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Was it dedication...or frustration?
A couple years ago, I crossed paths with a musician whom I had gone to school with, but never got to know at the time.
She said that she remembers practicing in the room next door to me one day, and how she left to go eat dinner, returned an hour or so later, and was impressed to hear that I was still hard at work on the same passage I had been practicing when she left.
At the time, she thought I must be incredibly dedicated and detail-oriented to be working so diligently on a single phrase.
The reality, of course, is that I wasn’t dedicated at all. I was incredibly frustrated. Spinning my wheels. And expending a ton of time and energy for very little gain.
It’s the reason why I had such a negative relationship with practicing for most of my life…
Why is it so hard to make progress?
I didn’t understand why things often didn’t improve all that much even if I repeated it 50 times. Or used a metronome. Or practiced slow. Or used different rhythms.
I also didn’t understand why sometimes things would get much better – but then the next day, when I returned to the practice room, all my progress seemed to have disappeared overnight in my sleep.
And why sometimes, no matter how much I practiced, things would get worse, not better.
And why it was that performances were so hit or miss, even if everything sounded great in the practice room, and I felt totally prepared.
Looking back, I can see that the problem wasn’t a time or effort issue. I was just spending waaay too much of my time engaged in practice activities that don’t lead to effective learning or transfer very well to performance.
Finally! Something works!
Fortunately, things did eventually change. When I went to Juilliard for my masters, I took a sport psychology class with Don Greene, where I learned that there was a whole research literature devoted to studies on effective practice, and clear, actionable guidance on what the most effective practicers and performers do differently.
Learning about the mental side of practicing and performing was transformative for me. As I began incorporating more of these concepts and strategies into my daily practice, I started to feel differently about practicing. I didn’t mind it so much anymore. I even started to kind of enjoy my daily practice time (wha…?!).
Because for once in my life, I felt like I was actually accomplishing things in the practice room. And I became increasingly confident that these improvements were not the fleeting and temporary improvements I was accustomed to, but lasting, reliable, permanent changes that I could count on.
It was also cool to see how developing my mental game enhanced everything I was learning in my lessons. I was able to more fully demonstrate on stage, the musical insights that my teachers were sharing with me. Nerves began to feel more like excitement. And I wasn’t only playing more accurately, but feeling free to be more musically expressive and take risks as well.
Best of all, it was empowering to know that this wasn’t a lucky streak of random good days, but the direct result of the new mental skills I was developing. That it was something I had control over.
Hi! I'm Noa Kageyama.
It’s been a couple decades now since that pivotal shift, and I’m on the faculty of The Juilliard School and Cleveland Institute of Music – but as a performance psychologist, not a violinist!
In pursuing a Ph.D. and working with a diverse range of musicians over the last 20+ years – from concert soloists and international competition winners, to Broadway musicians and members and principal players of major orchestras, to biochemists, surgeons, architects, and engineers who continue to practice diligently in their spare time – I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t in the practice room and on stage. All things that I wish I would have known decades ago.
If you too have wondered how to keep nerves from getting in your way on stage, or how to get out of your head when performing, or how to avoid procrastinating in your daily practice, you don’t have to guess or figure these things out yourself through trial and error. The research in this area goes back decades – and your questions do have answers.
So whether you’re preparing for college, grad school, or orchestral auditions, or would like to be able to play more like yourself in lessons, weekly church services, or for a gathering of family and friends, or are thinking you’d like to help your own students develop these skills at an earlier age, I’d like to help.
Introducing...
Performance Psychology Essentials
Performance Psychology Essentials is a live, online, 4-week course. An interactive series of classes where you’ll learn how to develop and utilize the key mental skills and strategies that enable musicians to be more effective in the practice room, and perform more optimally when it counts.
It’s not just a brain dump of abstract theory. We’ll cover a specific set of concrete and practical mental skills and practice strategies. Things that will not only help you develop your skills to the highest level, but demonstrate those skills as well. Especially when the pressure kicks in.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom, go through the relevant research in four essential psychological skill areas, test out a range of exercises and techniques together as a group, and then I’ll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your daily practice through some weekly practice mini-challenges.
