Discover Your Voice: Chapter 19
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: “Without courage, the spirit suffers, and so, usually, does the singing.” Our only competition is with ourselves. Stress has an enormous influence on our physical condition. Around 80% of severe illnesses can begin during a time of extreme stress. Take the time to identify the source. Biofeedback can be an effective means to create awareness of your body and what you can do to “control” undesirable responses. Not all throat doctors are the best for professional singers; when going through vocal trouble, it’s important to keep a level head, relax, and trust your healthy singing technique if you must keep singing. As a singer, our job is to “create the illusion of emotion so that the audience can cry [not you]” because this has an effect on our ability to sing. Sometimes, what we perceive as stage fright is the culmination of several physical responses on stress with the parasympathetic nervous system.
Key Concepts: Stress can have a massive influence on your body and ability to sing. It’s important to be aware of why you’re stressed and ways to relax.
Key Terms: enigmas, psychogenic, stress
Making Connections: For me, stress has a very strong influence on my singing ability because if I’m really stress out, my acid reflux comes back. When I’m relaxed and content (or when I manage to handle my stress well), my acid reflux goes away. I’m finding that as a music major, it’s really important that I learn how to cope with stress in a healthy way, because if I don’t, I suffer for it.
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