Most research on musical performance anxiety has focused on musicians coming from a classical background, and performance anxiety experiences of musicians outside the western classical genre remain under-researched. The aim of this study was to investigate perceived performance anxiety experiences in undergraduate and professional musicians and to explore whether musical genre specialization (Western classical, jazz, popular, Scottish traditional) affected musicians’ performance anxiety experiences. The study addressed questions exploring the perceived intensity of performance anxiety, the perceived contributing factors, changes in perceived anxiety levels as performances approached (one hour before, immediately before and during performance) and the perceived impact of performance on the quality of performance. Participants were 244 musicians, 170 undergraduates and 74 portfolio career musicians. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey. Findings suggested that performance anxiety was of concern for a significant majority of undergraduate and professional musicians. Musicians from all participating musical genres shared similar perceptions and concerns. Anxiety appeared to have negative connotations, although it was also reported as beneficial. Solo performance generated more anxiety compared to group performance. Overall, the impact of anxiety on performance was related to its perceived severity during performance, and was mediated by musicians’ performance experience and their general susceptibility to anxiety. The musical genre in which participants specialized affected their perceived anxiety levels. Western classical musicians were generally found to report higher levels of performance anxiety. This study has provided indications that musicians specializing in different musical genres may experience performance anxiety in quantitatively and qualitatively different ways. Further research would benefit from investigating factors contributing to these variations.

Most research on musical performance anxiety has considered this in relation to the internal characteristics of the performer, the extent of their preparedness for the performance, and factors in the immediate performing environment. The approach to its alleviation has generally been clinical in nature. Little research has been situated within an explicit overarching conceptual framework. This article proposes a theoretical framework that portrays anxiety within a musical performance context as a process that has an explicit time dimension (pre-, during- and post-performance). The model illustrates the likely processes that occur once a performer agrees to participate in a particular performance and explains how these might give rise to either maladaptive or adaptive forms of performance anxiety. The potential longer-term effects on the performer are also discussed. A detailed description of the model and the theories behind its development is followed by a consideration of model's implications and potential usefulness for both research and education.

There has been considerable research considering how instrumental practice changes as expertise develops. Much of that research has been relatively small scale and restricted in the range of instrumentalists included. This paper aimed to explore the development of practising strategies and motivation to practise as expertise develops with a large sample of participants at different levels of expertise playing a wide range of different instruments. A total of 3,325 young people ranging in level of expertise from beginner to the level required for entry to higher education conservatoires completed a questionnaire which consisted of a number of statements relating to practising strategies, organization of practice, and motivation to practise with a seven-point rating scale. Data were analyzed in relation to nine levels of expertise. Factor analysis revealed seven factors: adoption of systematic practice strategies; organization of practice; use of recordings for listening and feedback and use of the metronome; use of analytic strategies; adoption of ineffective strategies; concentration; and immediate correction of errors. There were statistically significant linear relationships between grade level and four of the factors but not for organization of practice; use of analytic strategies; and concentration. The findings are discussed in relation to the educational implications.

This article addresses the question of whether higher education music courses adequately prepare young musicians for the critical transition from music undergraduate to professional. Thematic analyses of interviews with 27 undergraduate and portfolio career musicians representing four musical genres were compared. The evidence suggests that the process of transition into professional life for musicians across the four focus genres may be facilitated when higher education experiences include mentoring that continues after graduation, the development of strong multi-genre peer networks, the provision of many and varied performance opportunities and support for developing self-discipline and autonomy in relation to the acquisition of musical expertise. Implications for higher education curricula are discussed.

Currently, no formal music performance anxiety (MPA) prevalence rates exist for children and adolescent musicians. Factors contributing to distinct MPA experiences (maladaptive versus adaptive) are also not clear and there is a lack of research investigating cultural variability in MPA experiences. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MPA and factors affecting MPA levels in adolescent musicians. Comparisons between sexes (boys, girls), age groups (12–15, 16–19 years) and nationalities (Cypriot, British) were conducted to elucidate the association between sex and MPA, explore the developmental trajectory of MPA and investigate cultural variability in its prevalence and manifestation. Profiles of musicians experiencing high, moderate and low MPA were examined to investigate discriminating characteristics. A sample of 410 musicians in Cyprus and the United Kingdom completed the Young Musicians’ Performance Questionnaire, including the Adolescent Musicians’ Performance Anxiety Scale (AMPAS). Overall, 11% of participants experienced high levels of MPA. Anxiety was affected by the cultural context as group differences and different developmental trajectories were observed in the two nationalities. Girls experienced higher MPA levels than boys, although when sex was included in a hierarchical regression with other variables, it was not a significant predictor. Approximately 60% of the variance in MPA was explained by variables that related to individual characteristics affecting susceptibility to anxiety, task-efficacy, and the performance environment. Highly anxious participants were more likely to experience maladaptive MPA. The findings support the development of personalized and culturally responsive interventions addressing individual needs on the basis of distinct musician profiles.

The literature suggests that there is often no alignment between student preferences and what and how it is taught in the music classroom. A total of 749 Cypriot secondary school students, aged 12 to 14 years, responded to a survey addressing enjoyment of music, motivation for school music lessons, and perceptions of the music classroom environment. The survey included a questionnaire with six subscales: Involvement, Affiliation, Teacher Support, Task Orientation, Order and Organization, and Rule Clarity. High ratings for Affiliation, Teacher Support, and Rule Clarity suggest that, overall, students’ perceptions of the classroom environment were positive. They were not uniform, but varied on the basis of student characteristics. Girls rated Rule Clarity higher than boys. Younger students tended to rate Task Orientation, Order and Organization, and Rule Clarity higher than older students. Higher-achieving students tended to rate Affiliation and Teacher Support higher. Older boys rated Involvement lower than younger boys, whereas older girls rated Involvement higher than younger girls. It can be inferred that boys experienced a gradual increase in perceived Affiliation as their achievement improved, although the pattern was less consistent for girls. Girls tended to report higher motivation for school music lessons than boys. Motivation was enhanced by classroom environments in which students experienced higher levels of enjoyment of music, engagement, and support from teachers. The findings show that the music classroom environment should be characterized by student engagement, clarity of rules, good organization, clear goals, teacher support, and affiliation between classmates.