Performance Psychology Essentials is a live, online, 5-session course. An interactive series of classes where you’ll learn how to develop and utilize the key mental skills and strategies that enable musicians to be more effective in the practice room, and perform more optimally when it counts.
It’s not just a brain dump of abstract theory. We’ll cover a specific set of concrete and practical mental skills and practice strategies. Things that will not only help you develop your skills to the highest level, but demonstrate those skills as well. Especially when the pressure kicks in.
We’ll meet twice a week via Zoom, go through the relevant research in four essential psychological skill areas, test out a range of exercises and techniques together as a group, and then I’ll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your daily practice through some practice mini-challenges.
What participants are saying...
"...the best online course I have ever attended."
"Just wanted to say that this was the best online course I have ever attended. The platforms you used and the resulting levels of interactions were so impressive and made it as close to the classroom as can be.
In terms of content, I am now in a different place to where I was when I started. So incredibly useful. It has transformed the way I practise."
I.B.
Clarinet | Learner
"...I've witnessed a truly remarkable difference..."
THANK YOU for the wonderful classes! It was so great to have the opportunity to learn from you in as close to a real, 'live' way as the world currently permits! The material was wonderful, and the presentation, pacing, time-keeping, and opportunities to interact and ask questions were all equally as wonderful. I have LOTS of super useful concepts and strategies to digest, practice and teach to my students, thanks to everything I've learned from your blog posts, 'Beyond Practicing' and now, 'Performance Psychology Essentials'!
FWIW - I've grown to appreciate what I learned in class even more in the weeks since. Now, having some additional tools to work with and the confidence to teach these concepts and strategies to my students, I've witnessed a truly remarkable difference in their week-to-week progress - and in my overall joy, seeing them progress past things that had been challenging them in their lessons!!
From a purely 'business' perspective, your classes (and practice plans) are equally great! These are things that NO ONE in my world of American Roots music teaches or really even talks much about. Being able to offer the strategies I've learned from you is something 'unique' that I can now offer, and that set me apart from others teaching this type of music.
Wayne Fugate
Mandolin | Educator
"...helped me more than anything I've ever done...."
"This was an amazing class and helped me more than anything I've ever done toward getting more comfortable playing.
When I first started this class, playing for my instructor (whom I've known and studied with for over 20 years) was still a frightful experience. No matter how much I practiced and felt comfortable with the music, when I started to play for my lesson, it fell apart.
The practice strategies were amazingly helpful. My instructor noticed the change in the first lesson I took after starting the course.
I just celebrated my 75th birthday. You've proven that an old dog *can* learn new tricks!"
S.K
Guitar | Learner
"A lot of the techniques taught were eye-opening."
I wasn't sure I could use the knowledge on my students who are mostly young kids that are early beginners, but I decided that I needed it for my own benefit as well so I decided to sign up.
I ended up gaining a lot of mental insight into my own brain while practicing and performing. A lot of the techniques taught were eye-opening. Not only have I been able to improve my musicality, it also provided tools to me as a music educator to pass on to my students.
This might make me sound perfunctory, but I liked everything about the course. I liked all the studies that were presented, and how they can be pertained to music practice and performance. I loved the video clips of famous artists and their interviews presented during the class. And I loved the discussion sessions and hearing other peoples' perspectives and experiences too.
I would definitely recommend this course to other teachers, because I feel that while music educators may be well qualified to teach technical skills, a lot of them are not prepared to help solve mental problems their students face.
Edith Ting
Harp | Educator
What you'll learn in Performance Psych Essentials
Session #1: Practicing for Pressure
- You’ll learn the #1 thing top practicers do differently, and experiment with strategies that will make it easier to integrate this sort of deep, thoughtful, “deliberate” practice into your daily routine.
- You’ll also experiment with “flipping” the practice day, and other strategies for maximizing the efficiency of your practice. No more getting to the end of the week feeling like you barely touched all of the things you needed to work on, wondering where all the time went.
- You’ll learn two unconventional and counterintuitive practice strategies that will not only enhance skill development, but maximize consistency under pressure and help you get things right the first time, not on the second or third try.
