title: A yoga intervention for music performance anxiety in conservatory students.
abstract: Music performance anxiety can adversely affect musicians. There is a need for additional treatment strategies, especially those that might be more acceptable to musicians than existing therapies. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a 9-week yoga practice on reducing music performance anxiety in undergraduate and graduate music conservatory students, including both vocalists and instrumentalists. The intervention consisted of fourteen 60-minute yoga classes approximately twice a week and a brief daily home practice. Of the 24 students enrolled in the study, 17 attended the post-intervention assessment. Participants who completed the measures at both pre- and post-intervention assessments showed large decreases in music performance anxiety as well as in trait anxiety. Improvements were sustained at 7- to 14-month follow-up. Participants generally provided positive comments about the program and its benefits. This study suggests that yoga is a promising intervention for music performance anxiety in conservatory students and therefore warrants further research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215-2002, USA.
authors.forename: Judith R S
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: Sat Bir S
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Khalsa
authors.forename: Stefan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D060805:Performance Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013334:Students; D015013:Yoga; D055815:Young Adult