Befriending Performance Anxiety:
Practical Tips for Performers of All Levels
"A wonderful read and important resource for performing artists.
What a delight to see so much wisdom integrated in this way.
A truly elegant explanation and approach to managing performance anxiety."
- Dr Philippa Wheble, GP, BAPAM Clinician & Trainer
Packed with simple practical interventions, "Befriending Performance Anxiety" is your guide to achieving optimal performance states and finding support before, during and after each public event.
Suitable for musicians and other performers of all levels of abilities, the content is also invaluable for educators, presenters and reluctant public speakers who fear taking the stage.
In "Befriending Performance Anxiety", you will learn:
• How to maintain focus and deal with mistakes
• The science behind anxiety mechanisms and what we can do about them
• Simple and practical tips on what to do before, during and after your performance
• Intervention tools based on breathwork, focus and gentle movement
If you would like to build confidence in performing for others, this accessible little book will provide a clear roadmap for success.
Xenia's book is available to order in the EU, US and worldwide through Book Depository, Amazon, Juilliard Store, Barnes and Noble, Powell's and others. In New Zealand, you can also order through fishpond.co.nz.
Signed copies are currently sold out!
Xenia Pestova Bennett (trading as Brompton Cove Press)
Praise for "Befriending Performance Anxiety:
“Xenia Pestova Bennett’s approach to this subject is a breath of fresh air. Broadly rooted in calming down our physiological responses, she opens up important areas of exploration with a light touch and keen insight.”
"Xenia provides simple, step-by-step instruction to help you achieve calm and inner peace. An ideal resource for anyone wanting to quieten the mind, and for performers in any field…"
"LOVE, love, love, this book. Created by a musician-educator this is a veritable gold mine of tools and interventions that have been tried and tested first-hand. Top of the MUST READ list for performers and performance educators, from classical to traditional music - and everything in between"
"Grounded in her career as a concert pianist, Xenia offers accessible and effective interventions to calm performance anxiety. This book brings together ancient contemplative practices and contemporary science. It's an incredible resource for performers of all kinds and from all walks of life."
"The wisdom, kindness and curiosity that Pestova Bennett brings to bear in all her artistic work shines through in these pages, which are full of brilliant approaches to the alchemical problem we all - musicians included - face with turning our demons into something positive and powerful."
"Empowering wisdom emerges from these pages: the discovery that a slight shift in attention changes your state from anxiety and worry to a widening calm allowing your butterflies to fly in formation."
"There is a huge amount of information presented here, in a format that is easy to dip in and out of, written in a sympathetic and understanding tone. This book is a must for all performers, as well as ideal for teachers looking for ideas to help support their students. Highly recommended."