Vocalist.org archive


From:  ODivaTina@a...
Date:  Thu Feb 7, 2002  12:07 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Panic attack during audition

In a message dated 2/6/2002 2:53:44 PM Pacific Standard Time,
dalila@R... writes:

> 1) Is this something that I can expect to happen at future auditions
> (i.e., am I predisposed for panic attacks now that it's happened once)?

> Yes.
>
I respectfully submit that this is an extremely BAD presupposition, and very
strongly recommend that you change that presupposition to presupposing that
the anxiety attacks are now firmly in your past, and that you are currently
developing the resources to transcend them, beginning with even the simple
act of reading this post.


> > 2) Any tips on how handle my nerves? I don't want another audition
> > like this.
>
> <<SNIP!>>
>
> 5) If possible, listen through the door at just how badly the other
> auditioners are doing. Take a malicious delight in their intonation
> problems, their breathing problems, their musical problems, their diction
>

I thought so many of Karen's suggestions were SO excellent, except for this
one. There are three very profound reasons why I personally DO NOT recommend
this one:

1) First and foremost, your presence at the audition is all about you, and
has absolutely nothing, nada, zip to do with anyone else in the entire
universe. Period.

2) You could easily have the very unpleasant and reverse experience of
overhearing someone right before you in the exact same fach give an
absolutely beautiful and exquisite performance. (And perhaps conquering an
aria that you have worked on and discarded.) Never risk that! It has
happened to me (and I make it a practice of strictly avoiding listening to
anyone. . .I happened to have no choice in this case) and it sent me into a
spiral of uncontrollable negativity and self-doubt that I could not overcome
in the 3 minutes I had until I was up.

3) Regardless of the potential positive outcome of the effect of diminishing
others to elevate your own self image, the effects of those negative thoughts
are detrimental to the positive, giving energy necessary for an enlightened
performance. Energy is real stuff; if one is going to fill one's mind and
body with negativity and then expect that it will magically and immediately
dissipate as one enters the performance arena, that is extremely naive. It
does not happen that way.
TinaO







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