Session #2: Beating Nerves
- You’ll learn why sometimes being nervous helps you play better, why sometimes it makes you play worse, and how exactly nerves and performance quality are related.
- You’ll also learn the four key elements of an effective pre-performance routine. And how they can help you manage performance anxiety more effectively, and get off to a good start at the beginning of a performance or audition when nerves are often the worst.
Session #3: Getting Into "The Zone"
- We’ll explore the two reasons why we “choke” under pressure, and make those random, inexplicable mistakes on things that usually sound perfectly solid in the practice room.
- And you’ll practice three strategies that will enable you to get into “the zone” more consistently, facilitating not only a more optimal performance, but a more positive experience on stage as well.
Sessions #4: Playing with Confidence
- You’ll learn how to blend the key Essentials skills from Sessions 1-3 together, and more consistently bridge the gap between practice and performance.
- And we’ll experiment with a practice game/strategy designed to increase trust in your technique, and make you more comfortable taking risks on stage.
Course schedule
Weekly live sessions
We’ll meet via Zoom every week, for a live, 90-minute session where you’ll learn about and try out the essential skills and strategies described above. I’ll share the theory and research behind the skills, and then we’ll experiment with the skills live, so you’ll feel comfortable integrating the new skills into your daily practice during the week.
There will also be weekly practice and performance challenges (i.e. mini homework assignments), so you’ll have some structure, and know exactly what to do every day. These assignments won’t be too time-consuming – just 5-10 minutes per day – and will help you learn these skills more quickly.
And what if you miss a session, or can’t make it live? No problem – there will be recordings.
The Schedule
Session #1: Practicing for Pressure
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #2: Beating Anxiety
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #3: Getting Into “the Zone”
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #4: Playing with Confidence
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Live sessions
We’ll meet via Zoom twice a week, for a live, 60-minute session where you’ll learn about and try out the essential skills and strategies described above. I’ll share the theory and research behind the skills, and then we’ll experiment with the skills live, so you’ll feel comfortable integrating the new skills into your daily practice during the week.
There will also be biweekly practice and performance challenges (i.e. mini homework assignments), so you’ll have some structure, and know exactly what to do every day. These assignments won’t be too time-consuming – just 5-10 minutes per day – and will help you learn these skills more quickly.
And what if you miss a session, or can’t make it live? No problem – there will be recordings.
The Schedule
Session #1: Practicing for Pressure
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #2: Beating Anxiety
Sunday, October 22, 2023
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #3: Getting Into “the Zone”
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Time: 1-2:30pm Eastern (5-6:30pm UTC)
Session #4: Playing with Confidence
Sunday, November 5, 2023
Time: 1-2pm Eastern (5-6pm UTC)
Live sessions
We’ll meet via Zoom twice a week, for a live, 60-minute session where you’ll learn about and try out the essential skills and strategies described above. I’ll share the theory and research behind the skills, and then we’ll experiment with the skills live, so you’ll feel comfortable integrating the new skills into your daily practice during the week.
There will also be biweekly practice and performance challenges (i.e. mini homework assignments), so you’ll have some structure, and know exactly what to do every day. These assignments won’t be too time-consuming – just 5-10 minutes per day – and will help you learn these skills more quickly.
And what if you miss a session, or can’t make it live? No problem – there will be recordings.
The Schedule
Session #1: Practicing for Pressure
Friday, July 21, 2023
Time TBD
Session #2: Beating Anxiety
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Time TBD
Session #3: Getting Into “the Zone”
Friday, July 28, 2023
Time TBD
Session #4: Playing with Confidence I
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Time TBD
Session #5: Playing with Confidence II
Friday, August 4, 2023
Time TBD
Class recordings
With time zones and schedules being what they are, I know it’s not always going to be possible to attend live. But the course is designed to work just as well whether you can be there live or not.
All sessions will be recorded and uploaded to your account, so you can catch up whenever you get a chance.
