About 10 masterclass orchestra students traveled to Princess Anne High School to join 30 other musicians in learning how to overcome stage fright. Virginia Commonwealth University violin professor Susanna Klei conducted a “stage fright clinic.”
Stage fright is the nervousness a person feels before or during an appearance in front of an audience.
Every musician experiences stage fright at least once; therefore, this lesson became beneficial to orchestra students who perform often.
“About 99% of students do experience it; it’s rare that students wouldn’t experience some sort of stage fright. It can take a lifetime to get over it, or sometimes, people just snap out of it,” said orchestra director Angela Henry.
After pianist Eri Nakamura, violinist Anna Williams and cellist Mikhail Veselov performed the piece “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” composed by Piazolla, a student from Princess Anne High School volunteered to record her heart rate while doing nerve-wracking things, such as playing different pieces and scales on her violin.
“The clinic educated me on different ways to cope with anxiety when it comes to playing. It also showed how other people are just as nervous when playing in front of others, no matter the skill level,” said violist Kirsten McLaughlin.
