Performance Anxiety among Professional Musicians in Symphonic Orchestras: A Self-Report Study

155 of 650 professional musicians playing symphonic orchestras in The Netherlands completed a self-report questionnaire concerning performance anxiety. 91 of the 155 respondents reported experiencing or having experienced performance anxiety seriously enough to affect their professional or personal lives. There appeared to be no difference in prevalence between men and women. Substantial percentages of the anxious musicians reported considerable anticipation anxiety days (36%), weeks (10%), or even months (5%) prior to a performance. The results indicate that performance anxiety is a significant professional problem. It is suggested that teaching explicit coping strategies should be incorporated in the curricula of schools of music.