A private forum
Plus, you’ll have access to a privately hosted forum (rather than a “private” Facebook group), where you’ll be able to get feedback from other participants and ask me questions if you get stuck and would like some help applying a new concept to your specific situation.
Free repeats
Life happens, so maybe something comes up and you’re not able participate as much as you’d like.
Or maybe you’re able to make it to every session and engage fully in the class, but would like a refresher a few months down the line.
Either way, you’re covered. Alumni of the class are eligible to join and repeat future sessions of the course, gratis! 😁
"So much fabulous, valuable information in every session."
"The course was so enjoyable and very, very informative. I learned heaps and heaps! So thoroughly researched, and attractively presented. I especially appreciate all the wonderful visual stills and video examples you provided. Making the info multi-sensory like this helps provides instant cues that anchor the info and makes retrieval of the info so easy.
I'm looking forward to tidying up my notes and creating a little booklet I can refer to, and keep practicing the strategies. Being able to access the session recordings was terrific, not only because of the time zone difficulty, but because being able to pause and make notes, or go back over a section where you casually dropped a particularly wonderful gem of info, was brilliant. Thanks again!"
S.D.
Cello | Learner
"...renewed my excitement in working through their challenges..."
Before signing up, I was worried about having to interact with inflated egos, and know-it-all types of teachers. But of course, that wasn't even an issue, and I found all interactions to be helpful and enjoyable 🙂
I have hard-working students, but I'd hit the proverbial wall with a few of them in terms of practice techniques and lesson performance. Taking this course sparked my own creativity in how I approached certain things with individual students, and in turn renewed my excitement in working through their challenges with them, instead of against them. I've been on a two week teaching break, and can't wait to start fresh with everyone this week!
I liked hearing your specific ideas for and stories about sharing these concepts with students. I'm sure it's all trial and error, until we find our own way to approach teaching these strategies, but it was nice to have a starting point and know what students may/may not respond to. I appreciated hearing what other teachers do as well, particularly the piano teachers who have really young students.
I would 100% recommend this course to other educators. I think that much of the way music is taught (in private lessons, public schools and especially higher ed) is based on a patriarchal, alpha-musician system, that can be abusive and damaging, and counter-productive to fostering musicals skills and love for performance. I think any way we can rock that boat and shake things up is a step in a better direction. There is a sense of whimsy in your approach that matches my own teaching style, so that really resonates with me. I love that a practice strategy can have a cute name and a cute meme, and then be a simple but powerful tool to help someone evolve as a musician. The classical music world could stand to lighten up a bit, and I think courses like yours are a fantastic way to help people break free from the mold, get creative, and start thinking outside the box! The results are better practicers, more confident and competent performers, and a more pure love for studying and performing music.
Laura Medisky
Oboe, Alexander Technique | Educator
"...I’ve come on in leaps and bounds..."
"Thank you very very much for such a thrilling and informative course. It was extremely helpful and enlightening in multiple ways. I just loved it!
The 90 minutes with you on Zoom each week just flew past thanks to your wit and incredible talent of explaining things so clearly and in so many different ways. The way you engaged us all with your questions, interactive teaching, and informative, amusing clips and examples from sports etc. was just pure genius. People who are laughing aren’t nervous and you used that brilliantly.
I was fascinated with so much of the information you gave us - some of it counterintuitive yet making absolute sense once you explained it.
Despite it being a large group, I felt related to on a personal level both by you and (through your guidance and leadership) by the others, which added greatly to the experience.
I feel I’ve come on in leaps and bounds in terms of confidence and that I am well supplied with tools for both practice and performance in the future and for that I thank you profoundly, Noa."
P.G.
Clarinet | Learner
"...feel very privileged to have had this opportunity to interact with so many kind and thoughtful musicians..."
I was initially intimidated by the list of very accomplished, conservatory trained musicians coming from around the world to this course, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how warm and inviting all of the participants were. Noa did an excellent job of fostering a community through this course.
I enjoyed that the "homework" was always discussion based and compelled us to interact with one another to pose questions about teaching concepts we've been struggling with or to share our insights. I feel very privileged to have had this opportunity to interact with so many kind and thoughtful musicians.
