others.
A situation arises whereby the performers thoughts, and the music being performed, become intertwined and a self-increasing negative process is set in motion leading to a complete breakdown of self-confidence. These thoughts or emotions prevent focus and centering on the music, and drain considerable energy. Further implications can include loss of muscle control, weakness, stiffness, hypertension, trembling/shaking and sweating. That can lead to a stress condition where anxiety of experiencing the same again leads precisely to it happening again and again, and every time it happens it becomes more and more difficult to go on to the concert platform. This anxiety can reach such proportions that it can seriously affect performances and result in traumatic experiences that can lead to a mental block or in some cases, a mental breakdown.
Many very talented performers have been forced to give up their career because of a mental block.
It is possible to work with your anxiety, learn what lies behind it and work with the negative thought patterns so that the strong energy that is connected to anxiety can be canalised into the music and strengthen your performance, creativity and self-confidence.
It is vitally important to have confidence in yourself under pressure and know that you have the tools to be able to handle any situation that may arise.
It is possible quickly and successfully to remove a mental block, together with the stress, anxiety and accumulation of adrenalin from past traumatic performance experiences.
The people behind Mental Training for Musicians
Psychologist Inger Murray is a member of the Danish Psychology Society.
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Inger Murray is a graduate in psychology. She has developed a special concept for musicians after having studied for many years the problems performing musicians face in their work. She has travelled extensively with her husband Owen Murray, who is a musician, and that has given her the opportunity to observe professional musicians working in highly stressful situations and the problems they face. This research has also included studying the pressures students face during conservatory education and in examination and competition situations. She has had great success with her method and is in constant demand.
Inger Murray holds workshops for musicians and also gives individual therapy. She is employed by the Royal Academy of Music in London to hold workshops for Academy students and has also works with the National Youth Orchestra of Gt. Britain.
She is Director of the Centre for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Her work embraces the treatment of people who have suffered a traumatic experience, people who suffer from phobias, mental block and psychogenic muscle tension.
Owen Murray is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1994 he was awarded the Academy’s highest honour, Hon RAM (Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music). He has an international career and has played with many of the world’s leading orchestras.
He is a regular member of juries at international competitions.
Mental Training for Musicians uses a concept especially developed for musicians. It embraces diverse psychology theories, personal research and practical experience and the best mental training techniques used by elite sports people. It also uses body psychology, bioenergetic exercises, meditation and visualisation techniques, autogen training, breathing exercises and grounding techniques.
Problems on the concert platform can include:
- Memory loss
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Poor concentration
- Anxiety for fast technically difficult passages
- Loss of muscle control, stiffness, sweaty, weak or trembling hands
- Mental block
- Overpowering anxiety before going on to the platform
- Flash-backs of poor performances
- Having to abandon your performance
These phenomenon can arise irrespective of how well you are prepared and have no relation to your ability.
Problems on the concert platform can lead to a heightened stress level, as previously mentioned, where anxiety of experiencing the same problems again leads precisely to it happening again and again, and every time it happens it becomes more and more difficult to go on to the concert platform. This stress condition can also influence you daily life in the shape of:
- Problems with concentration
- Irritability
- Over sensitivity for noise
- Loud sounds startle you
- Inability to see the overall picture in a pressurised situation
- Problems in coping with several things simultaneously
- Forgetfulness/poor memory
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks in similar situations
- Avoidance of situations that could remind you of past traumatic experiences
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Stage-fright
We can offer: Treatment of bow-shake, and periodic paralysis of fingers
and other vital parts af the body, during performance.
- Individual therapy for the treatment of stage-fright
- Individual therapy to remove a mental block or previous negative experiences on the concert platform
(The treatment is fast, very effective, and in most cases one treatment session is enough)
- Individual therapy to re-start a concert career. Even old injuries can be healed!
- Individual weekend therapy for the treatment of past traumatic platform experiences; in preparation for an important concert/audition/examination, or in the case of a sudden acute problem in the middle of a concert tour or theatre production
- Workshops at music conservatories
Inger Murray
Tel. +45 51904496
E-mail: murray@mentaltrainingformusicians.com
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