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Presenter: Hello! This is Music Today, and we are talking to Dr. Carter, who has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and over 15 years of experience helping musicians manage stress and anxiety. Dr. Carter has worked with students and professionals and has consulted for major music competitions and conservatories. My first question is: why do musicians need psychologists?

Dr. Carter: Many people believe that music is as much entertainment for the audience as it is for the performers. Very few realize that professional musicians face pressures similar to those of athletes. Nobody questions the need for sports psychologists because athletes must train their minds to perform under pressure. Musicians, however, face similar stress. They practice for hours, focus on precision and their mistakes are visible to the audience.

Presenter: Are there any differences?

Dr. Carter: The pressure is different. In sports, results are measured by points or time. In music, every note is judged, and there is also artistic judgment, which cannot be measured, but it adds another layer of stress.

Presenter: What are some common difficulties concert musicians face?

Dr. Carter: Stage fright is common, and memory lapses often happen too. Sometimes, unexpected situations arise that performers must handle immediately. For example, Brazilian pianist Eliane Rodrigues once started a recital when the pedal on her piano stopped working. She calmly stopped and explained the problem to the audience. The piano had to be changed, and the audience had to wait. The stage was equipped with a mechanism to switch pianos quickly: a section of the stage, including the piano, was lowered, and a new piano was brought up from under the stage. Rodrigues turned it all into a show, entertaining the audience by playing fun music on the malfunctioning piano as it was lowered under the stage, then reappearing and playing the new piano. The audience loved it! There was laughter, applause and a memorable shared experience.

Presenter: That sounds amazing, but very stressful for the performer. Any other examples?

Dr. Carter: Yes. At the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2019, there was an incident with An Tianxu, a Chinese pianist who won fourth prize and a special award for “courage and restraint.” During the third round, when two big pieces are performed by each pianist, the announcer introduced the first piece as Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 in Russian and English. Then, in Russian only, the announcer said “I’m sorry,” and announced Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini instead. In English, he did not say “I’m sorry.” An Tianxu, understandably, thought that Tchaikovsky would be performed first and Rachmaninov second. Tchaikovsky’s concerto begins with at least ten seconds of orchestral music without the piano, while in the Rachmaninov piece the piano enters almost immediately. You could see the horror on An Tianxu’s face when the orchestra played the first notes of the Rachmaninov piece, but he entered almost on time and played beautifully.

Presenter: Whoa, that's intense - it gives me chills just thinking about it! How do you train musicians to handle this pressure?

Dr. Carter: I help them develop mental strategies. They practice visualization, staying focused and managing anxiety. They learn to recover from mistakes quickly and prepare for unexpected situations.

Presenter: Any advice for future musicians in our audience?

Dr. Carter: Musicians must accept that surprises are part of performing. Calmness, flexibility, and focus are more important than perfection. The key is to stay confident and continue playing.

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