A research overview on music performance anxiety

Abstract

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a form of social anxiety elicited during public music performances. MPA is a severe and frequent problem for both amateur and professional musicians. Here, we overview previous literature that investigated the mental, physiological, and behavioral symptoms of MPA. So far, surveys using questionnaires to measure the three levels of MPA symptoms have clarified situational and psychological factors affecting MPA, and its relationship with performance quality. Physiological measurements during music performances have shown that MPA is associated with physiological stress responses mediated by the autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis. Furthermore, measurements of electromyographic activity have demonstrated that MPA is associated with increased levels of muscle activity and co-contraction of antagonistic muscles in the upper extremity. These changes in muscle activity disrupt musicians’ fine motor control, which can ultimately impair performance quality. We conclude that MPA research can contribute to better understanding of the interactions between emotion and various psychological processes including memory and motor control.