| The other thing that helps me is to remember that unlike a sports game, where some of the audience is rooting against you, your audience is there in full support. If I have done my best to prepare, then I try to just share what I have been working on with people who wish me well.
I try to downplay competition with my students for this very reason. We don't have to have winners and losers in the arts. Of course, for professional musicians seeking a job, it is an extremely competitive experience, but for the majority of musical experiences, competition is not necessary or even valuable. And even for the professional audition, it is a competition with one's self. You cannot play defense when the other guy auditions. |