Helen Spielman Flute Studio - Books on Performance Anxiety http://www.unc.edu/~hbs/books.

htm

Books on Performing Anxiety

Compiled by Helen Spielman

Performance Anxiety: A Workbook for Actors, Singers, Dancers, and Anyone Who
Performs in Public by Eric Maisel
Back Stage Books, 2005
The best, most complete all-around book on performance anxiety that I've seen. Excellent,
comprehensive information about all aspects of stage fright including many thoughtful exercises
and further resources.

Performance Success: Performing Your Best Under Pressure by Don Greene

Routledge Publishers, 2002
An excellent book containing an artists performing survey to determine your own specific
areas of need, followed by the seven essential skills for optimal performance and detailed,
structured instruction for how to achieve them.

Fight Your Fear and Win: 7 Skills for Performing Your Best Under Pressure - at Work, in
Sports, on Stage by Don Greene
Broadway Books, 2002
A more general look, but also very useful, at the same approach given in Performance
Success.

Audition Success: An Olympic Sports Psychologist Teaches Performing Artists How to

Win by Don Greene
Routledge Publishers, 2001
Another of Don Greene’s books, spelling out his philosophy, but with an emphasis toward
auditions. This book, mostly consisting of taped conversations of two of his clients, is fascinating
and embraces centering, courage, and obtaining your goals.

Confident Music Performance: The Art of Preparing by Barbara Schneiderman

MMB Music, Inc., 1991
A very readable book that looks at performance anxiety from the cognitive, philosophical, and
physical sides of the topic. Much wisdom and good suggestions are shared.

The Performer Prepares by Robert Caldwell

Pst...Inc,1990
Excellent book based on the premise that a performer must be 100% committed and 100%
conflict-free at the time of their performance, and gives step-by-step instructions on how to
achieve it. A structured way to learn to not worry about aspects of your performance, and other
good lessons are taught in this book.

Overcoming Stage Fright in Everyday Life by Joyce Ashley

Clarson N. Potter, Publisher, 1996
This excellent book illustrates how our childhood issues influence performing anxiety. In a
readable format, a pyschologist shows us how she worked with two participants in an eight week
workshop, helping them unlock unconscious fears and, through actual dialogue, teaches readers
techniques to empower themselves to become confident on stage.

The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green with W. Timothy Gallwey

Doubleday Publishing, 1986
This is one of the classic standards. Overcoming self-interference, using the power of
awareness, wll, and trust to cope with obstacles to our best musical performance. Includes
exercises and chapters on ensemble playing and improvisation, composition, and creativity.

Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within by Kenny Werner

Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., 1996
How to let go of fear-based music performance and focus on love. Mastering your technique
through practice, controlling your mind through meditation and affirmations, dealing with your ego,
and letting go of mistakes.

The Confident Performer by David Roland

Heinemann, Div. of Reed Elsevier Inc., 1997
Clear, concise book with lots of good ideas about focusing your attention, relaxing and living a
healthy lifestyle, mental rehearsal, setting goals, developing a routine for performance.

The Audition Process: Anxiety Management and Coping Strategies by Allan Victor Dunkel

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Helen Spielman Flute Studio - Books on Performance Anxiety http://www.unc.edu/~hbs/books.htm

and Stuart Edward Dunkel

Pendragon Press, 1989
This book deals with psychological adaptations to audition stresses (doubt, feat,
self-consciousness, etc), and on the realities of the music business (life in the arts, dealing with
criticism, failure, and jealousy). The authors offer many healthy coping strategies for
concentration, relaxation, and building confidence, trust, and individuality.

Overcoming Performance Anxiety by Rod and Eversley Farnbach

Simon and Schuster, 2001
Based on Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, this book looks at activating events, beliefs,
and consequences, and gives many exercises and techniques, including disputing, a variety of
relaxation methods, “awfulising,” etc., to help reduce anxiety. Has a specific chapter on
procrastination.

A Soprano on Her Head: Right-side-up reflections on life and other performances by Eloise
Ristad
Real People Press,1982
A book that playfully encourages unblocking fear, guilt, and inhibition, so that inner freedom
can allow spontaneity and creativity in performance. A very popular book with musicians.

Sensory Tune-Ups: A guided journal of sensory experiences for performers of all ages by
Kay S. Hooper
AllSense Press, 2005
A thoughtful workbook that helps you become aware of your body sensations, thoughts, and
feelings during practice and performance. Asks excellent questions and stimulates relevant
experiences with plenty of room to write and/or draw answers.

What to Say When you Talk to Yourself

The Self-Talk Solution
Both by Shad Helmstetter
Pocket Books (Simon and Schuster), 1982, 1987 respectively
The first of these is excellent at explaining how and why positive self-talk works, how it
interacts with our behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and programming, and how to use self-talk. The
second book is more advanced look at using self-talk; the last half contains hundreds of
affirmations organized into different aspects of life such as self-esteem, getting organized,
becoming successful, etc. In both books, the only concern I have is that the author occasionally
uses negative words in some of the affirmations, but considering these books were written in the
1980's, this is minor and such words can be easily changed into positive phrases according to
what we now know about brain psychology.

Feel free to copy and share this list with students, colleagues, and friends.

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