Stress, Coping and Stage Fright in Professional Musicians

Recent research on the processes underlying musical performance anxiety indicates that cognitive and physiological factors are both involved. The cognitive disturbances centre around worries concerning potential catas- trophes, performance quality and exaggerated beliefs about the importance of any particular musical performance. It is argued that stage fright and more general stresses in musicians' careers are related. A survey of career stress in professional orchestral musicians and student musicians is described. Finally, the implications for coping strategies in the management of stage fright are outlined.