(2016) Science and education, 9, 129-134. Odessa.

Anastasiia Sannikova, 

PhD (Candidate of Psychological Sciences), lecturer, Department of Solo Singing, 

Odessa National A. V.Nezhdanova Academy of Music,

63, Novoselskoho Str., Odesa, Ukraine

 

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PERFORMER’S ONSTAGE EXPERIENCES: PSYCHOLOGICAL SKETCH

 

The paper presents the results of reviewing scholars and distinguished performers’ points of view concerning onstage

experiences as one of the kinds of psychological barriers that singers, musicians, actors, etc. face in their creative work. It has been found that musician or actor’s performance anxiety is considered, as a rule, in terms of its destructive influence on emotional and artistic level of performing a musical work, which is one the significant features of performing onstage. Performance discomfort may cause performer’s barriers. In this work, performer’s barriers are understood as negative somatic, emotional, intellectual and behavioural demonstrations expressed in inhibition, resistance, limitations as well as subjectively insurmountable barriers that block performer’s activity, interfere with achieving success, and can be overcome due to targeted psychological work. This phenomenon demonstrates the difference between the aims and results of the performance objectively; as a subjective phenomenon, performer’s barriers are reflected in onstage emotional experiences of different kinds; as a psychological phenomenon, they exist only in performer’s onstage activity. The specificity of mental states (including performer’s barriers) experienced by actors, singers, musicians onstage is determined by various factors, which can be divided into external and internal ones. External factors imply that performer’s barriers were caused by the very performance onstage and some external circumstances (rehearsal, concert, stage play, exam, contest, etc.). Internal factors characterise barriers caused by demonstrations of individually psychological personal qualities: emotional states, dissatisfaction, disappointment, apathy, aggression, inner agitation, anxiety, fear and mental conflicts, etc. The assessment of “independent” external circumstances, “objective” factors of performer’s barriers as well as the extent to which they are experienced depend on performer’s personal view of the situation onstage.

onstage experiences, performer’s barrier, discomfort, destructiveness, performer’s personality, optimal readiness for a concert, onstage comfort.

 

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