Name
Rerouting Drama Curriculum: Cultivating New Roots in BC Music Education
Date & Time
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 1:50 PM - 2:20 PM
Description
Music performance anxiety is extremely debilitating to musicians, as it has detrimental impacts on the body and performance delivery. Moreover, music performance anxiety is systemic (Kenny, 2011), global (Meyer, 2021), and impacts all types of musicians from students to professionals (Sims & Ryan, 2023; Beder, 2017). The aim of this qualitative study was to create curriculum based on actor education as an educational intervention for managing music performance anxiety and enhancing performance delivery and to investigate the impacts of this curriculum from the perspectives of participants from a variety of musical backgrounds. The curriculum was workshopped in a twelve-hour weekend course at the University of Victoria in 2023. The participants (seven men and seven women) came from a variety of music backgrounds (professional and amateur musicians, and students), had varying degrees of music performance anxiety from mild to severe, and played a variety of instruments (e.g., voice, clarinet, flute, piano, ukulele, and guitar). The curriculum and course assessments were based on individual exit interviews, consisting of a collective case study of 14 BC-based musicians with music performance anxiety. Interviewees were asked to rate, using a Likert scale, the effectiveness of the course and how the curriculum supported them in managing music performance anxiety and enhancing performance delivery. Descriptive content analysis (Neuendorf, 2016) was used to analyze the interview results. Twelve participants found that the course was effective for them, 11 participants said the curriculum supported them in managing music performance anxiety and 12 participants said the curriculum enhanced their performance delivery. While music performance anxiety is unlikely to disappear for performing musicians, curriculum is needed to allow musicians to flourish in public presentations of their music. This study shows how acting education may be useful and effective for performing musicians, including managing a performer’s wellbeing.
Location Name
512E
Full Address
Palais des Congres - Montréal Convention Centre
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
Session Type
Paper Presentation
Presenting Author(s)
Kara Flanagan