Dealing with Performance Anxiety | Bill Kanengiser Interview

Grammy-award-winning classical guitarist, William Kanengiser, discusses the delicate topic of performance anxiety. He describes how for some it can be incapacitating and for others with "ice-water-in-their-veins," it's no big deal. Being a wellness advocate at USC, Bill presents some tips and his own perspective when it comes to performing and dealing with the stress that comes with it.

Watch the full lesson on tonebase:

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[pascalsolal]

I agree with everything you say. We must stop this obsession of perfection, and accept the mistakes we make. They're part of what we are. Part of life. And anyway, each performance is an experience, an adventure. That's what makes music alive.

[alexbougiemusic]

I can also never say a Pepe quote without the voice. Never could, never will.

[jcpractices]

This is wonderful and encouraging, thank you Bill

[matthewblainey]

This is lighter in content than I was expecting from the duration of the video

[gabriel]

Love listening to Bill. I learn so much.

[baddogmintz]

Once upon a time -- circa 1980 -- in a master class I asked Manuel Barrueco how he dealt with stage fright. He said: "Two things: preparation and experience." So simple, you didn't need to take notes. OK, that didn't seem to help Chopin. But it can help a lot of people very much. Sometimes you will be terrified for a good reason: you are not as prepared as you could and should be! That is a nightmare! If you have a good objective basis to be scared, you're gonna be scared. Why should it be otherwise? So I think one simple approach that CAN work for some of us -- though not everyone -- is to keep practicing, keep learning to practice, and keep getting back in the saddle. Again and again and again. Sorry for talking so much -- I have two or three things to say verbosely.

[SingleMalt]

Pepe's attitude reminds me of a comment non-classical acoustic fingerstyle player Pat Donohue sometimes says to his audience when the takes the stage. It goes something like "I am Pat Donahue and thanks for coming tonight. I can tell you are nervous because you are wondering whether I'll like you."

[bzeliotis]

Thanks! Yes using the adrenalin and allowing it to flow in a creative manner is the best advice and in my own experience too. I loved your quote. Pepe is a genius, (I don't use this word lightly), but not many people realize that. Everything he says is not just for effect, or to sound good and clever, but has the backing of decades of his experience as a performer, his committed practice and also the lifelong instruction that he received from his musical family.

[tobiasnilsson]

Intersting! Worth reflecting on! Performance anxiety may really need to be curbed! That our thoughts affects is clear! But a certain measure of perfection is needed. The guitar is a challenging antiety intrument. What is enough?
Thanks a lot for an intersting lecture!
//Tobias

[AndorSolymos]

Pepe is wonderful. Brilliant imitation. 😂❤

[WulfinLieske]

True insights, William - bravo. Authentic quoting Pepe, by the way. All the best from Cologne Wulfin

[BonafideToolJunkie]

I'm not a performer, purely a hobbyist at song writing on classical guitar. When I write a beautiful song that I'm proud of, I will not share that song with a family member who I know to be a cynic. Because now I'm playing to prove myself to him, rather than the enjoyment of a good melody. That's bad juju. And he feels it's his job to critique and diminsh my efforts. Play for people who will marvel at what you've created. This will encourage you to share even more of your artistic endeavors.

[baddogmintz]

At first I was a bit skeptical of the story about how Pepe Romero welcomes all the physical manifestations of intense pre-performance anxiety. Not that I disbelieved it, but rather that it seemed a little crazy. However, just this evening I reflected on it and understood it a little better, at least in my own way: the more nervous you are before a performance, the more fabulous the dopamine reward when it goes well despite your nerves. I was a respectable classical guitarist who quit around age 30, as so many do, needing a better way to pay the bills (btw I met Kanengeiser when he and I were both young, but I wouldn't expect him to remember). I went through the full spectrum of performance anxiety, from nearly paralyzed and really sucking to completely comfortable and going into the zone. Then 30 years went by. Then I returned to the guitar -- but studying jazz rather than classical, because at this (st)age all I want to do is have fun rather than get into anything formal and worrying about my nails again. Started singing jazz standards, accompanying myself with the guitar. Started performing at an open mic, and to my horror -- I got nervous! Why?? It seemed silly. The stakes are so low. Why care so much? Well, whatever the cause, I beat it by going back again and again. It took four tries to get comfortable and now it's all good -- but! But now the dopamine high from a well-received performance is much shorter and less intense when there's less adrenalin going in. So, driving home tonight, I thought: ah. Maybe that is what Pepe is getting at.

[MusicDarraghONeill]

Wonderful Pepe impersonation 😅 Great information. 👍

[TheHallsofMusic]

Where I can I find this course on musician wellness? I am working at this a great deal these days. Just finished the Artist Way. It was helpful.

[lorerecru]

What's the name of the piece that sounds at the end of the video?

[myklkay]

You have one shot, that everybody will judge : all the work you did before doesn't count because they don't know it, they did not see it, they don't care about it.

If you screw up, people who don't know you will say "he's not very good" : but the stage fright made you screw up, not your lack of work.

And when your reputation, carrier and income depends on it, the pressure is overwhelming....


In your practise room, you can do it again and only you judge yourself : no teacher, no colleagues no audience.

[baddogmintz]

Performance is for people who want attention and like an adrenalin buzz. That doesn't mean we aren't also motivated by a high-minded, selfless desire to make art and share the joy with our audience and give them pleasure. Also, making music (or art, or dancing, or writing) is a quintessentially human thing. We are hypersocial; we tell stories. Somebody's gotta do it.