You’re Afraid to Share Your Music… Do It Anyway!

Musicians understand that the joy of making music comes not just from our own enjoyment, but also when we share it with others. Music has been a part of our history for thousands of years! In fact, one of the first instruments known to exist was the bone flute – approx. 35,000 years ago – what???

Making music is interwoven into the human existence and serves as a meaningful way to express ourselves and connect with others. This is why musicians perform in concert – for small groups of people or for thousands of audience members. This is why music teachers, like me, insist on students performing for their friends and families. It’s part of our humanity!

Despite our human instinct to share music with one another, many of us also have the instinct to avoid performing. This is because it can inspire an adrenaline response – fight, flight, or freeze. And that can be very scary! When my students express anxiety about an upcoming performance, it’s not usually inspired by lack of preparation. In fact, this adrenaline response is often unrelated to the amount of time a student has spent preparing.

Instead, what’s happening is an adrenaline response to a situation in which the student feels vulnerable. Standing up in front of a group of people by yourself is scary. Our brains and bodies have evolved to seek protection and safety in numbers. We often feel safer in groups than we do on our own, and sometimes it’s because it is actually safer to be in a group!

I love hiking, mountains, and the wilderness. This can be done safely individually or in groups. However, I feel much safer hiking in a group. In a group, I know that I can rely on others to help me if I am injured, to carry extra supplies, and to help navigate the trails. I also know that if we encounter any dangerous wildlife, a larger number of people is more likely to scare off any wildlife that stumble across our path. Groups of people tend to make more noise and appear more intimidating. It’s much easier to accidentally sneak up on a bear when you are on your own than in a group.

And just like hiking, performing can feel scarier when we feel isolated on stage. The part of our brains that turns on our adrenaline response doesn’t really know the different between being on stage and being face-to-face with a wild bear. In both situations, our fight-flight-or-freeze response activates. In a performance setting, this might mean we experience some physical sensations like sweaty palms, numbness, shallow breathing, or more. We might also experience a variety of emotions like nervousness, fear, excitement, or more. Our thoughts might race. We might start imagining the worst-case scenarios and telling ourselves that we aren’t prepared enough. And no matter how much we tell ourselves it’s going to be okay, that adrenaline response is not the most logical part of us.

This is your reminder that you are normal. This is your reminder that your adrenaline response is a great thing that wants to help protect you. This is your reminder that there are ways to manage this anxiety. Managing it might come in the form of inner work (counseling, journaling, visualization, etc.), medications, and/or simply performing more often. It might take a long time to learn to manage it. And it likely won’t go away completely – which is also normal and okay.

This post exists to encourage you to share your music anyway. The fear of performing is real and normal, and you should share your music anyway. Sharing your music is part of your humanity. Don’t let the fear stop you – learn to manage it instead. The world needs your art and expression.

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