As a cellist with a music library containing nearly every treatise, essay, manual, method book, scale book, and etude book on cello technique and pedagogy, this is the first course I've taken that has so neatly and concisely addressed performance psychology (and in a non-instrument specific way!).
Anthony Rodriguez
Cello | Educator
"...she’s so much more positive about playing..."
I just wanted to say a huge thank you from my daughter and from me for Psych Essentials. She learned so much and has been applying diligently everything she learned!
She was still nervous at the last performance, but she doesn’t feel helpless any more (she didn’t have a memory freeze for one!) and she knows she can do a lot to help herself now. She’s got a performance tomorrow and says she’s actually excited about it!
As a mum of a young child, I can see how her attitude to performing has changed in course of a couple of months and she’s so much more positive about playing thanks to everything she’s learnt in the Psych Essentials.
M.S.
Parent of 13-yr old violinist
Is this course right for me?
So…who is this course for? Is it for high school or conservatory student who is aspiring to a career in music? Or for the adult learner who doesn’t expect to perform all that much, but would like to show more of what they are capable of in lessons, or the occasional jam session with friends? The middle school band instructor? Private studio teacher? Professional musician on the audition circuit? Conservatory faculty member?
I know that the smart, business-savvy thing to do is to create a program that appears to target a very narrow and exclusive audience. And yes, it’s true that different people have different learning goals and needs, and there is no one-size-fits-all formula for peak performance.
We’re more alike than it sometimes feels
But in working with a wide range of musicians, from advanced middle schoolers to conservatory students to adult beginners to experienced amateur to professionals who have been playing for decades, it’s been nice to see how much we have in common, regardless of our age, experience, or level of playing. And also, how broadly applicable and useful many of these relatively little-discussed and unintuitive practice and performance strategies can be, whether you’re hoping to be more effective in the practice room, manage nerves, get into the zone, or perform more freely on stage.
So wherever you may be on your musical journey, I hope you’ll feel welcomed in joining a cohort of curious and inquisitive learners for this live, online, 4-session course on the essential practice strategies and mental skills that I believe can make a world of difference in your day-to-day musical life.
If you have any lingering questions about whether this might be the right fit or not, feel free to send me an email and I’ll be happy to chat further about it!
"...I'm really glad that I took the risk."
"Thanks for a great course! At the beginning of the course I had wondered what it would be like allowing myself to be in so vulnerable a place, and since it has been many years since I've had to play in front of the class I was a bit nervous. I also wondered whether I'd be the old man in a class filled with much younger players, but of course that turned out to not be the case at all.
But I feel that I have already reaped some real benefits from the class, so I'm really glad that I took the risk. I honestly can't say that I'd change anything in the course.
Hope to do more of your classes in the future!"
R.P.
Guitar | Learner
"I can't even remember being nervous!"
"I had no idea what your course would entail - I just knew the topics were spot on (performance and practice). I seriously thought about my reticence to perform - it seemed like an important part of musical friendships (I'm an amateur), but I didn't know how to overcome my panic reaction.
What I loved about your course was that you didn't ask us to analyze the fear of performance or poor/boring practice routines, you gave us tools to do what I want to do well: practice and perform. Your setup was fabulous - I could follow your outline while I participated in the classes. The homework was clear, structured and meaningful. And videoing was a huge step for me, now a regular part of my practice. The crowning glory was the breakout groups - I can't even remember being nervous! Amazing!"
C.C.
Cello | Learner
The Bulletproof Money-Back Guarantee
And what if the course sounds terrific now, but you discover once you dive in, that it isn’t quite what you were looking for?
If at any point before the second live session you decide that this is not a good fit, just let me know, and I’ll be happy to process a full refund. Easy peasy.
Get Started Today
Performance Psych Essentials
One single payment of
$199
(Or, two monthly installments of $99.50)
- 4 live sessions
- Access to private groups & forum
- Access to live session recordings for 1 full year
- Repeat the class with future cohorts, gratis
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can't make any of the live sessions?
The sessions will be recorded and uploaded as soon as I can upload them to my host (usually within a few hours after the course ends). So you’ll be able to “play along” with the exercises we do during class, and submit your homework into the group along with everyone else.
