Polyphony: visualization and music study - Professional Resources

American Music Teacher, Dec, 2003 by Jane Magrath

Q: My question concerns students who play mind games on themselves in performance. Do you have any suggestions to help a student who seems to prepare well technically and musically for competitions, but on some occasions plays mind games on himself prior to or during recital or festival performances? The result is that the performances frequently do not match what had been accomplished on these pieces in practice and studio.

A: While it is not possible for an rain-depth answer here about various aspects of performance anxiety, an introduction to visualization connected to positive performing strategies seems appropriate. It is essential for music students to prepare mentally, as well as technically and musically, for all performances. This applies to all of us--precollege students, as well as college students and professional pianists. Ideally, the musician will imagine herself playing successfully in the forthcoming performance. Research tells us athletes who visualize in-depth before a performance, as well as practice and prepare diligently, improve the performance outcome over those who only practice for the event with no visualization. This occurs because the human central nervous system does not differentiate between real and imagined events. Thus, if a student simulates every sound, sensation and nuance of a piece of music in the mind, and senses all aspects of the piece in a visualized performance, she may enhance the performance through the visualization. The visualization produces subtle muscle contractions that mirror those that will occur in the actual performance. If the student pictures a successful performance, and includes in the visualization as many aspects as possible of the performance, such as the time before going on stage; the feeling in the hands; the act of walking out on stage, as well as the actual performance itself, the connection between the mind and body is strengthened for the future performance.

Q:What are some situations where visualization might help a pianist?

A: Certainly, visualization can help in most aspects of one s personal life. In terms of piano study and performance, a student might be helped by visualizing the way it feels, both emotionally and physically, to play a piece well in a performance. Or, he might visualize a successful, short student recital performance of only one or two pieces. Or, the student might visualize something as basic and important as a rewarding and productive practice session. Still again, he might visualize playing a forthcoming full recital program. The visualization might include many aspects of the performance, such as the events of the day of the performance, including the warm-up for the recital; the time backstage waiting for the recital to begin; the feeling of the hands before going on stage; positive thoughts backstage as he waits for the recital to begin; walking to the piano for the first piece; his focus and inner listening when sitting on the bench and waiting to play; the lights shining on him as he plays the first piece; the feeling of the keys as he sinks into the initial tones; and additional performance aspects. Research shows that during visualization, one is essentially "priming" the muscles for the task ahead, and the brain, nervous system and body are conditioned to perform the way you want them to in the future. (1) We are told most world class athletes use visualization, and the parallels to music performance seem infinite.

In addition, visualization may enhance an individual's creativity and ability to realize solutions to issues in music, or in life. A particularly convincing example of this cited in a sports performance enhancement book titled The Mental Edge was the story of Dick Fosbury, who was one of America's best high jumpers, and probably one of the most innovative as well. Fosbury was highly successful early in his life and kept looking for new ways to jump to new heights. He could only go so high, and he started using his imagination to help him jump even higher. Fosbury began to experiment with a new way of jumping that let him approach the bar straight on, turning at the last moment and clearing the bar with his back parallel to the pit. Prior to this, high jumpers would clear the bar with the abdomen and face toward the pit. Fosbury worked and worked to perfect the technique until in 1968 he used the technique to set a new Olympic high jump record. Since that point, virtually every high jumper has used what is now called the "Fosbury flop." (2)

Q: What about students who feel visualization is one of those things that can work for someone else, but it is too personal or direct for them to use?

A: This might be a student who is afraid of anticipating a performance. Visualization techniques help the student become comfortable with the situation and allow her to set up the performance to go the way she wants it to go. It may not be right for all students but probably can help most students if they are open to it. It takes practice, certainly, and should be guided carefully. And, it does not take a lot of effort or time, just as listening to recordings does not take a lot of time and yet can make a big impact on the amount of time it takes a student to learn a piece.