You know you are a skilled and hard-working musician.
You are here because you have an important upcoming performance and you cannot stop worrying about making mistakes under pressure, not to mention being negatively evaluated by the audience – or jurors.
You’ve been doing this for a while, you are committed to your craft, but you still feel nervous and full of self-doubt when it’s time to go on stage. Your mind goes blank (or straight into catastrophizing), your hands are shaky, and your focus is lost.
Your performances end up being less than you know you are capable of, while your frustration increases with each one.
So you keep going, trying to get as much experience as possible hoping that the nerves will lessen over time (like everyone says) – but they don’t – or cannot bring yourself to perform at all anymore, plagued by the thoughts of quitting to find another job.
I know this is not why you became a musician.
Let me help you prepare for your big moment with confidence and peace of mind.
I specialise in supporting musicians who want to feel confident in their abilities and hard-gained skills and stop worrying about every single thing that might go wrong.
If you’ve come this far, maybe you’ve tried a few things to ‘get over’ or ‘get through’ your nerves, fears, and inner criticism.
Things like…
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Taking more lessons, perfecting your technique, spending hours in the practice room daily (but the problem is not that your musicianship is not good enough.)
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Trying meditation, yoga, herbal aids to calm down, but their calming effects do not translate to your performances.
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Looking into positive psychology and repeating affirmations in the mirror, but find that these leave you feeling even worse because there is a part of you that simply refuses to believe you are good enough.
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Trying visualisation, ‘record & critique’, desensitisation through frequent performance… but without a clear intentional goal, these do not necessarily improve one’s confidence or performances.
The fact is, being able to focus and perform well under pressure is a totally separate skill from technique and musicianship.
And we are not taught the right tools to manage this in music lessons.
In 6 years of teaching, I’ve seen my students struggle with this again and again.
Over the years, I’ve developed a framework to help them handle nerves, self-criticism, fear and dread so they can give their best performances (and enjoy it again).
My laser-focused Single Session Coaching framework includes 5 key components:
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Understanding how performance anxiety affect your performances
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Clarifying your goals for the important upcoming performance
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Learning and practising practical techniques to stay present and focused
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Managing negative inner talk during your performance
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Staying committed to taking action toward your goals during the performance
It is a combination of the most effective tools that I compiled over the years: Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) and self-compassion for a focused and confident performance.
With these tools, you will be able to manage anxiety and negative self-talk, stay present and focused, and connect with your personal values and goals for a successful performance even when the stakes are high.
This is the mental preparation and resilience work that is missing from most performing arts education.
How This Works
Where: Fully online over Zoom.
When: A day that works for both of us, with flexibility to suit your busy schedule.
How long: 90 minutes.
How much: A single payment of £150. Most clients prefer Paypal or credit card, but direct bank deposit is also possible.
Logistics
What's Included
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An evidence-based approach with actionable exercises.
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A safe place to explore your core values and discover how you can bring more of your authentic self to your art and music.
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Practising new skills and actions in session so you have a clear idea of how to apply the theory to your performances.
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100% confidentiality – no one needs to know about our work.
What's Not Included
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A one-size-fits-all approach (or a "single best way"). Each step of coaching is designed specifically for your goals, so every client has a unique journey honouring their individuality.
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Any kind of judgement or evaluation. Being totally yourself is supported and encouraged, as well as making mistakes!
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There are no repertoire suggestions, vocal technique feedback, or networking support.
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There are no pre-recorded educational videos. Everything is live in session.
You will leave this call with concrete tools and doable actions to help you stay focused on giving a more meaningful and successful performance under pressure.
I found Gökçe to be extremely professional and empathetic: The fact that she herself is a musician puts her in a different position than a psychologist or a general coach. Her advice was invaluable and allowed me to tackle performance-related challenges in a more effective way.
Gökçe demonstrated a deep understanding of the issues that musicians face and provided practical solutions to overcome them. It was an incredibly positive experience to work with her.
— Vittoria V. (Opera Singer)