Stage Fright in Music Performance and Its Relationship to the Unconscious

Book excerpt: Descriptions from blurbs on back cove from noted persons in this field and others: HERSETH QUOTE: "This is a very comprehensive and thorough study of 'stage fright,' which is a problem for many public performers. I am sure it will be very helpful to anyone who has experienced such feelings. Congratulations Michael." --Adolph "Bud" Herseth -- Principal Trumpet Emeritus -- Chicago Symphony Orchestra. SCARLETT QUOTE: "This is a good source to sort out the characteristics and causes of stage fright. Many people will find this book helpful to relieve this frustrating roadblock to artistic performance." --William Scarlett, Assistant Principal Trumpet, Retired, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. HOFFMANN QUOTE: "Mike Goode writes with personal insight and great clarity about the important performance problem of stage fright. His analysis is well founded in contemporary neurobiological and physiological terms. The case studies are extremely illuminating. This book is 'must reading' for those in the performing arts." --Philip C. Hoffmann, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, The University of Chicago. HALE QUOTE: "This book is helpful for singers wanting to understand how their personal psychology affects their performance ability." --Elizabeth Hale Knox, Mezzo-Soprano and Voice Teacher, Music of the Baroque and the Grant Park Symphony Chorus. TRAINOR QUOTE: "Goode goes beyond the clinical analysis of 'stage fright' symptoms and grounds the phenomenon in a human context that the average, non-scientific reader can relate to. This book is not just for musicians. Everyone has some experience with performance anxiety, and Goode offers hope to all who have suffered from it." --Ken Trainor, Managing Editor and Columnist, Wednesday Journal Newspaper. "The book describes stage fright and presents solutions to remedy it." -- The author.