A Personal Perspective: A lonely office hour became an opportunity for insight when I decided to learn an instrument in front of my students in our lecture hall.
Our intentions and expectations can contribute to our anxiety.Girl playing flute in public.As a college professor, I am required to hold an office hour before my lecture. These office hours are optional and tend to be busier at the beginning and end of a semester. In the middle, they can become quiet. A few years, ago I was given a flute as a gift, so I decided that I would use my quiet office hour to practice this new instrument.
I would begin playing long tones, closing my eyes and"forgetting" that anyone was in the room with me. I was surprised to find that I felt no anxiety or self-consciousness while learning a new instrument in front of others. Had I been playing my main instrument, I would have had more concern about the level of my playing and how my playing was being received.
In time, the audience grew to a regular group of about 15 students. The student's reception was warm and enthusiastic. Some students expressed an interest in learning an instrument themselves. Over the course of the semester, I came to learn all major scales and the chromatic scale. I would regularly improvise with backing tracks played over the excellent sound system in the lecture hall. In effect, I was performing in a recital hall to a small audience.about performance anxiety.
This audience did not pay an admission fee nor were they required to attend. They came, and some regularly attended, simply for the joy of watching someone learn to play. My position was one of complete vulnerability and a desire to learn the basics of the instrument.Since then, practicing in public has become a regular part of my weekly routine. Choosing a suitable and appropriate public space is important. Playing subtly and quietly is also helpful.
There have been many things I have learned from my experiment of learning an instrument in public. I did not expect to find so many insights about the role of my expectations, my intentions, and my reasons for playing to come to my attention. When a musician talks with me about theirTHE BASICS
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