There are few musicians who have not experienced some type of performance anxiety, or dis-ease related to performance. This may occur on the stage, in the classroom or studio, or may be on a more personal level, a set of limiting beliefs about his/her abilities. EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), sometimes called ‘tapping’, is an emerging therapeutic modality that has huge potential to calm anxiety and transform musicians’ experiences of performance and practice. In this presentation I will explain the mechanics and origins of EFT tapping; I will explore some of the burgeoning research and anecdotal evidence that is beginning to demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of this technique; and I will suggest possible applications and areas of inquiry integrating music performance and EFT tapping. Emotional Freedom Techniques offers performers, classroom and studio teachers, and students of music a gentle and effective tool to include in their ‘tool kit’ of skills and strategies. In particular, EFT has the unique potential to resolve upsets related to performance anxiety in musicians.
About the presenterCatherine Noelle Pavlik
Cathy Pavlik (B.A., B.ED. ARCT, M.A. PhD candidate) is a music educator from Port Perry, Ontario. She has worked as an elementary French immersion and music teacher, choral conductor, private studio teacher, and community musician. For her Masters degree she trained with Canadian mezzo-soprano, Catherine Robbin to examine the presence and relevance of French Art Songs in the RCM syllabi. Her current PhD research focuses on Performance Anxiety in musicians and music students.