Stage Fright
Fall down as you come onstage. Thats an odd trick. Not recommended. But it saved the pianist Vladimir Feltsman when he was a teenager back in Moscow. The veteran cellist Mstislav
Rostropovich tripped him purposely to cure him of pre-performance panic,Mr. Feltsman said, All
my fright was gone. I already fell. What else could happen?
Today, music schools are addressing the problem of anxiety in classes that deal with
performance techniques and career preparation. There are a variety of strategies that musicians can learn to fight stage fright and its symptoms:icy fingers, shaky limbs ,racing heart,blank mind.
Teachers and psychologists offer wide-ranging advice, from basics like learning pieces inside out, to mental discipline, such as visualizing a performance and taking steps to relax. Dont deny that youre jittery ,they urge; some excitement is natural, even necessary for dynamic playing. And play in public often, simply for the experience.
Psychotherapist Diane Nichols suggests some strategies for the moments before performance, Take two deep abdominal breaths, open up your shoulders, then smile, she says. And not one of these please dont kill me smiles. Then choose three friendly faces in the audience, people you would communicate with and make music to, and make eye contact with them. She doesnt want performers to think of the audience as a judge.
Extreme demands by mentors or parents are often at the root of stage fright, says Dorothy
Delay, a well-known violin teacher. She tells other teachers to demand only what their students are able to achieve. .
When Lynn Harrell was 20, he became the principal cellist of the Cleverland Orchestra, and he suffered extreme stage fright. There were times when I got so nervous I was sure the audience could see my chest responding to the throbbing. It was just total panic. I came to a point where I thought, If I have to go through this to play music, I think I m going to look for another job. Recovery, he said, involved developing humility-recognizing that whatever his talent, he was fallible, and that an imperfect concert was not a disaster. 6
It is not only young artists who suffer, of course. The legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitzs
nerves were famous. The great tenor Franco Corelli is another example. They had to push him on stage, Soprano Renata Scotto recalled.
Actually, success can make things worse. In the beginning of your career,when youre scared to death, nobody knows who you are, and they dont have any expectations, Soprano June Anderson said. Theres less to lose. Later on, when youre known, p.eople are coming to see you, and they have certain expectations. You have a lot to lose.
Anderson added, I never stop being nervous until Ive sung my last note.
注释：
1.Stage Fright：怯场
2.The veteran cellist Mstislav Rostropovich tripped him purposely to cure him of preperformance panic.资深大提琴家Mstislav Rostropovich故意把Vladimir Feltsman绊倒，
因而治愈了他的上台前的恐惧症。cure somebody of something：医治好病。
3.its symptoms：icy fingers，shaky limbs，racing heart，blank mind：怯场的症状有：手指冰凉、四肢发抖、心跳加速、大脑一片空白。
4.Teachers and psychologists offer wide? ranging advice，from basics like learning pieces inside out：老师和心理学家提出了方方面面的建议，从基础的做法，比如，将演奏曲目烂熟于
心inside out：in great detail
5.I came to a point where I thought，If I have to go through this to play music，I think lm goingto look for anotherjob.我曾经一度认为，如果演出要经历这种慌乱，我宁可另找一份工作。
6.Recovery，he said，involved developing humilityrecognizing that whatever his talent，he wasfallible，and that an imperfect concert was not a disaster.要克服怯场，就要学会谦虚，即认识到 不论自己有多大的才能，都可能犯错误;一场音乐会即使有不完美的地方，也不是要命的事情。
练习：
1. Falling down onstage was not a good way for Vladimir Feltsman to deal with his stage fright.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
2. There are many signs of stage fright.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
3. Teachers and psychologists cannot help people with extreme stage fright.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
4. To perform well on stage, you need to have some feelings of excitement.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
5. If you have stage fright, its helpful to have friendly audience.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
6. Often people have stage fright because parents or teachers expect too much of them.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
7. Famous musicians never suffer from stage fright.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
答案与题解：
1.B本文第一段讲的是钢琴家Vladimir Feltsman被Mstislav Rostropovich绊倒后，他的怯场被治愈了的经历。
2.A第二段的最后一句点出怯场的诸多症状：手指冰凉、四肢发抖、心跳加速、大脑一片空白。
3.B 本文的第三、第四、第五和第六段都在讲老师和心理学家为怯场者提供全方位的建议。
4.A依据第三段的倒数第二句：some excitement is natural，even necessary for dynamic playing.
5.c第四段提到克服怯场的方法之一是：在观众中选择三名比较友善的人，与他们做眼神交流。所以克服怯场要靠自己而不是指望所有的观众都友好。
6.A第五段讲了怯场的根源在于导师或父母对表演者要求太高。Extreme demands就是expect too much of them的意思。
7.B第七段讲的是：不只年轻艺术家会怯场，钢琴家Vladimir Horowitz和男高音Franco Corelli亦不能幸免。Never一词不恰当。