And part of the reason for my creating a private forum for this training, is to ensure that we can all communicate with each other asynchronously, regardless of whatever time zone we may be based in.
Is there a minimum age to participate?
It’s tricky to set a minimum age, as I’ve had students as young as 12 in my pre-college classes, and most have been super engaged, curious, enthusiastic, and independent learners.
So while I’m inclined to recommend that participants be age 18 or above, if you have a younger student that would like to participate, just email me, and we can chat about whether this would be a good fit for them at this time.
I'm already enrolled in your Beyond Practicing course. How much overlap is there between that course and this live training?
The short answer is that there is fair amount of content overlap between this course and Beyond Practicing. And why is that? Well, over the years, I received a number of requests from Beyond Practicers for more live guidance, as well as some accountability and opportunities to engage with other musicians. Which ultimately prompted the development of this Essentials class.
I worried at first that there might be too much overlap, but the Beyond Practicers who have signed up for the Essentials course (BP alumni are eligible for a 50% discount, btw) have said that they really enjoy the live experience as a supplement to the self-study aspect of Beyond Practicing. So I feel pretty confident that you’ll enjoy the experience as well – but if you have any questions or hesitations at all, feel free to email me and we can see if this might be a good fit for you.
How will it work to have learners and professional musicians and educators all in the same course?
The last couple years, I’ve been teaching separate learner and educator versions of the course.
There were some differences – but truthfully, the differences were related primarily to how the homework was framed and formatted, not the content itself.
As time went on, I also became less fond of the artificial distinction between “learner” and “educator,” as we’re all learners, just at different points on our journey.
There will be subgroups or subcohorts if you will, to make sure that between the live sessions, you can engage with those who have similar goals or are in the more immediate vicinity of where you happen to be on your journey. But everyone will attend the live sessions together as a single group!
I have another question!
No problem. Just email me, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
"...this one was the most fun and gave me the most confidence."
"Before signing up, I was worried about whether I had enough time to do this, and whether I could do the necessary technology, and most of all if I was going to have to perform in front of others in a breakout room.
But I learned I could do the technology, which was very empowering. And right off the bat I learned that there were 140 people who experience the same anxiety about performing that I do which was a comforting thought. I learned that by putting myself in an uncomfortable situation I could have fun, feel supported and grow. From other participants I learned that even after just 3 days of practicing a short piece and trying a centering, focusing or confidence building technique that they could notice an improvement in my tone! Woohoo!
I really enjoyed the weekly assignments, having a specific daily plan, trying something new and then getting feedback from others and giving it to others. I also loved your humor and the videos you shared; and your attitude of acceptance, kindness and genuine desire to be helpful. I took several workshops during the pandemic, this one was the most fun and gave me the most confidence. Thank you for offering this class and the weekly tips!"
J.B.
Harp | Learner
"...reminded me how much I like learning about music..."
"I want to thank you for a great class! When I inquired about the class beforehand, I wasn't sure how much I would get out of it since I have few opportunities to perform. But you made it really interesting, which in turn reminded me how much I like learning about music, which in turn prompted me to resume lessons with my piano teacher!
My first lesson was Monday, and it's exciting to be back in lesson mode. So, thanks for a great class AND for indirectly getting me back into music lessons."
B.W.
Piano | Learner
"...have a different attitude since taking this course."
"For the first time in ten years I am playing at my lessons without being nervous. My music teacher has become a friend and her opinion means so much to me that I was nervous because I was afraid to disappoint her. Not that she ever indicated that. Just me being hard on myself.
But I enjoy the lessons more now and have a different attitude since taking this course. I focus more on what I can do well and look forward to what I am currently learning (currently barriolage which is difficult but getting better). So glad I joined. So worth it."
A.T.
Viola | Learner
Get Started Today
Performance Psych Essentials
One single payment of
$199
(Or, two monthly installments of $99.50)
- 4 live sessions
- Access to private groups & forum
- Access to live session recordings for 1 full year
- Repeat the class with future cohorts, gratis