Mindfulness For Beginners - A Performance Practice

Our June recital is coming up this Saturday, June 16th, at 4pm! We're very excited to share in an afternoon of music with everyone.

Audaci Church

3867 Sweeten Creek Rd

Arden, NC 28704

Please plan to arrive at the venue no later than 3:30pm for the 4pm program. This will give us time to get tuned and comfortable with the new stage setup.

Speaking of getting comfortable, here are a few mindfulness tricks and breath hacks that can be super helpful for any nervous young performers.

Have your child lie on the floor with a small stuffed animal on his/her belly. Ask them to breathe and lie there quietly watching the stuffed animal move up and down with each breath. Ask them to notice any other sensations they might feel (smells, sounds, etc.).

Another thing you can have them do to reduce tension from playing is to ask them to squeeze all their muscles, clenching their fists, toes, face, and everything. Ask them to hold that for a few seconds and then release. Instant relaxation!

Lastly, you can ask your child to run in place for a minute straight. When the time is up, ask them to put a hand on their chest and feel their heartbeat, noticing their breath and any other sensations (a warm face, sweaty hands, etc.). Ask them to hold their hand in place until their heartbeat slows down to a normal pace.

These are great things to do to help young musicians relax before a performance. Performance practice should be a part of any well-rounded musical education. However, it's important to remember that these experiences, while incredibly valuable, can be really stressful for many children. These tricks (and many others) can ensure that performances are seen as an exciting opportunity to share music with friends and family.

How about you? Do you have any useful mindfulness tips that help ease nerves and tension?